Thom Evans' Simple Push Session Delivers a Full-Body Pump
The first time Thom Evans flexed his muscles on the cover of Men's Health was in November 2012. He was 27, and he had recently returned to professional sport as an aspiring GB sprinter, following a spinal injury that put paid to his rugby career.
He was in phenomenal shape then, but mostly he was just happy to be moving again. Now aged 39, Evans still looks every inch your prototypical cover model, and still works out like a much younger man, utilising squats and bench for a full-body pump.
Below you'll find, Evans push programme. It's simple, hard graft, which he supplements with more pumpy supersets including incline pressing and cable work when he has time.
A. Back Squats x 4 sets of 10 reps
With your feet at shoulder width, secure a barbell on your back, across the top of your shoulders, gripping it hard (A). Maintain an upright torso and push your hips back, bending your knees until the crease of your hips drops below your knees (B). Stand back up explosively, take a breath and repeat.
B. Bench Press x 4 sets of 10 reps
With a grip slightly wider than shoulder width take your bar out of the rack, locking out your elbows (A). Lower the bar slowly until the bar touches the middle of your chest (B). Keeping your elbows at 45 degree angle, pause here before explosively pressing the bar back up. Repeat.
C. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press x 3 sets of 10 reps
Sit on a bench set to a 90 degree angle. Clean a pair of dumbbells onto your shoulders. Take a breath and create tension through your core. (A) Drive your feet into the ground and press both dumbbells up overhead (B) Lower them under slow control to your shoulders and repeat.
D1. Dumbbell Step-ups x 3 sets of 12 reps (per leg)
Stand in front of a box, dumbbells at your sides (A). Step one foot up on top and drive your foot into the box to stand up, keeping your torso upright (B). Once at the top, stand up fully by extending your knees and hips. Slowly step backward off the box and repeat.
D2. Goblet Squats x 3 sets of 12 reps
Hold a dumbbell close to your chest in the ‘goblet’ position (A). Sink your hips back and bend your knees, dropping into a deep squat (B), your elbows should be almost between your knees at the bottom. Drive back up explosively.
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