Day 1
Lie on your back on a bench with a heavy dumbbell in your left hand along the side of your chest, palm facing in. Hold your opposite arm straight out to the side for balance.
Push the weight up so your arm is straight above your chest. Pause, then slowly lower the weight to the starting position.
The plan: do five to seven repetitions with each hand. Complete four sets, resting two minutes after each set.
Lie face-up on an incline bench and hold a pair of heavy dumbbells along the outsides of your chest with a neutral grip (palms facing in).
Slowly press the weights straight above your chest. Pause, then lower them to the starting position.
The plan: perform six to eight repetitions. Do three sets and rest two minutes after each set.
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Day 2
If your gym has Blast Straps (elitefts.com) or chains, try this push-up variation. Otherwise, do the weighted push-up below. Loop the straps or chains around the bar so the handles hang five or so centimetres off the floor.
Now assume the standard push-up position with your hands grasping the handles, so only your feet touch the floor. Bend at the elbows to lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then push yourself up.
The plan: do as many as you can, then rest for 90 seconds. Perform a total of three sets.
Lie on an incline bench and hold a pair of dumbbells over your chest with your arms straight, palms facing forward.
Keeping your palms forward, slowly sweep your arms down and out to your sides in an arc until the weights are level with your chest.
Pause, then reverse the motion until the weights are once again above you.
The plan: perform this exercise as a superset with the next move. That is, do eight to 12 repetitions of the dumbbell incline fly, then immediately move to the parallel-bar dip.
Keeping your elbows tucked close to your body, slowly lower yourself by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Pause, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
The plan: do as many repetitions as you can, then rest for three minutes and repeat the superset one time, performing a total of two sets of each exercise.
Lie on your left side with your left arm bent and your head resting on your left hand.
Holding a light dumbbell in your right hand, bend your right arm 90° and tuck your upper arm against your right side. Let the weight hang in front of your midsection.
Keeping your upper arm stationary, slowly rotate your forearm until it points towards the ceiling. Then rotate your forearm back to the starting position.
The plan: perform 12 to 15 repetitions, then rest for one minute. Do two sets.
PHASE 2
Week 5-8
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Day 1
Barbell Bench Press
Lie on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Grab the bar with your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart and hold the weight over your chest.
Pull your shoulderblades back and together, then lower the bar to your chest. (Tuck your elbows in at 45°; don't let them flare out to the sides.) Pause, then push the weight back up.
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Day 2
Weighted Push-up
Assume the standard push-up position, with your hands beneath your shoulders. Ask your workout partner to place a weight plate on your back, between your shoulderblades.
Keeping your body straight, lower yourself by bending your elbows until your chest touches the floor. Pause, then push yourself back up.
The plan: perform this exercise as a superset with the next move. Do eight to 12 repetitions, then immediately move on to the cable lying fly.
Place an exercise bench between the stacks of a cable crossover station and attach stirrup handles to the low-pulley cables.
Grab a handle with each hand and lie face-up on the bench with your feet flat on the floor. Hold your arms straight above your chest, palms facing each other.
Keeping your elbows slightly bent, lower your hands out to your sides in an arc, then reverse the motion to return to the starting position.
The plan: do eight to 10 repetitions, rest 2.5 minutes, then repeat the superset (push-up and cable lying fly) two times for a total of three sets.
Sit with your left knee bent, right leg flat on the floor. Hold a light dumbbell in your left hand, bending that arm 90°, resting the elbow on your left knee and allowing the weight to hang down.
Keeping your elbow in place, slowly rotate your left arm upwards. Pause when your forearm points to the ceiling, then reverse the motion until the weight is again hanging over your right leg.
The plan: do 10 to 12 repetitions with each hand, then rest 60 seconds. Repeat one time, for a total of two sets.
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