This chest day has 5 exercises and 15 sets in all. It's part of the bro split routine example. It works the same way for men and women, and every exercise lists a dumbbell or machine swap if you'd rather use one.
Workout Routine Examples
Track macros and calories
Chest Day Workout Example
An example chest day for chest, with front shoulders and triceps helping, with sets, reps, rest and target RIR for every exercise.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest | RIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bench pressChest, front shoulders, tricepsSwap: Dumbbell bench press or chest press machine | 4 | 6 to 8 | 2 to 3 min | 1 to 2 |
| Incline dumbbell pressUpper chest, front shoulders, tricepsSwap: Incline barbell press or incline machine press | 3 | 8 to 10 | 2 min | 1 to 2 |
| DipsChest, triceps, front shouldersSwap: Assisted dip machine or close-grip bench press | 3 | 8 to 12 | 2 min | 1 to 2 |
| Cable flyChestSwap: Dumbbell fly or pec deck machine | 3 | 10 to 12 | 1 to 1.5 min | 1 to 2 |
| Push-upsChest, front shoulders, tricepsSwap: Incline push-ups on a bench | 2 | 10 to 15 | 1 min | 1 to 2 |
RIR means reps in reserve: how many more good reps you could have done when you stopped the set. See What does RIR mean in lifting? We based the rest times on How long to rest between sets.
This is an example of what a workout can look like, not a prescription or medical advice. Start with weights you can lift with good form, and if you have an injury or a health condition, check with your doctor first.
Want to track this workout?
In Somatics, you can save any workout as a template, then log your sets, reps and weight as you go, plus RIR (Reps in Reserve) with Pro.
Who is this for?
This example can work well for you if:
- you train at a gym with a barbell and rack, dumbbells, a cable station and dip bars
- you have about 40 to 50 minutes for the workout
- you want one workout for chest, with front shoulders and triceps helping
The push day example trains the same muscles for a push pull legs week, with the overhead press, the lateral raise and the triceps pushdown.
Common questions
How long does the chest day take?
The chest day takes about 40 to 50 minutes for 5 exercises and 15 sets, including rest and the upper body warm-up. It takes a little longer when the gym is busy.
Why does the chest day start with the bench press?
In the chest day, the bench press is the biggest lift, working your chest, front shoulders and triceps, so you do it first, while you're fresh, with 2 to 3 minutes of rest between sets. Smaller accessory exercises like push-ups come at the end, with 1 minute of rest.
What can I use instead of dips in the chest day?
The listed swap is assisted dip machine or close-grip bench press. Either one trains the same muscles (chest, triceps and front shoulders), so you can make the change and keep the rest of the chest day the same.
Track macros and calories
with Somatics
