This push day has 6 exercises and 17 sets in all. It's part of the push pull legs, 3-day push pull legs and 5-day upper lower and push pull legs routine examples. 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
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Push Day Workout Example
An example push day for chest, shoulders and triceps, 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 | 3 | 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 |
| Overhead pressShoulders, tricepsSwap: Seated dumbbell press or shoulder press machine | 3 | 8 to 10 | 2 min | 1 to 2 |
| Cable flyChestSwap: Dumbbell fly or pec deck machine | 2 | 10 to 12 | 1 to 1.5 min | 1 to 2 |
| Lateral raiseSide shouldersSwap: Cable lateral raise or machine lateral raise | 3 | 12 to 15 | 1 min | 0 to 2 |
| Triceps pushdownTricepsSwap: Dumbbell kickback or dips | 3 | 10 to 12 | 1 to 1.5 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 and a cable station
- you have about 45 to 55 minutes for the workout
- you want one workout for chest, shoulders and triceps
The chest day example trains the same muscles for a bro split, with dips and push-ups.
Common questions
How long does the push day take?
The push day takes about 45 to 55 minutes for 6 exercises and 17 sets, including rest and the upper body warm-up. It takes a little longer when the gym is busy.
Why does the push day start with the bench press?
In the push 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 the triceps pushdown come at the end, with 1 to 1.5 minutes of rest.
What can I use instead of the cable fly in the push day?
The listed swap is dumbbell fly or pec deck machine. Either one trains the same muscles (chest), so you can make the change and keep the rest of the push day the same.
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