Pump Up Your Chest and Triceps With This Giant Set Workout
Although new evidence is coming out every day, and of course every coach has their own opinion on exactly what’s best when it comes to building muscle, the general consensus right now seems to be that full-body training, upper/lower-body splits, or at very least hitting the same muscles more than once per week are all superior to a traditional "bro-split".
That being said, you don’t always have to do what’s "best": sometimes it’s okay to simply do what’s most fun. And, although it might not necessarily be "optimal", you can rest assured, if you do it right, having fun can still move the needle on your muscle-building goals.
Case in point, this pump-focused workout designed to hit two of your primary pressing muscles, the chest and triceps. Balancing volume and intensity, this giant set format will pump up your pecs and challenge your arms – the perfect sojourn from a more "evidence-based" routine.
After a thorough warm-up, do as many rounds as possible of the following circuit in 30 minutes. Rest adequately between each round, but keep the rest between movements to a minimum. Start with a relatively light load and build in weight over the rounds until you’re struggling to hit the reps at the lower end of the prescribed rep range. If you have to lower the weights to keep hitting the numbers, go for it, but push yourself hard throughout.
The Giant Set Chest and Triceps Workout
1. Dumbbell bench press x 6-10
Lie flat on a bench or the floor, your knees bent, pushing your feet into the floor. Press a pair of dumbbells into the air, locking out your elbows. Lower the bells slowly until they touch your chest keep your elbows at 45-degree angle, pause here then explosively press back up. Repeat.
2. Lying tricep extensions x 10-12
Lie flat on a bench or the floor with a pair of dumbbells locked out overhead. Bend at the elbows, slowly lowering the bells towards your head, while keeping your upper arms locked in place. Stop just short of the bells touching the floor, before extending back up explosively. Repeat.
3. Dips x 10-15
Jump up on two parallel bars or gymnastics rings with your palms facing inward and your arms straight. Slowly lower until you feel a deep stretch in your chest, ensuring your elbows don’t flare outward. Drive yourself back up to the top and repeat.
4. Close-grip push-ups x max reps
Drop into a plank position, with your core tight and hands almost touching, keeping your elbows close to your body lower your chest to the floor. Push back up explosively, squeezing your triceps hard at the top, then quickly repeat. Perform as many high-quality reps as possible until you can no longer push your bodyweight up from the ground.
More Upper-Body Workouts
This 30-Minute Barbell Only Push/Pull Session Is the Ultimate Upper-Body Workout for Size
Supersize Your Pecs With This Four-Week Chest Specialisation Plan
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