Hypertrophy · Push

Warm-up 2 min

Do this first. A warm-up done carelessly is just time spent.

1. Wall Slide 40s

   Back and arms against a wall, slide the arms overhead without letting the ribs flare.

   Wrists stay on the wallRibs down, low back flat

2. Band Pull-Apart 40s

   Arms straight, pull the band apart to your chest. No band? Arm circles work.

   Arms stay straightSlow on the way back

3. Push-Up, Slow 40s

   Five or six, taking three seconds down. Knees are fine. This is a rehearsal, not a set.

   Three seconds downBody stays in one line

The session 31 min

1. 1

   Incline Dumbbell Press

   4 × 8 Rest 90s · 3s down, 1s up

   On an inclined bench, press two dumbbells from the upper chest to full extension, then lower under control.

   Take 3 seconds to lower it, lift it smoothly.

   Bench ~30°Shoulders downControl the negativeFeel your chest draw your arms together

2. 2

   Arnold Press

   4 × 10 Rest 75s · 3s down, 1s press

   Start with palms facing you at shoulder height, rotate the palms out as you press the dumbbells overhead, then reverse.

   Take 3 seconds to lower it, press it up smoothly.

   Smooth rotationRibs downFull lockoutFeel the delts take it, not the neck

3. 3

   Lateral Raise

   4 × 12 Rest 45s · 2s down, 1s raise

   Standing, raise dumbbells out to your sides up to shoulder height with a slight bend in the elbows, then lower.

   Take 2 seconds to lower them, raise them smoothly.

   Lead with the elbowsNo swingingStop at shoulder heightFeel the delts take it, not the neck

4. 4

   Chair Dips

   4 × 12 Rest 45s · 2s down, 1s press

   Hands on a chair edge behind you, lower your body by bending the elbows, then press back up.

   Take 2 seconds to lower it, press it smoothly.

   Elbows point backChest upShoulders downFeel the triceps finish it

5. 5

   Side Plank

   3 × 30s Rest 45s · Hold

   Lie on your side and prop up on your forearm, lifting your hips so your body forms a straight line. Hold.

   Hold steady for the whole set.

   Stack the hipsDon't let hips sagBrace the sideFeel it down the side of your waist

Cool-down 4 min

The part that actually marks the session over.

1. Doorway Chest Stretch 30s each side

   Forearm on the frame at shoulder height, step through gently.

   Turn away from the armStop before the shoulder pinches

2. Cobra Stretch 30s

   Face down, press the chest up and leave the hips on the floor.

   Hips stay downStop before the low back pinches

3. Standing Side Bend 30s each side

   Reach one arm overhead and lean away from it, slowly.

   Reach up before you leanDon't twist

4. Slow Breathing 60s

   Four seconds in through the nose, six seconds out. Brings the heart rate down and ends the session on purpose.

   Out longer than inBreathe into the belly

Why this repeats

This is week 1 of 4 in a hypertrophy block, and three blocks make the cycle. Then it starts again, which is what a training block is supposed to do: you repeat the work and add load, rather than doing something different every day and progressing at nothing. How the programming is decided.