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Chest And Biceps Workout: Get A Big Pump & Increase Aesthetics

Chest And Biceps Workout

Ask any bro what their favorite muscle group to train is and I guarantee you that you'll either get a response of "chest!" or "biceps!".
Now, it comes as no surprise that combining the two muscle groups into one workout makes for an enjoyable workout that produces a massive upper body pump as well as strength and size gains if followed correctly.

Here's the thing though, most serious gym-goers dismiss the chest and biceps workout as a 'bro workout' that isn't worth doing... they've got it ingrained in their head that if you're hitting chest and you intend on training another muscle group that workout as well it HAS to be triceps. Triceps are the secondary muscle group when hitting chest so they've been told it makes sense to isolate them on the same day.

Whether they were told this by a personal trainer years ago or read it in a mens fitness magazine down at the local supplement store.

The reason they were told to hit triceps after chest is exactly the reason I recommend you DON'T hit your triceps on the same day you train chest.

Think about it... your triceps are already somewhat fatigued from their involvement in your chest exercises - i.e. the flat/incline barbell and dumbbell press, dips, push-ups, flyes... you name it. If it targeted your chest you bet your triceps were hard at work too.
In my eyes it doesn't make sense to hit your triceps directly when they're already fatigued.

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You won't be able to lift as heavy. You won't be able to hit as many reps as if your triceps were fresh.

Instead of hitting a chest and triceps workout one day and a back and biceps workout the following I propose mixing it up.

Hit chest and biceps, both muscle groups will be fresh and you'll be able to lift heavy for the optimal number of reps, resulting in optimal strength and size gains.

The following workout show your triceps some love by combining them with your back workout, once again your triceps aren't being put to work when hitting your back workout so they'll be fresh.

Without further ado here are the exercises I recommend incorporating into your chest and biceps workout:

The Chest Exercises

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Rest the dumbbells on your thighs with your palms facing each other.

Using your thighs kick the dumbbells up one at a time.

Once the dumbbells have been loaded into place rotate your wrists until your palms are facing away from you.
The dumbbells should be just to the sides of your chest, with your upper arm and forearm creating a 90 degree angle.

While exhaling use your chest to drive the dumbbells up. Lock your arms at the top of the lift and squeeze your chest and triceps, hold for a second and then begin coming down slowly until the dumbbells are just shy of touching your chest.

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Check out my full guide to this exercise including photos and videos here.

Dumbbell Incline Flies

Sit on a incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Rest the dumbbells on your thighs with your palms facing each other.

Using your thighs kick the dumbbells up one at a time.

Once the dumbbells have been loaded into place ensure your palms are facing towards each other.

Maintain a slight bend in your arms as you proceed to slowly lower the dumbbells down to your sides, keep your arms as straight as possible without having them locked out.

Squeeze and contract your chest at the bottom of the repetition for 1 second.

Maintaining the same slight bend in your arms proceed to fly the dumbbells back up to the starting position. The best analogy I have heard (which helped me finally get the right form!) for dumbbell flies is to imagine you're hugging a tree - practising this movement standing up without weights and familiarise yourself, then take it to the bench with your dumbbells.

Check out my full guide to this exercise including photos and videos here.

Chest Dips

Raise yourself up onto a pair of parallel bars.

With your elbows slightly outward tilt your torso forward by looking ahead and bringing your legs up behind you.

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From this position contract your arms while maintaining this slight angle in your torso, this ensures we're targeting the chest and not the triceps as our primary muscle group.

Lower yourself down as far as possible, hold this contraction for 1 second.

Driving through your chest explode upward and extend your arms to return yourself to the starting position above your parallel bars.

Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, add a dumbbell between your legs or strap on a weight belt when possible.

Check out my full guide to this exercise including photos and videos here.

Incline Cable Flies

Sit on a incline bench with a low cable pulley using a handle attachment in each hand. Grasp the handles with your palms facing together.

Maintain a slight bend in your arms as you proceed to slowly lower the cables down to your sides, keep your arms as straight as possible without having them locked out.

Squeeze and contract your chest at the bottom of the repetition for 1 second.

Maintaining the same slight bend in your arms proceed to fly the cables back up to the starting position. The best analogy I have heard (which helped me finally get the right form!) for flies is to imagine you're hugging a tree - practising this movement standing up without weights and familiarise yourself, then take it to the bench with your cables or dumbbells.

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Check out my full guide to this exercise including photos and videos here.

The Biceps Exercises

Barbell Biceps Curl

Stand up straight while grasping a barbell with a shoulder width grip, elbows tucked in and palms facing away from you.

Curl the barbell up by contracting your biceps and moving your forearms, your upper arm should not move at all.

Curl until the barbell is at shoulder height.

Squeeze and hold this contraction for one second.

Slowly lower the bar back down until your arms are extended in front of you.

Check out my full guide to this exercise including photos and videos here.

Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, rotate your palms until they're facing inward (towards your torso) and tuck your elbows into your sides.

Curl the dumbbells up one at a time by contracting your biceps and moving your forearm, your upper arm should not move at all.

Curl until the dumbbell is at shoulder height.

Squeeze and hold this contraction for one second.

Slowly lower the dumbbell back down until your arm is extended in front of you.

Repeat with alternate arm.

Check out my full guide to this exercise including photos and videos here.

Cable Straight Bar Biceps Curl

Stand up straight with a cable straight bar attachment, rotate your palms until they're facing towards you and tuck your elbows into your sides.

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Curl the straight bar up  by contracting your biceps and moving your forearm, your upper arm should not move at all.

Curl until the bar is at shoulder height.

Squeeze and hold this contraction for one second.

Slowly lower the straight bar back down until your arm is extended in front of you.

Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Check out my full guide to this exercise including photos and videos here.

Putting It All Together... My Chest And Biceps Workout

Now we've got the exercises sorted for our chest and biceps workout below you'll find the rep range and order I recommend you perform this workout in for optimal gains.
As chest is the larger muscle group we'll be hitting our chest first before finishing off with our biceps curl variations.

SJ's Chest And Biceps Workout

  • Incline dumbbell bench press - 4 sets - 6 reps per set
  • Incline dumbbell flies - 4 sets - 8 reps per set
  • Chest dips - 3 sets - 'till failure
  • Incline cable flies - 3 sets - 10 reps per set
  • Barbell biceps curl - 4 sets - 6 reps per set
  • Dumbbell hammer curl - 3 sets - 8 reps per set
  • Cable straight bar biceps curl - 3 sets - 10 reps per set

A Few Common Mistakes To Avoid When Performing Your Chest And Biceps Workout

Utilizing A Partial Range Of Motion

There's no reason to work in a small range of motion on your chest exercises, opt to lower the weight all the way down to your chest before driving through the chest until they're locked out at the top of the movement.
Partial range of motion = partial chest activation.

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Bouncing The Weight

As you lower the weight down to your chest you must remain in control at times.
This means lowering the dumbbells, pausing for a second just above your chest before driving the dumbbells back up - if you're using momentum to bounce the weight off your chest you'll be shooting yourself in the foot as this momentum takes tension off the chest.

No tension on the chest = no progress!

Flaring Your Elbows Out

When performing any pressing exercise, whether it be an incline dumbbell press or a barbell press it’s imperative you keep your elbows tucked in by your sides.
Flaring your elbows outwards is often a sign that the weight is too heavy (as you’re trying to muscle the shoulders in to assist with moving the weight).
Flaring the elbows on both chest and triceps exercise places your shoulders at a high risk of injury not to mention you’re only going to applying a small amount of tension to the chest as the shoulders are trying to take over and lift the weight.

If you find yourself constantly flaring your elbows lower the weight and consciously practise tucking your elbows in to your side on each repetition until it becomes natural.

Swinging

Every guy in the gym wants to swing around heavy weight on biceps, I get that.

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If you want to build big arms you’re going to have to lift heavy, HOWEVER form always have and always will take priority over the weight being lifted.
The bottom portion of a bicep curl is without a doubt the hardest portion of the movement, and when lifting too heavy many gym-goers attempt to swing backwards or hip thrust to attempt to move the weight.
Using momentum to move the weight takes tension off the bicep, doing you no good.
If you’re swinging and swaying your back on every repetition you’re also placing your lower back at a high risk of injury – not good.

Pick a weight that’s heavy for you to perform with good form, save the cheat curls for Arnold.

What's Your Take On My Chest And Biceps Workout? Let Me Know Below!

Scott J.
Scott J.https://ignorelimits.com
I’m SJ. I’m a fitness enthusiast and published author. I transformed my body from a skinny fat 135lbs with 18% body fat to a solid 192lbs at 8% body fat. I became qualified in a field I was passionate about. I founded several online businesses that allow me to pursue ideas and projects in my life that I am passionate about without having to constantly worry about money. I published several eBooks explaining the training and dieting techniques I used to achieve the body I have today. I learnt a plethora of new information on dieting and fitness by reading and applying what I read, to find out what does work and what doesn’t work, because as I’m sure you’ve noticed the health and fitness industry is full of non-sense claims and BS. I found out what was true and what worked for me and applied that knowledge. And you bet I had fun during the whole process.

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