Push Hypertrophy Workout - 30min Intermediate
You will develop total upper body power by targeting your chest, shoulders, and triceps with a mix of heavy barbell and high-volume handle work. This session is designed to maximize muscle fiber recruitment by starting with high-intensity compounds and ending with targeted isolation. You will experience a significant pump while building functional pressing strength.
This workout is designed for intermediate lifters and athletes who want to improve their bench press and overhead strength. It is ideal for those seeking muscle growth in the upper body push chain.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90 seconds after heavy barbell sets and 60 seconds between accessory and isolation movements.
Barbell Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Drive your feet into the floor and maintain a slight arch in your lower back as you press the bar.
Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Shoulders, Triceps
Squeeze your glutes and brace your core to prevent your back from arching as you press the bar overhead.
Single Arm Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Obliques
Use your free hand to stabilize your body and prevent the cable from pulling you off the bench.
Middle Chest Fly
Chest, Shoulders
Control the descent to feel a deep stretch in your chest before hugging the handles together.
Lateral Raise
Shoulders
Lead with your elbows and keep a soft bend in your arms to target the side delts.
Overhead Triceps Extension
Triceps
Pull the rope apart at the top of the movement to maximize triceps peak contraction.
Why this order
The workout begins with heavy barbell compounds to leverage Tonal's digital weight for maximum mechanical tension. It then transitions to unilateral and isolation handle movements to address muscle imbalances and increase metabolic stress. This sequence ensures you move from complex, multi-joint lifts to targeted finishers for optimal hypertrophy.
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 if the Barbell Bench Press feels too heavy for my first set?
Tonal uses your previous strength assessments to set the weight, but you can always tap the screen to lower it or use Spotter Mode to help you finish the final reps.
Why is there a single-arm bench press after the barbell version?
The single-arm version forces your core to stabilize against the unilateral load, helping to fix side-to-side strength imbalances that often occur with barbell work.
Can I use Burnout Mode for the triceps extensions?
Yes, turning on Burnout Mode for the final set of Overhead Triceps Extensions is a great way to push the muscle to complete failure for maximum growth.
How should I adjust the cables for the Middle Chest Fly?
Set the Tonal arms to chest height and out wide to ensure the resistance profile correctly targets the pectoral muscles through the full range of motion.