3 Best Workouts For Chest, Shoulder And Triceps

Is building a complete chest, shoulder, tricep workout routine too hard?
 
Learn the top exercises every gym-goer must know to sculpt a solid upper body!
 
Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps Exercises
 
These are the best triceps, chest, and shoulders exercises. One can go over the steps first before checking out the workout routine listed below this section:

1. Barbell Bench Press

Muscles Worked: Chest

• Lie down on the bench with the feet planted on the ground, back slightly arched, and bar stacked directly in front of the face.
• Grab the bar with an overhand grip and position the hands about slightly wider than shoulder-width apart from each other.
• Next, lift the weight off the rack and push until the arms extend straight upward. Remember to keep the feet flat on the ground and to arch the back a bit. This is one’s starting position.
• From there, bend the elbows to lower the weight down. Continue until the bar is only a few inches away from the chest.
• Pause for one count, contract the pecs, and then press the weight up to the starting position. This is one rep.

2. Incline Bench Press

Muscles Worked: Chest

• Begin in the same starting position as the barbell dumbbell press. This time, you will use an incline bench instead of a flat one.
  
• Lower the weight straight down to the middle of the chest.
  
• Once the bar is just a few inches from the chest, pause for one second, contract the pecs, and then press the weight back up to the starting position. This is one rep.

3. Dumbbell Flyes

Muscles Worked: Chest

• Sit down on the end of a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand resting on top of the thighs.
• Lie down while carefully bringing the weights up to the height of shoulders. Use the thighs to help drive the dumbbells up.
• Next, assume a neutral grip, push the weights up until the arms extend straight upward, and then bring the dumbbells together directly in front of the chest. This is one’s starting position.
• Then, slowly lower the weights down to the sides without moving anything but the shoulder joints. Remember to keep the elbows slightly bent throughout the movement.
• Once the arms are almost parallel to the floor, stretch the pecs for one count and then bring the dumbbells back together at the top. This is one rep.
  
  

4. Standing Military Press

Muscles Worked: Shoulders

• Find a chest-high squat rack and place a loaded barbell on top of it.
• Grab the bar with an overhand grip and position the hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart from each other.
• Place the bar on top of the chest, lift the weight off the squat rack, and then take a few steps back. This is one’s starting position.
• From there, push the weight straight up by fully extending the arms.
• Pause for one count before slowly lowering the weight back down to the starting position, above the collar bone and just under the chin. This is one rep.

5. Arnold Dumbbell Press

Muscles Worked: Shoulders

• Grab a pair of dumbbells, sit on a bench with a vertical backrest, and then rest the dumbbells on top of the thighs.
• Next, lift the weights up to the height of the shoulders. One can use the thighs for support.
• Position the dumbbells just in front of the upper chest, face the palms toward the body, bend the elbows, and then tuck them in close to the torso. This is one’s starting position.
• Push the dumbbells up while rotating the palms until they’re facing the other side. Once they’re at the top, the palms should be facing away from the body.
• Then, slowly lower the weights down to the height of the upper chest while rotating the palms again. This time, they’d end up facing the body again.

6. Side Lateral Raise

Muscles Worked: Shoulders
 

• Grab a pair of light to moderately heavy dumbbells, stand upright, assume a shoulder-width apart foot stance, slightly bend the elbows, and then let the weights hang at the sides. This is one’s starting position.
  
• Next, lift the weights up the sides by moving the shoulder joints. Make sure the elbows, hips, legs, and back are all stationary.
  
• Continue until the arms are parallel to the ground.
  
• Hold and then slowly lower the weights down to the sides. This is one rep.

 

7. Tricep Dips

Muscles Worked: Triceps

• Stand in between two parallel bars, grab them with the palms facing the body, and then push the body up until the arms are almost fully extended. Do not lock the elbows.
• Slowly lower the body down by bending the elbows. Make sure to keep the body straight and upright throughout the exercise.
• Continue until the elbows bend at 90 degrees.
• Then, contract the triceps before pushing the body back up by driving the palms through the bars. This is one rep.

 

8. Triceps Pushdown

Muscles Worked: Triceps

• Attach a straight bar to the high end of a pulley machine.
• Next, grab the bar with an overhand grip, feet at shoulder-width apart, and keep the back upright.
• While keeping the elbows tucked in the sides and the upper arms stationary, push the weight down until the arms are fully extended.
• Hold for one count, release the weight, and then slowly bring the weight up just until the elbows bend at 90 degrees. This is one rep.

 

9. Close-Grip Bench Press

Muscles Worked: Triceps

• Lie down on the bench with the feet planted on the ground, back slightly arched, and bar stacked directly in front of the face.
• Grab the bar with an overhand grip, position the hands a bit nearer than shoulder-width apart from each other, and then lift the weight off the rack. This is one’s starting position.
• Next, slowly lower the weight until the bar is only a few inches from the chest. Make sure the elbows do not flare out during the exercise.
• Hold for one count and then push the weight back up again. This is one rep.

 

Triceps, Shoulders, and Chest Workout Routines

Advanced Workout

The goal of this mass building workout routine is to go through all the exercises with as little rest as possible. Take as short a rest as possible between exercises,  and a two-minute rest after going through three exercises.
 
How to:
Set A

• Barbell Bench Press (3 sets; 12 reps)
• Incline Bench Press (3 sets; 12 reps)
• Dumbbell Flyes (3 sets; 12 reps)

 
Rest: 2 minutes
Set B

• Standing Military Press (3 sets; 12 reps)
• Arnold Press (3 sets; 12 reps)
• Side Lateral Raise (3 sets; 12 reps)

 
Rest: 2 minutes
Set C

• Tricep Dips (3 sets; 12 reps)
• Triceps Pushdown (3 sets; 12 reps)
• Close-Grip Bench Press (3 sets; 12 reps)

 
Rest: 2 minutes

Intermediate Workout

This is an intense routine designed to increase your strength and build lean upper body muscle simultaneously. For maximum results, try minimizing the break time after every set.
 
How to:

• Barbell Bench Press (4 sets; 16 reps)
• Close-Grip Bench Press (4 sets; 16 reps)
• Standing Military Press (4 sets; 16 reps)
• Incline Bench Press (4 sets; 16 reps)
• Dumbbell Flyes (4 sets; 16 reps)
• Triceps Pushdown (4 sets; 16 reps)
• Arnold Press (4 sets; 16 reps)
• Triceps Dips (4 sets; 16 reps)
• Side Lateral Raise (4 sets; 16 reps)

 

Beginner’s Workout

This workout is a great starting point for beginners. It’s quick and intense to kickstarts balanced development of the muscles.
 
How to:
 

• Side Lateral Raise (4 sets; 12 reps)
• Arnold Press (4 sets; 15 reps)
• Incline Bench Press (5 sets; 15 reps)
• Triceps Pushdown (4 sets; 15 reps)
• Triceps Dips (4 sets; 12 reps)