Push Day Workout
The complete push day: chest, shoulders, and triceps in one focused session. Run it three times a week or slot it into your push/pull/legs split, with progressive overload across two phases.
Program Overview
This is a complete push day: a focused session training every muscle that pushes, namely the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Push day is one third of the classic push/pull/legs split, and this program lets you run it as a standalone three-times-a-week plan or slot it straight into your existing PPL rotation.
Each of the three weekly sessions is a push day with a slightly different emphasis: one leads with heavy chest pressing, one prioritises the shoulders, and one is balanced across all three muscles. This variation ensures your chest, shoulders, and triceps all get direct heavy work and plenty of volume across the week, rather than the shoulders and triceps always being trained tired at the end of a chest-led session.
Sessions run around 60 minutes. To build these muscles you will want to pair this push training with pull and leg work for a balanced physique, and eat enough to support growth.
Run all three sessions as a standalone push-focused plan, or take a single session and drop it into your push/pull/legs split. The three variations mean whichever you use, your chest, shoulders, and triceps all get their share of heavy pressing and volume. Related plans: 5-Day Push Pull Legs and 6-Day Push Pull Legs Plan.
Who Is This For?
This program is for lifters who want to build their chest, shoulders, and triceps.
This plan is right for you if:
- You want a dedicated, complete push day
- You run or want to run a push/pull/legs split
- You have at least six months of training experience
- You want your shoulders and triceps trained directly, not just as an afterthought
- You will pair this with pull and leg training
This is push-only work. For a balanced physique and healthy shoulders, pair it with equal pull training (back and biceps) and leg training. Our muscle gain plans include the full push/pull/legs structure.
Weekly Schedule
Phase 1: Accumulate Volume (Weeks 1-4)
Three push sessions per week with different emphases. Each opens with a heavy compound press, then builds volume across the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Rest 2 minutes on compounds, 60 to 90 seconds on isolation.
Start with 2 to 3 reps in reserve on presses, 1 to 2 on isolation. Add weight when you hit the top of the rep range on all sets.
Flat bench, lower to your chest, press to lockout. The main chest builder.
Bench inclined, press dumbbells up, deep stretch at the bottom.
Press dumbbells overhead from shoulder height.
Bring your hands together, squeeze, return with control.
Push down, spread the rope, squeeze.
Dumbbell overhead, lower behind your head, extend.
Barbell at shoulder height, brace, press overhead to lockout. The main shoulder builder.
Incline pressing for the upper chest and front delts.
Raise to shoulder height, slight elbow bend.
Dumbbells rotating from palms-in to palms-forward as you press.
Raise dumbbells to shoulder height in front, slight elbow bend.
Tricep isolation to finish.
Balanced session leading with incline pressing.
Heavy dumbbell shoulder pressing.
Cables from low pulleys, bring your hands up and together, squeeze.
Side delt volume.
Elbows tucked, tricep-focused pressing.
Long-head tricep work.
Low-intensity walking on non-training days supports recovery, digestion, and daily energy expenditure without adding fatigue to your working muscles.
Light stretching and mobility for the hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders. Ten focused minutes keeps the tight spots from heavy training in check.
Phase 2: Intensify (Weeks 5-8)
Phase 2 adds a set to the primary press in each session and drops the rep ranges for heavier loading. The isolation volume holds while the presses get heavier.
Add a set to the first exercise in each session and push the loads up as the reps drop. Take full rest on your heavy pressing sets.
One extra set, lower reps, heavier weight.
Lower reps, heavier dumbbells.
Lower reps, heavier dumbbells.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
One extra set, lower reps, heavier weight.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
Small increase if strict.
Lower reps, heavier dumbbells.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
One extra set, lower reps, heavier dumbbells.
Lower reps, heavier dumbbells.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
Small increase if strict.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
Lower reps, heavier weight.
Low-intensity walking on non-training days supports recovery, digestion, and daily energy expenditure without adding fatigue to your working muscles.
Light stretching and mobility for the hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders. Ten focused minutes keeps the tight spots from heavy training in check.
Nutrition Guidance
Training creates the stimulus; nutrition determines the result. Whatever your goal, your calories and protein have to line up with it. Our macro calculator sets your targets, and our high protein recipes make hitting them easier. For the nutrition side, our guides on how to gain muscle and maximizing muscle gain naturally are worth a read.
The Basics
- Calories: Eat in a slight surplus of 200 to 400 calories per day to build muscle while minimising fat gain. Our macro calculator sets your starting point.
- Protein: 1.6 to 2.2g per kg of bodyweight daily. Protein drives recovery and muscle retention. Browse our high protein recipes for ideas.
- Hydration: Drink water consistently, especially on training days.
- Sleep: Seven to nine hours per night. Recovery happens between sessions, not during them.
Use the macro calculator to set your calories and protein for your goal, then track your bodyweight as a weekly average and adjust in small increments based on the trend.
