UPDATED
TIME
45–60 minutes
GOAL
Build muscle
EQUIPMENT
Standard gym
SESSION
5 exercises · 13 sets
The push day workout
A bench, a shoulder press and a cable station can give you plenty to work with. The challenge is choosing enough work to progress without spending the whole session pressing from slightly different angles.
This push day workout routine suits gym-goers who already know the basic movements. It uses five exercises and thirteen working sets, with modest shoulder-press volume because your front shoulders also help during both chest presses. Warm-up sets are separate.
Exercise
Sets × reps
Rest
Dumbbell bench press
Chest · horizontal press
3 × 8–12
2–3 min
Incline dumbbell press
Chest · incline press
2 × 8–12
2–3 min
Seated dumbbell shoulder press
Shoulders · overhead press
2 × 8–12
2–3 min
Dumbbell lateral raise
Shoulders · lateral raise
3 × 12–20
90–120 sec
Overhead cable triceps extension
Triceps · overhead extension
3 × 10–15
90–120 sec
Choose loads that leave roughly two controlled repetitions available at the end of most sets. Log dumbbells per dumbbell and the cable by its selected stack setting. Rest longer if your breathing or setup would otherwise spoil the next set. If this amount of work is new, begin with two working sets per exercise and assess recovery before using the full table.
Only have 30 minutes?
Keep the flat press, lateral raise and triceps extension. Finish those movements well and return to the full session when your schedule allows.
Warm up before your first press
Start with comfortable shoulder movement and two or three progressively heavier bench-press warm-up sets. Use those repetitions to check your grip, foot position and a range you can control; avoid tiring yourself before the working sets.
Do a lighter rehearsal set before the shoulder press. If a movement causes sharp pain, stop and change the exercise rather than treating the warm-up as something to push through.
Your push day exercises, explained
The best push exercises for this session are ones you can set up consistently and progress without losing control. The left image shows the start of the upward phase; the right shows the finish. Lower under control to repeat.
Dumbbell bench press
START ·
Weights beside chest
FINISH ·
Press above chest
MUSCLES WORKED
Chest, front delts & triceps
SETS × REPS
3 × 8–12
REST
2–3 min
Cue:
Keep your head and back supported, feet planted and wrists above elbows. Lower beside your chest, then press upwards without crashing the weights together.
Weight:
Log kilograms per dumbbell: two 12 kg weights mean 12 kg each, 24 kg combined. Example only.
Alternate exercise:
Machine chest press.
Incline dumbbell press
START ·
Weights by upper chest
FINISH ·
Press above upper chest
MUSCLES WORKED
Upper chest, front delts & triceps
SETS × REPS
2 × 8–12
REST
2–3 min
Cue:
Use a low incline around 30 degrees and plant your feet. Lower beside your upper chest, then press upwards without increasing your back arch.
Weight:
Log kilograms per dumbbell; select this load separately from your flat press.
Alternate exercise:
Incline machine chest press.
Seated dumbbell shoulder press
START ·
Weights beside shoulders
FINISH ·
Press overhead
MUSCLES WORKED
Front and side delts & triceps
SETS × REPS
2 × 8–12
REST
2–3 min
Cue:
Sit against a nearly upright backrest, feet stable and elbows slightly forwards. Press from shoulder level to overhead without leaning further back.
Weight:
Log kilograms per dumbbell, using a load you can control through a comfortable range.
Alternate exercise:
Seated machine shoulder press.
Dumbbell lateral raise
START ·
Arms by your sides
FINISH ·
Raise to shoulder height
MUSCLES WORKED
Side delts
SETS × REPS
3 × 12–20
REST
90–120 sec
Cue:
Raise your arms outwards and slightly forwards, keeping a small elbow bend. Stop around shoulder height and lower smoothly without bouncing your knees.
Weight:
Log kilograms per dumbbell; build repetitions before increasing the weight.
Alternate exercise:
Single-arm cable lateral raise.
Overhead cable triceps extension
START ·
Elbows bent overhead
FINISH ·
Straighten your elbows
MUSCLES WORKED
Triceps
SETS × REPS
3 × 10–15
REST
90–120 sec
Cue:
Face away from a low pulley, rope behind your head and upper arms raised. Straighten your elbows without flaring your ribs; keep the cable clear.
Weight:
Log the selected stack setting for one cable, not per hand; pulley ratios vary.
Alternate exercise:
Cable triceps pushdown.
Build repetitions before adding weight
Use your flat dumbbell press as an example. Keep the same weight until all three sets reach the top of the range with the intended effort. These entries illustrate the method, not a required weekly pace.
START HERE
10 / 9 / 8
12 kg per dumbbell · reps per set
BUILD REPS
11 / 10 / 9
12 kg per dumbbell · reps per set
TOP OF THE RANGE
12 / 12 / 12
Try the smallest increase next
After increasing the load, expect your repetitions to fall towards eight. If they fall below the range or your technique changes, return to the earlier pair. Record the bench angle as well as the load so your next comparison means something.
Where this session fits
Use this session in a push pull legs routine, alternating it with the pull day workout and leg day workout. This example has six sessions:
MON
Push
TUE
Pull
WED
Legs
THU
Rest
FRI
Push
SAT
Pull
SUN
Legs
Six days is a substantial commitment. Start with a schedule you can repeat, and count any extra pressing elsewhere in your week before adding more sets. If performance keeps falling or your shoulders remain uncomfortable, reduce the workload and reassess.
Push day questions
Behind the advice
This is a sample session. Adjust the work to your experience and recovery.
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