A well-planned push day workout is a great way to train your chest, shoulders, and triceps in one focused session. These muscles work together during pressing movements, making them a natural combination for strength and muscle-building workouts.
This push workout includes eight exercises that cover the major pushing muscles.
What Is a Push Day Workout?
A push day focuses on muscles that help you push resistance away from your body.
The main muscles trained are the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Exercises such as bench presses, shoulder presses, lateral raises, and triceps extensions can all fit into a push workout.
1. Barbell Bench Press
The barbell bench press is the main strength exercise in this routine.
Lie on the bench with your feet firmly on the floor. Grip the bar comfortably and lower it toward your chest with control. Press the bar upward without bouncing it off your chest.
Sets: 4
Reps: 6–8
Rest: 90–120 seconds
2. Incline Dumbbell Press
The incline dumbbell press shifts more emphasis toward the upper chest while also training the shoulders and triceps.
Set an adjustable bench at a moderate incline. Hold the dumbbells near your chest and press them upward. Lower them slowly before starting the next repetition.
Sets: 4
Reps: 8–12
Rest: 90–120 seconds
3. Seated Dumbbell Press
This exercise targets your shoulders, especially the front and side portions, while your triceps help complete each repetition.
Sit with your back supported. Start with the dumbbells around shoulder height and press them overhead. Lower them slowly and repeat.
Sets: 3
Reps: 8–12
Rest: 60–90 seconds
4. Lateral Raises
Lateral raises are excellent for targeting the side delts. They can help develop broader-looking shoulders.
Hold light dumbbells at your sides. Raise your arms outward until they are around shoulder height, then lower them slowly.
Sets: 3
Reps: 12–15
Rest: 45–60 seconds
5. Dumbbell Chest Fly
Chest flies provide a different stimulus from pressing movements. They focus on bringing your arms together while keeping tension on the chest.
Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Open your arms with a slight bend in your elbows, then bring the dumbbells together above your chest.
Sets: 3
Reps: 12–15
Rest: 60 seconds
6. Cable Pushdown
Cable pushdowns directly train the triceps. Keep your elbows close to your body and push the handle downward until your arms are extended.
Sets: 3
Reps: 10–15
Rest: 60–90 seconds
7. Overhead Triceps Extension
This exercise focuses on the triceps through an overhead position.
Hold a dumbbell or cable attachment above your head. Bend your elbows to lower the resistance behind you, then extend your arms.
Sets: 3
Reps: 10–15
Rest: 60–90 seconds
8. Close-Grip Bench Press
Finish your workout with the close-grip bench press. It places more emphasis on the triceps while still training the chest and shoulders.
Use a grip that feels comfortable rather than bringing your hands extremely close together.
Sets: 3
Reps: 6–10
Rest: 90–120 seconds
Final Thoughts
This push day workout gives you a simple structure for training your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It combines heavy presses with isolation exercises to create a balanced upper-body session.
You do not need to train with maximum weight every workout. Focus on proper technique, consistent training, and gradual progress.
