Gym Chest Workout for Intermediate
A gym chest workout for intermediate that you can do in a commercial gym. 6 exercises, about 47 minutes, targeting chest.
| Level | Intermediate |
| Equipment | Gym |
| Time | About 47 minutes |
| Muscles | Chest |
The workout
| Exercise | Sets / reps |
|---|---|
| 1. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip | 4 × 8–12 |
| 2. Incline Dumbbell Flyes | 4 × 8–12 |
| 3. Cable Iron Cross | 4 × 8–12 |
| 4. Low Cable Crossover | 4 × 8–12 |
| 5. Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover | 4 × 8–12 |
| 6. Incline Dumbbell Bench With Palms Facing In | 4 × 8–12 |
See each exercise
How to do this workout
- Warm up for 5 minutes: brisk walk or easy cardio, then one light set of the first exercise.
- Do the exercises in order. Finish all sets of one before moving on.
- Pick a weight that leaves about 1–2 reps in the tank on the last set. Rest 60–120 seconds on big lifts, 45–60 seconds on smaller ones.
- Do this workout 1–2 times a week, with at least one rest day before training the same muscles again.
How to progress
When you can do every set with good form at the top of the rep range, add one rep per set the next week, or a small amount of weight (1–2.5 kg). Progress slowly — consistent small jumps beat big ones. For fat loss, pair this with a small calorie deficit and around 1.6–2 g of protein per kg of body weight.
Exercise notes
1. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position. From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.
2. Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Hold a dumbbell on each hand and lie on an incline bench that is set to an incline angle of no more than 30 degrees. Extend your arms above you with a slight bend at the elbows.
3. Cable Iron Cross
Begin by moving the pulleys to the high position, select the resistance to be used, and take a handle in each hand. Stand directly between both pulleys with your arms extended out to your sides. Your head and chest should be up while your arms form a "T". This will be your starting position.
4. Low Cable Crossover
To move into the starting position, place the pulleys at the low position, select the resistance to be used and grasp a handle in each hand. Step forward, gaining tension in the pulleys. Your palms should be facing forward, hands below the waist, and your arms straight. This will be your starting position.
5. Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover
Place a dumbbell standing up on a flat bench. Ensuring that the dumbbell stays securely placed at the top of the bench, lie perpendicular to the bench (torso across it as in forming a cross) with only your shoulders lying on the surface. Hips should be below the bench and legs bent with feet firmly on the floor. The head will be off the bench as well.
6. Incline Dumbbell Bench With Palms Facing In
Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other. By using your thighs to help you get the dumbbells up, clean the dumbbells one arm at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.
Weekly plans that use this workout
More workouts like this
Gear for this workout
Gym duffel bagShoe compartment and space for everything.See it on Amazon →
Gym glovesBetter grip and fewer calluses.See it on Amazon →Stop if anything hurts (sharp pain is different from muscle burn). If you have an injury or health condition, check with your GP or a physio first.