Chest Athletic Workout - 30min Intermediate
You will develop explosive pushing power and a defined upper body with this intermediate chest and triceps session. By combining heavy barbell work with unilateral handle movements, you will challenge your stability and total force output. This balanced approach ensures you build functional strength that translates directly to sports and everyday movements.
Ideal for intermediate lifters and athletes who want to improve their horizontal pushing power for sports like basketball or swimming. It is also perfect for those seeking to balance unilateral strength while still moving heavy digital weight.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90-120s between heavy barbell sets, 60-90s between handle compounds, and 30-45s for triceps finishers.
Barbell Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Drive your feet into the floor to create a stable base for the press while Tonal's digital weight stays constant.
Inline Chest Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Maintain a slow and controlled negative to keep the tension high on your upper chest.
Single Arm Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Obliques
Engage your core to prevent your torso from rotating as you press the single handle upward.
Skull Crusher
Triceps
Keep your elbows tucked and stationary to ensure your triceps are doing all the work.
Why this order
We lead with the Barbell Bench Press to maximize motor unit recruitment when you are freshest. We then transition to handles for unilateral work and isolation movements to address muscle imbalances and maximize metabolic stress for hypertrophy. The order minimizes equipment changes by grouping all handle exercises after the initial barbell work.
Want this personalized for you?
This is a template workout. Connect your Tonal and the AI coach adjusts weights to your strength scores, swaps exercises around injuries, and progresses you week over week.
Start Free with AI CoachFrequently Asked Questions
How does Tonal's digital weight help with the Bench Press?
Tonal provides constant tension throughout the entire movement, unlike iron weights that lose resistance at the top, and uses Spotter Mode to help if you struggle with the 6-rep power sets.
Can I do this workout without the bench?
This specific session is designed around the bench to provide the necessary stability for heavy chest pressing and the specific angles required for skull crushers and flies.
What if I can't finish the 15 reps on the triceps finisher?
Tonal's Spotter Mode will automatically detect if you are struggling at the end of a high-rep set and reduce the weight so you can finish the burnout safely.
Should I change the weight for the single-arm exercises?
Tonal usually adjusts for unilateral movements, but focus on core engagement rather than just heavy weight to ensure your body doesn't rotate on the bench.