Tuesday - Chest, Shoulders
(Week 4, Gamma Bomb - Free Weights/Cables Only)Exercises
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• bench press
barbell bench press
Prescribed Sets:
I want you to use bands on the machine for these. I linked one way to hook them up below. Bands are also great for activation. You will feel your pecs contracting very hard when you lock out. Take your time warming up and then do 4 sets of 8 here. These sets are all RPE of 8-10 as it increases as you go
Working Sets:
4
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• Incline Barbell Press
Begin by setting an incline bench to approximately 30-45 degrees. Lie back on the bench with your feet flat on the floor and grip the barbell with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your upper chest, keeping your elbows at about a 75-85 degree angle relative to your torso. Press the barbell upward until your arms are fully extended, ensuring control throughout the movement. Keep your back flat against the bench and avoid arching excessively. Maintain a steady breathing pattern, inhaling on the descent and exhaling on the press. Focus on squeezing the upper chest and shoulders during the lift, and keep the movement smooth and controlled.
Prescribed Sets:
Now we are back down to sets of 6 after working your way up to 8’s. You should be a little stronger on your 6 now, since we first started. As always, keep going up until you just barely get 6. We count this as 3 sets. These sets are all RPE of 8-10. They get harder as you go Pro Tip Squeezing the bar hard can increase activation in other close by muscles. This concept is called muscle irradiation. Squeeze the bar hard as you are driving it up fast for even more recruitment!
Working Sets:
3
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• Neutral Grip Dumbbell Press
To perform the Neutral Grip Dumbbell Press, lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Start with your palms facing each other (neutral grip) and the dumbbells positioned at chest level. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended, keeping your elbows slightly tucked in and your wrists neutral. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position in a controlled manner. Maintain a stable core and avoid arching your back during the movement. Keep your shoulders stable and avoid shrugging during the press.
Prescribed Sets:
I want you to do 4 sets of 8 here with palms facing toward each other. This will allow for less shoulder and more pec in the stretch position. Take every rep deep into a stretch and drive up to ¾ lockout. On the 4th set I want you to do 1 drop. So do a tough 8, and then drop the weight and try to get another 8. These sets are all RPE of 9
Working Sets:
4
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• Push-Up
Perform a push-up by lowering your chest to the floor and pushing back up, engaging chest, triceps, and core.
Prescribed Sets:
Talk about stretch, these will do it. Do 4 sets to failure. These sets are all RPE of 10
Working Sets:
4
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• overhead press
barbell overhead press
Prescribed Sets:
These don’t look bad, but they will light you up. I want 3 sets of 10 here. Take the bar down just slightly behind head and then just over your head as you bring it back. See the video for form. These sets are an RPE of 9
Working Sets:
3
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• Dumbbell Bent Over Lateral Raise
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing your torso. Hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat and core engaged, until your torso is nearly parallel to the ground. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and lift the dumbbells outward and upward to shoulder height, squeezing your rear deltoids. Lower the weights slowly back to the starting position. Maintain a controlled movement throughout, avoiding swinging or using momentum.
Prescribed Sets:
Ok let’s hit some machine work now for rear delts. I want you to do 3 sets of 20, and on the last rep of each set, I want you to do an iso hold. I would prefer a partner to apply slight pressure to make this even harder if possible. Shoot for 15 seconds every time. These sets are an RPE of 11
Working Sets:
3
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• Six-Way Shoulder Raise
The Six-Way Shoulder Raise is an isolation exercise targeting the shoulder muscles, particularly the deltoids. To perform it, stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart, holding light dumbbells or resistance bands. Raise your arms to the front, side, and rear in a controlled manner, completing six different movement directions: front raise, lateral raise, rear delt raise, and combinations of these to engage all parts of the shoulder. Keep your core engaged, back straight, and avoid using momentum. Perform each movement slowly and with control, focusing on muscle activation. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout to reduce joint stress.
Prescribed Sets:
Finish with the 3 sets of 10 here on this sneaky little exercise. These sets are all RPE of 10
Working Sets:
3