Chest Athletic Workout - 60min Beginner
Develop a powerful upper body with this chest and triceps focused session designed for athletic foundation. You will use a combination of stable bench work and standing movements to build strength while engaging your core. This beginner-friendly routine prioritizes control and mechanical tension through high-quality handle movements.
This workout is ideal for beginner lifters or athletes in a general physical preparedness phase looking to build a balanced, strong upper body. It is particularly effective for those who want to improve their pushing power and core stability for sports like basketball or tennis.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90-120s between heavy compound sets (Bench, Inline Press), 60s between flies and standing presses, and 45s for triceps finishers.
Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Focus on driving your shoulder blades into the bench to create a stable platform for every press.
Inline Chest Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Maintain a steady tempo on the eccentric to maximize time under tension with Tonal's digital weight.
Standing Incline Press
Shoulders, Chest, Triceps
Keep your chest high and your core tight to prevent your lower back from arching during the movement.
Middle Chest Fly
Chest, Shoulders
Visualize bringing your biceps together to maximize the contraction in your pectorals at the top of the move.
Standing Decline Chest Press
Chest, Triceps
Drive the handles downward at a 45-degree angle to specifically target the lower portion of your chest.
Skull Crusher
Triceps
Keep your elbows narrow and stationary to ensure your triceps are doing all the heavy lifting.
Why this order
This program follows a classic compound-to-isolation progression, starting with the highest-load Bench Press to maximize motor unit recruitment. We then move into standing variations to bridge the gap between pure strength and athletic stability, finishing with isolation work to ensure complete hypertrophy in the triceps. Using only handle-based movements minimizes setup time and maximizes your time under digital tension.
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
What weight should I start with for the standing presses?
Tonal will suggest a weight based on your initial strength assessment, but for standing moves, feel free to use the weight dial to lower it by 10% if you feel the cables pulling you off balance.
Can I substitute the bench exercises with floor-based moves?
While the bench allows for a greater range of motion, if you don't have a bench, you can perform the chest presses on the floor, though Tonal's digital weight is most effective when utilizing the full depth of the movement.
How often should I do this chest-focused workout?
For best results, perform this workout 1-2 times per week, ensuring you have at least 48 hours of recovery between sessions to allow the chest and triceps to repair.
Is the Smart Handle button required for these movements?
The button makes it much easier to turn the weight on and off while in position, especially for the Bench Press where your arms are extended, so keep the handles oriented with the buttons near your thumbs.