This Killer Chest Workout Will Also Crush Your Core

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Chest workout that increases the core demand and focus as you go on (the ending superset is a doozy too)… ———————————————————————— 1) dumbbell chest press, 4 sets, 10-12 reps. Pretty self-explanatory. Work heavy. ———————————————————————— 2) mixed-style incline press. If you’ve done my stuff before, you’ve done this. But let’s change up the cadence to slightly alter core demands: it’s a two-arm press into an explosive single-arm press. Alternate the single press after each two-arm. Your core has to quickly switch from overall stabilization to anti-rotation heavy after each rep. 6-8 pairs per set, 4 sets. ————————————————————————- 3a) eccentric-focus hollow-body Floor press. Hollow body position, so legs and shoulder blades off the floor. Slowly lower the dumbbell, aim for 3-4 tick lowers. Tons of anti-rotation here as you do this. Don’t count reps…just work for 30 seconds the first time thru, then 40, then 50. The negative emphasis really forces your core to operate in anti-rotation overdrive; it’s adjusting to a new hollow body challenge every moment of each set. 3b) superset that with kneeling cable flies. Work these on a 30/40/50 rhythm too. Don’t think press down either. Press forward. ———————————————————————— #chestday #fitness #training #chest #hollowbodyfun

A post shared by Eb Samuel (@ebenezersamuel23) on Jul 7, 2018 at 4:18am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Chest workout that increases the core demand and focus as you go on (the ending superset is a doozy too)… ———————————————————————— 1) dumbbell chest press, 4 sets, 10-12 reps. Pretty self-explanatory. Work heavy. ———————————————————————— 2) mixed-style incline press. If you’ve done my stuff before, you’ve done this. But let’s change up the cadence to slightly alter core demands: it’s a two-arm press into an explosive single-arm press. Alternate the single press after each two-arm. Your core has to quickly switch from overall stabilization to anti-rotation heavy after each rep. 6-8 pairs per set, 4 sets. ————————————————————————- 3a) eccentric-focus hollow-body Floor press. Hollow body position, so legs and shoulder blades off the floor. Slowly lower the dumbbell, aim for 3-4 tick lowers. Tons of anti-rotation here as you do this. Don’t count reps…just work for 30 seconds the first time thru, then 40, then 50. The negative emphasis really forces your core to operate in anti-rotation overdrive; it’s adjusting to a new hollow body challenge every moment of each set. 3b) superset that with kneeling cable flies. Work these on a 30/40/50 rhythm too. Don’t think press down either. Press forward. ———————————————————————— #chestday #fitness #training #chest #hollowbodyfun

A post shared by Eb Samuel (@ebenezersamuel23) on Jul 7, 2018 at 4:18am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Chest workout that increases the core demand and focus as you go on (the ending superset is a doozy too)… ———————————————————————— 1) dumbbell chest press, 4 sets, 10-12 reps. Pretty self-explanatory. Work heavy. ———————————————————————— 2) mixed-style incline press. If you’ve done my stuff before, you’ve done this. But let’s change up the cadence to slightly alter core demands: it’s a two-arm press into an explosive single-arm press. Alternate the single press after each two-arm. Your core has to quickly switch from overall stabilization to anti-rotation heavy after each rep. 6-8 pairs per set, 4 sets. ————————————————————————- 3a) eccentric-focus hollow-body Floor press. Hollow body position, so legs and shoulder blades off the floor. Slowly lower the dumbbell, aim for 3-4 tick lowers. Tons of anti-rotation here as you do this. Don’t count reps…just work for 30 seconds the first time thru, then 40, then 50. The negative emphasis really forces your core to operate in anti-rotation overdrive; it’s adjusting to a new hollow body challenge every moment of each set. 3b) superset that with kneeling cable flies. Work these on a 30/40/50 rhythm too. Don’t think press down either. Press forward. ———————————————————————— #chestday #fitness #training #chest #hollowbodyfun

A post shared by Eb Samuel (@ebenezersamuel23) on Jul 7, 2018 at 4:18am PDT

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A post shared by Eb Samuel (@ebenezersamuel23) on Jul 7, 2018 at 4:18am PDT

Chest day can get old fast if you just stick to the same old barbell bench press-centric routine. Mix up your regimen — and push your core to perform, too — with this dumbbell-heavy workout from Men’s Health Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.

You’ll need access to dumbbells, adjustable benches, and a cable machine, so you’re probably only going to be able to do this workout in a gym. You definitely won’t need a barbell bench, though, so get ready to power through these moves in the time you’d usually be stuck waiting for your turn on the gym’s most popular real estate.

The Chest to Core Change Up

4 sets of 10 to 12 reps

Swap out the barbell for dumbbells for a versatile chest press. Samuel advises that you hit this move with heavy weights.

4 sets of 6 to 8 pairs

Even though we’re still focused on pressing with the chest, the core comes into play with this move. Grab an incline bench and a set of medium weight dumbbells. Perform one press rep with both arms, then press with only your right arm, keeping your left arm down at your chest. Perform another press with both arms, then press only with your left arm. That’s one pair.

“Focus on the core and don’t let your torso rotate on those single reps,” says Samuel. “Weight is key here: Use something that’ll challenge your pecs but still allow you to be explosive (so you’re really challenging your abs too).”

Superset Finisher

Perform these two exercises back to back to finish out the workout.

30 seconds, 40 seconds, 50 seconds

This move pushes the core to work even harder from its base, the hollow body position. Lay on the ground holding a pair of dumbbells, then lift your legs and shoulder blades off the floor. Press both dumbbells up, then slowly lower your right arm to the floor, aiming to take 3 to 4 seconds. Press back up, then lower the left. Instead of reps, keep the movement going for 30 seconds. Work up to 40 seconds for the second set, then 50 seconds for the third.

“The negative emphasis really forces your core to operate in anti-rotation overdrive,” says Samuel. “It’s adjusting to a new hollow body challenge every moment of each set.”

30 seconds, 40 seconds, 50 seconds

Get to a cable tower for the second part of the finishing superset. Kneel between the two handles, grab them, and squeeze your chest to bring the handles together in front of you. “Really squeeze your pecs as you finish each rep,” says Samuel. “Don’t think press down either. Press forward.”

Instead of counting reps, repeat the move for 30 seconds continuously, focusing on holding the cables together for 3 to 4 second counts (like the previous exercise). Work up to 40 second and 50 second periods for the second and third sets.

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