Workout of the Day: Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps with Mark Dugdale

The following details my recent Workout of the Day featuring chest, shoulder, and triceps from Kirkland Gold’s Gym. Here is the workout:

Incline Bench Press

• Set 1 x 12 reps with 135 pounds
• Set 2 x 10 reps with 185 pounds
• Set 3 x 8 reps with 225 pounds
• Set 4 x 6 reps with 245 pounds
• Set 5 x 6 reps with 265 pounds
• Set 6 x 6 reps with 285 pounds

Perform two to three warm-up sets with higher reps and then begin your working sets, doing six reps until you barely get all six. Incline has been bothering my shoulder, but today felt okay. I need to focus more on mobility. The key to this exercise is to bring the

bar down to within an inch of your chest and then drive the weight up just short of lockout.

Banded Dumbbell Flat Bench

I used the

elitefts Pro Mini Resistance Band.

• Set 1 x 6 reps with 90 pounds + band
• Set 2 x 6 reps with 90 pounds + band
• Set 3 x 6 reps with 90 pounds + band

The key here is to control the eccentric and drive up hard, flexing your pecs at the top for a split second before lowering the

weight back down again.

Here is a video showing the set-up and execution:

Superset: Dips with Chains and Machine Flyes

I used an

elitefts 5/8 chain.

• Dips x 8-10 reps with 1 chain across the back of your neck
• Immediately followed by…
• Machine Flyes x 6 reps with 180 pounds

Do not over-stretch on either exercise. Press just short of locking out to maintain continuous tension on the

dips. Move straight to Machine Flyes for sets of six reps with heavier weight. Perform this superset for three rounds.

Superset: Shoulder Press and High Lateral Plate Raises

• Standing Shoulder Presses x 6-8 reps with 135 pounds
• Immediately followed by…
• High Lateral Plate Raises x 10-12 reps with 10-pound plates

On the Standing Shoulder Presses, bring the bar down to about chin-level before driving the bar up overhead. Immediately grab 10-pound plates and perform side laterals. Start the lateral with your palms facing down, and as you raise the

plate up overhead, rotate until your hands are pronated. Bring the plates to touch directly overhead and flex your delts and traps for a split second before slowly lowering the plates back down to your sides with palms in a neutral position. Perform this superset for three rounds.

Machine Laterals

• Set 1 x 12 reps with 60 pounds
• Set 2 x 12 reps with 60 pounds

Sit facing away from the weight stack, which is basically backward on the machine. Strive to keep your thumbs pointing down as you raise and lower the weight. Control the tempo to avoid using momentum to complete your reps. Just two sets here.

Here is a video showing the execution:

Alternate: Rear Delt Swings and Close Grip Bench

• Rear Delt Swings x 20 reps with 45 pounds
• Immediately followed by…
• Close Grip Bench Press x 8-10 reps with 135 pounds

The Rear Delt Swings are performed lying face down on an

inclined utility bench. Keep your elbow joint straight and do small “swing” reps hinging at the shoulder joint and targeting your posterior deltoid. For time efficiency’s sake, I superset this with a close grip bench. The key to that exercise is to bring the bar down until your elbow joint is at 90 degrees, pause for a two-second count, and then press the bar up, flexing your triceps as hard as possible in the locked position. Perform this superset for three rounds.

Overhead Rope Extensions

• Set 1 x failure with 100 pounds
• Set 2 x failure with 100 pounds

Your triceps should be fully exhausted and pumped from all the previous pressing movements, so now the goal is to stretch them out. Try to keep your elbows high to facilitate a good stretch and go until absolute failure. Stretch your triceps for 30 seconds after each set here as well.

That concluded this Workout of the Day.

Train hard!

—

Mark

Workout of the Day: Back and Bis