Chest Strength Workout - 60min Intermediate
Build a powerful upper body with this chest and triceps focused strength session. By combining heavy barbell presses with targeted isolation work, you will push your limits and maximize muscle fiber recruitment. This session utilizes Tonal's digital weights to safely push heavy loads while improving stability with unilateral movements.
Intermediate athletes or weightlifters aiming to increase their bench press max and overall upper body mass. It is especially effective for those who want to use Tonal's advanced weight modes to overcome strength plateaus.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 120-180s for heavy barbell compounds, 60-90s for handle-based accessories, and 45s for rope finishers to maximize metabolic stress.
Barbell Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Engage Tonal's Spotter mode so you can safely push toward failure on your final heavy sets.
Close Grip Barbell Bench Press
Triceps, Chest
Keep your elbows tucked close to your ribs to shift the load from your chest to your triceps.
Single Arm Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Obliques
Fight the rotational pull of the digital weight by bracing your core hard against the bench.
Inline Chest Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Control the eccentric phase for 3 seconds to maximize time under tension with the cable resistance.
Bench Chest Fly
Chest, Shoulders
Maintain a slight bend in your elbows and focus on hugging a barrel at the top of the movement.
Skull Crusher
Triceps
Lower the handles toward your temples while keeping your upper arms vertical and stationary.
Triceps Extension
Triceps
Keep your shoulders pinned back and fully extend your arms down, pulling the rope apart at the bottom.
Overhead Triceps Extension
Triceps
Lean forward slightly into the cables and keep your elbows tucked in to isolate the long head of the triceps.
Why this order
The workout begins with heavy barbell work to establish high baseline tension. We move to single-arm handle work to challenge core stability and address side-to-side imbalances, concluding with rope-based triceps isolation to fully fatigue the muscles.
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 do I choose my starting weight?
Tonal will suggest a weight based on your digital strength profile; for the first set, prioritize form over heavy load.
Can I use Chains mode on the barbell press?
Yes, Chains mode is excellent for this workout as it adds resistance at the top of the press where you are strongest.
Why are the rep ranges lower on the barbell exercises?
Lower rep ranges with higher sets are prioritized here to build maximal strength and neurological adaptation in your primary lifts.