Monday Chest day: Try this no-nonsense chest workout

Dumbbell flys on a flat bench

Save the plyo push-ups and medicine ball throws for your “functional” training. Let’s just get things going and sculpt some mass and shape in your chest. The best way to get mass and shape in your chest is old-fashioned press and fly movements using free weights

This is exactly what the simple but heavy schedule offers you. The only proven exercises are sets that provide hypertrophy (8-12 reps), topped off with a press and a fly movement super set. This combination of an exercise that targets multiple joints at the same time and an exercise that targets only one joint forces the muscles to respond.

Good muscle symmetry should be built around a nice full chest. Keep the number of repetitions purely mass-oriented, and only use basic exercises. You don’t have to make things complicated to build bigger chest muscles. Work your muscles hard during the press exercises, balance that with some isolating flys, and you’re done.

Decline Dumbell Press

The leaning back angle should allow you to use more weight than flat or angled pressing, so feel free to strain the muscles with the heaviest barbell you can handle.

Flat Dumbell Press

Do not stretch your elbows at the top, and touching the dumbells at the top of the movement is not necessary. Stop just before the full stretch; this will ensure constant tension on the chest muscles.

Muscle & Fitness