Chest and Shoulders
(Week 4, Athletic Power Surge)Day Overview
This session emphasizes upper body pushing and overhead movements to develop explosive strength and shoulder stability. Compound presses are combined with accessory work to enhance muscular balance and athletic shoulder resilience. Short rest intervals boost metabolic stress, supporting muscular endurance.
Exercises
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• incline db press
incline dumbbell bench press
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 6 reps with an RPE of 8. Focus on controlled descent and explosive push, emphasizing upper chest activation. Use a challenging weight to promote strength gains.
Working Sets:
4
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• Standing Overhead Shoulder Press
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells or a barbell at shoulder height with palms facing forward. Engage your core and keep your back straight. Press the weights overhead by extending your arms fully, ensuring your elbows are slightly in front of your shoulders. Lower the weights back to the starting position with control. Maintain a neutral spine and avoid arching your back during the movement. This exercise primarily targets the shoulder muscles, specifically the deltoids, and also engages the triceps and upper chest for stabilization.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 5 reps at an RPE of 8. Keep core tight and press explosively overhead, avoiding arching the back. This enhances overhead stability and shoulder power.
Working Sets:
4
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• Dips
Lower and raise your body using parallel bars to work the triceps and chest.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 6-8 reps with an RPE of 8. Focus on full range of motion and controlled eccentric phase to develop pushing strength and shoulder stability.
Working Sets:
4
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• Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise
To perform the Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise, start by standing upright with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and maintain a slight bend in your elbows. Engage your core and ensure your back is straight. Slowly raise the dumbbells out to the sides until your arms are parallel to the ground, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Hold for a moment at the top of the movement, then lower the weights back to the starting position in a controlled manner. Avoid swinging the weights and focus on using your shoulder muscles to lift.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 3 sets of 12 reps with an RPE of 7-8. Use light to moderate weight, emphasizing controlled movement to target lateral delts for shoulder width and stability.
Working Sets:
3
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• face pull
cable face pull with external rotation
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 3 sets of 12 reps at an RPE of 7. Focus on scapular retraction and external rotation to support shoulder health and posture.
Working Sets:
3
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• Plyometric Push-Ups
Plyometric Push-Ups are an explosive upper body exercise where you start in a standard push-up position, lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows, then explosively push through your hands to lift your entire body off the ground, clapping your hands in mid-air if desired, and landing softly back into the starting position. Maintain a straight body line throughout, engage your core, and focus on explosive power. Proper form includes keeping your elbows at about a 45-degree angle, avoiding sagging hips or piking the hips up, and landing softly to absorb impact. This exercise primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps, while also engaging the core for stability.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 3 sets of 8 explosive reps with maximal effort, resting 30 seconds between sets. This develops explosive pushing power relevant for athletic movements.
Working Sets:
3