Best Chest and Shoulder Workout Training Plan

Best Chest and Shoulder Workout Training Plan

Throughout my twelve years as a personal trainer, I have been asked many times about the best exercises for each muscle group.

Today I am answering the question what is the best chest and shoulder workout training plan?

In this comprehensive article, I will guide you through some of the best chest and shoulder workout exercises that I have used myself and with my clients over the past 12 years.

Additionally, I will provide a helpful upper-body training plan for you to try during your next gym session, allowing you to kick-start your fitness journey with confidence.

Without further ado, let’s take a deeper look at the best chest and shoulder workout training plan.

9 Best Chest and Shoulder Workout Exercises

As a beginner, it’s important to ease into your gym workouts by starting with simpler exercises and light weights. This allows you to familiarise yourself with proper form while still achieving results.

You can begin by using your body weight, free weights, or resistance bands as effective tools to initiate your fitness journey.

Remember that for maximum benefits, you want to make sure you are incorporating upper body exercises into a comprehensive workout plan that targets the entire body.

This ensures that you’re not neglecting other muscle groups while focusing on strengthening your chest and shoulders.

Whilst there are plenty of exercises that target different parts of the chest and shoulders, I have narrowed this list down to the 9 most effective exercises that I use with my clients for improving chest and shoulder strength.

Flat Bench Press (Chest)

The flat bench press is an essential chest exercise that can be found in nearly every workout routine.

To perform the flat bench press, focus on targeting the chest, triceps, and shoulders as the primary muscle groups.

Here’s how to properly execute the flat bench press:

Lie flat on a bench and position your hands just slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Lift your chest up and retract your shoulder blades by squeezing them together and firmly pressing them against the bench.
Inhale deeply and slowly lower the barbell towards the base of your sternum (breastbone) while keeping your elbows unlocked.
Once the barbell reaches the bottom position, exhale and push it back up in a straight line. Press yourself firmly into the bench, drive your feet into the floor, and fully extend your elbows.

Incline Bench Press (Chest)

The incline bench press is a modified version of the classic bench press exercise that specifically targets the muscles in the upper chest. Follow these steps to properly perform the incline bench press:

Adjust an incline bench to approximately 30-45 degrees.
Lie on the bench with your back facing up and ensure that your feet are firmly planted on the floor.
Grasp the barbell with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and lift it off the rack, ensuring a secure grip.
Lower the barbell towards your chest while keeping your elbows at an angle that is not flared out excessively.
Push the barbell back up to the starting position using controlled force and maintain stability throughout the movement.
Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions, focusing on maintaining proper form and engaging the upper chest muscles.

Dumbbell Fly (Chest)

The Dumbbell fly is an excellent exercise for isolating and strengthening the chest muscles, promoting a well-rounded and balanced chest. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform dumbbell flyes effectively:

Lie flat on a bench, ensuring your feet are firmly planted on the floor for stability. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, positioned directly above your chest, with your palms facing inward. This is your starting position.
Begin the movement by slowly lowering the dumbbells out to the sides, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows. Focus on feeling a stretch in your chest muscles.
Continue lowering the dumbbells until your arms are parallel to the floor or until you feel a comfortable stretch in your chest. Be mindful not to lower the dumbbells too far, as this may strain your shoulders or compromise your form.
Engage your chest muscles as you reverse the motion and bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position. Exhale during this phase of the exercise.
Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining control and proper form throughout the exercise.

Chest Press (Chest)

The chest press machine is a classic resistance exercise commonly found in gym settings.

Designed to target and strengthen multiple upper-body muscles, including the chest, shoulders, and triceps, the chest press machine offers a convenient and effective way to work on your upper-body strength.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to properly perform the chest press machine exercise:

Begin by adjusting the machine’s seat height to ensure proper alignment and range of motion. Sit down and position yourself with your back flat against the backrest.
Grasp the handles firmly with a full grip, ensuring that your thumbs are wrapped around the handles. This grip helps maintain a neutral wrist position, aligned with your forearms.
Take a deep breath and exhale as you push the handles outward, extending your arms fully without locking your elbows. Focus on pushing horizontally and feel the resistance against your chest muscles.
Pause momentarily when your arms are fully extended, maintaining tension in your muscles. Keep your core engaged and avoid arching your back during this phase.
Inhale as you slowly bend your elbows and bring the handles back towards your chest, returning to the starting position. Control the movement and emphasize a slow and controlled lowering phase.
Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining proper form and technique throughout the set.

Push-Ups | Press-Ups (Chest)

Push-ups (or press-ups) are a timeless and versatile exercise that specifically targets the chest muscles, making them an excellent addition to any workout routine.

One of the great advantages of push-ups is that they can be modified to accommodate various fitness levels, and they require no equipment, allowing you to perform them anywhere. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do a push-up:

Start by assuming a plank position with your palms flat on the floor directly beneath your shoulders. Extend your legs straight behind you, balancing on the balls of your feet. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels.
Engage your core muscles to maintain stability and keep your elbows close to your body throughout the exercise.
Begin to lower yourself down by bending your elbows, allowing them to flare out at a 45-degree angle. Lower your body until your chest is just above or nearly touches the floor. Keep your head aligned with your spine and maintain a neutral neck position.
Once you’ve reached the bottom of the movement, push back up to the starting position by fully extending your arms. Focus on exerting force through your chest and triceps to raise your body.
Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions, aiming for a controlled and smooth movement pattern.

Remember to maintain proper form throughout the exercise. If you’re a beginner, you can start with modified push-ups by performing them on your knees or against a stable elevated surface, such as a bench or step. As you build strength, you can progress to performing standard push-ups on your toes.

Dumbbell Military Press (Shoulders)

The dumbbell military press (aka dumbbell overhead press) is a versatile exercise that can be performed using dumbbells held horizontally at the shoulders or in a hammer grip. It is a valuable addition to any upper-body strength workout routine.

For those who find the barbell overhead press too challenging, the dumbbell variation provides a suitable alternative. This is particularly helpful for beginners or individuals who may struggle with the heavier weight of a barbell.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform the dumbbell overhead press:

Stand upright with a straight back, maintaining good posture. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, positioned at the shoulders, with an overhand grip. Your thumbs should be on the inside, and your knuckles should face up.
Exhale as you raise the weights above your head in a controlled manner, fully extending your arms. Maintain control and stability throughout the movement.
Pause briefly at the top of the motion, ensuring that your arms are fully extended and the dumbbells are directly above your head. This is the peak contraction point.
Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position at the shoulders. Maintain control and avoid any swinging or excessive momentum.
Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions, focusing on proper form and a smooth lifting motion.

Lateral Raises (Shoulders)

The side lateral raise is a highly effective exercise for strengthening the lateral head of the deltoid muscle, resulting in stronger shoulders. All you need are a pair of light dumbbells and sufficient shoulder flexibility to lift your arms out and away from your body, creating a “T” shape at your shoulders.

To incorporate side lateral raises into your upper-body strength training routine, it is recommended to perform them after compound exercises, such as bench press, military press, shoulder press, push-ups, or pull-ups.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to perform side lateral raises:

Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides, and palms facing inward. Position your feet approximately hip-distance apart. Take a moment to check your posture by rolling your shoulders back, engaging your core, and maintaining a forward gaze.
Begin the movement by raising your arms simultaneously, lifting them just a couple of inches out to each side. Pause briefly at this point to ensure that your trapezius muscle is disengaged, effectively targeting the deltoids.
Continue lifting the dumbbells up and out to each side, maintaining nearly straight arms. Stop when your elbows reach shoulder height, and your body forms a “T” shape. Remember to inhale as you lift.
Hold the top position for a second, focusing on contracting your shoulder muscles.
Slowly lower the weights back down, taking about twice as long to lower them as you took to lift them. Keep your arms controlled as you return to the starting position, and exhale during the lowering phase.

Rear Delt Fly (Shoulders)

The rear delt fly (or reverse fly) is an effective resistance exercise that targets the rear shoulders and major muscles of the upper back. It can be performed with just a pair of dumbbells, making it a versatile exercise that can be done at the gym or in the comfort of your own home. By incorporating reverse flies into your upper body strength-training routine, you can enhance your overall muscular development.

Here’s how to perform a reverse fly:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Allow your arms to hang straight down by your sides, with your palms facing each other. Ensure you maintain a tight core, a straight back, and a slight bend in your knees.
On an exhale, raise both arms out to the sides in a horizontal motion. Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement. As you lift your arms, focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together and pulling them toward your spine. This action engages the muscles of your upper back.
Once your arms are parallel to the floor, pause briefly and feel the contraction in your rear shoulders and upper back muscles.
Inhale as you slowly lower the weights back to the starting position. Be mindful not to hunch your shoulders and maintain a neutral spine by keeping your chin tucked.

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press (Shoulders)

The seated dumbbell shoulder press is a close relative of the standing military press and is an effective exercise for strengthening the shoulder muscles. It is a foundational movement that helps establish baseline strength and promotes a balanced physique.

Using dumbbells instead of a barbell allows for equal strength development on each side of the muscles, ensuring symmetry and stability.

The seated dumbbell press can be incorporated into various workout routines, including shoulder workouts, push workouts, upper body workouts, and full body workouts.

Here are the instructions for performing the seated dumbbell press:

Set an adjustable bench to a 90-degree angle and choose the appropriate weight from the rack.
Pick up the dumbbells from the floor using a neutral grip, with your palms facing in. Place the ends of the dumbbells on your knees and sit down on the bench.
Using controlled motion, lift one knee at a time to bring each dumbbell into position.
Once the dumbbells are in place, rotate your palms so they are facing forward.
Take a deep breath, then press the dumbbells overhead by extending your elbows and contracting your deltoids (shoulder muscles).
Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position. Your arms should be at approximately a 90-degree angle or slightly lower, depending on your limb lengths.
Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining proper form and control throughout the movement.

Which Chest and Shoulder Workout Exercises Should I Pick?

The million-dollar question.

As a beginner I usually recommend my clients start out with full-body workouts 2-3 times per week.

If this is you, one or two chest and one or two shoulder exercises per gym session should be more than sufficient to make good significant early progress.

As you become more advanced, you can consider moving to a push, pull, legs or ‘bro split’ which will allow you the time to incorporate more chest and shoulder exercises into your workouts.

Example Chest and Shoulder Workout For Beginners

Below is a sample training plan for your next upper body workout, with a focus on shoulder and chest exercises while also engaging other upper body muscles.

Warm-up:
- 5-10 minutes of light cardiovascular exercise, such as brisk walking or cycling, to increase blood flow and warm up your muscles.
Chest Exercises:
- Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
- Dumbbell Chest Flyes: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
Shoulder Exercises:
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
- Rear Delt Fly: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
Arm Exercises:
- Tricep Dips: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
- Bicep Curls: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
Back Exercises:
- Lat Pulldowns: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
- Single Arm Dumbbell Rows: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions

Remember to use weights that challenge you but still allow you to maintain proper form.

Generally, I recommend to my clients to increase the weight on the next set if they can comfortably perform 15 repetitions. Likewise, if they can’t manage 10 repetitions I recommend they decrease the weight on the next set (no ego lifting here!)

Rest for 40 seconds to 1 minute in between sets to recover. If you’re a beginner, start with lighter weights and gradually increase the intensity as you become more comfortable and stronger.

It’s important to note that this is just a sample training plan, and you can adjust the sets, repetitions, and exercises based on your fitness level and preferences.

It’s also recommended to include rest days in your workout routine to allow your muscles to recover and prevent overtraining.

Listen to your body, stay hydrated, and maintain proper form throughout the exercises. Enjoy your workout and have fun on your fitness journey!

Thanks for checking out ‘Best Chest and Shoulder Workout Training Plan‘.

Keep pushing.

Speak soon.

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