Push Day Workout: Complete Chest, Shoulder, and Tricep Training

Push day is one of the most satisfying workouts. You'll train your chest, shoulders, and triceps—the muscles responsible for all pressing movements. Here's how to structure an effective push workout.

What is Push Day?

Push day is part of the Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) split, where you organize workouts by movement pattern:

• Push: Chest, shoulders, triceps (pressing movements)
• Pull: Back, biceps, rear delts (pulling movements)
• Legs: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves

This split is popular because it trains muscles that work together, allows high frequency (2x per week per muscle), and provides good recovery.

Push Day Muscle Groups

Chest (Pectorals)

• Primary pushing muscle
• Trained through horizontal pressing (bench) and flys

Shoulders (Deltoids)

• Front delts: Heavily involved in pressing
• Side delts: Trained with lateral raises
• Rear delts: Often trained on pull day, but can include here

Triceps

• Assist all pressing movements
• Trained directly with extensions and pushdowns

Essential Push Day Exercises

Chest Exercises

Barbell Bench Press

• The foundation of push day
• 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps
• Primary chest builder

Incline Dumbbell Press

• Upper chest emphasis
• 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
• Dumbbells allow deeper stretch

Dumbbell Fly or Cable Fly

• Chest isolation
• 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Focus on stretch and squeeze

Dips (Chest Emphasis)

• Lean forward for chest
• 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Great compound finisher

Shoulder Exercises

Overhead Press (Barbell or Dumbbell)

• Primary shoulder builder
• 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps
• Can do seated or standing

Lateral Raise

• Side delt isolation
• 3-4 sets of 12-20 reps
• Light weight, strict form

Front Raise (optional)

• Front delts get hit by pressing
• Only add if front delts are lagging
• 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps

Tricep Exercises

Close-Grip Bench Press

• Heavy tricep compound
• 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Can replace as main pressing movement

Tricep Pushdown

• Cable isolation
• 3-4 sets of 10-15 reps
• Rope or straight bar

Overhead Tricep Extension

• Long head emphasis
• 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Stretches the triceps fully

Push Day Workout Templates

Beginner Push Day (45 Minutes)

| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |----------|------|------| | Barbell Bench Press | 3 | 8-10 | | Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 10-12 | | Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 10-12 | | Lateral Raise | 3 | 15 | | Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 12 |

Intermediate Push Day (60 Minutes)

| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |----------|------|------| | Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6-8 | | Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8-10 | | Cable Fly | 3 | 12-15 | | Overhead Press | 3 | 8-10 | | Lateral Raise | 4 | 12-15 | | Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 10-12 | | Overhead Tricep Extension | 2 | 12 |

Advanced Push Day (75 Minutes)

| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |----------|------|------| | Barbell Bench Press | 5 | 5 | | Incline Barbell Press | 4 | 6-8 | | Dumbbell Fly | 3 | 10-12 | | Dips | 3 | 8-12 | | Standing Overhead Press | 4 | 6-8 | | Lateral Raise | 4 | 15 | | Cable Lateral Raise | 3 | 12 | | Close-Grip Bench Press | 3 | 8 | | Rope Pushdown | 3 | 12 |

Push Day A & B (For PPL 6-Day Split)

Push A (Chest Emphasis) | Exercise | Sets | Reps | |----------|------|------| | Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 6 | | Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 10 | | Cable Fly | 3 | 12 | | Overhead Press | 3 | 10 | | Lateral Raise | 3 | 15 | | Tricep Pushdown | 3 | 12 |

Push B (Shoulder Emphasis) | Exercise | Sets | Reps | |----------|------|------| | Overhead Press | 4 | 6 | | Incline Barbell Press | 3 | 8 | | Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 10 | | Lateral Raise | 4 | 12 | | Rear Delt Fly | 3 | 15 | | Close-Grip Bench | 3 | 10 | | Overhead Extension | 2 | 12 |

Quick Push Day (30 Minutes)

| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |----------|------|------| | Dumbbell Bench Press | 3 | 10 | | Overhead Press | 3 | 10 | | Dips | 2 | max | | Lateral Raise | 2 | 15 | | Pushdown | 2 | 15 |

Push Day Exercise Order

Best order for push day:

1. Heavy compound first (bench press or overhead press)
2. Secondary compound (incline press, dips)
3. Isolation for lagging areas (flys, lateral raises)
4. Tricep work (pushdowns, extensions)

Why this order?

• Fresh for heavy lifts = more strength/progression
• Compounds use more muscles = do them when not fatigued
• Isolation exercises don't need as much neural freshness

Progressive Overload on Push Day

For main lifts (bench, overhead press):

• Add 5 lbs when you hit the top of your rep range
• Example: 185 lbs x 8, 8, 8 → next session try 190 lbs

For accessory lifts:

• Add reps first, then weight
• Example: 3x10 → 3x12 → increase weight, back to 3x10

For isolation (lateral raises, flys):

• Focus on form over weight
• Progress by adding reps or sets
• Small weight jumps (2.5 lbs)

Common Push Day Mistakes

Mistake 1: Doing Triceps Before Pressing Fatigued triceps limit your bench and overhead press. Save triceps for last.

Mistake 2: Too Much Front Delt Work Front delts get hammered by all pressing. You rarely need dedicated front raises.

Mistake 3: Neglecting Incline Work Flat bench alone creates lower-chest dominance. Include incline for balance.

Mistake 4: Same Weights Every Session Progressive overload is key. Track your weights and aim to improve.

Mistake 5: Skipping Lateral Raises Side delts make shoulders look wide. 3-4 sets of lateral raises every push day.

Mistake 6: Ego Lifting on Bench Bad form on bench = shoulder injury. Control the weight.

Push Day Warm-Up

Before your first pressing exercise:

1. Arm circles: 20 each direction
2. Band pull-aparts: 15-20 reps
3. Band dislocates: 10-15 reps
4. Push-ups: 10-15 reps
5. Empty bar bench: 15-20 reps
6. Warm-up sets: Gradually add weight

Example bench warm-up for 185 lb working sets:

• Bar x 15
• 95 lbs x 10
• 135 lbs x 5
• 165 lbs x 3
• Working sets at 185 lbs

How Often to Do Push Day

PPL 3-day (Push/Pull/Legs): Once per week PPL 6-day (Push/Pull/Legs x2): Twice per week (recommended)

Training each muscle 2x per week is optimal for most people. The 6-day PPL allows this while keeping workouts focused.

Recovery between push days: At least 48-72 hours

Adjusting Push Day for Weak Points

Weak upper chest: Start with incline, more incline volume Weak shoulders: Start with overhead press, add shoulder volume Weak triceps: Add close-grip bench, more tricep isolation Weak side delts: Prioritize lateral raises, do them early when fresh

Push Day Tips

1. Bench before overhead press (for most people)—bench benefits from being fresh
2. Retract shoulder blades on all pressing to protect shoulders
3. Don't bounce the bar off your chest—control it
4. Full range of motion on all exercises
5. Rest 2-3 minutes between heavy compounds, 60-90 seconds for isolation

Summary: Building the Perfect Push Day

A great push day includes:

• 1-2 horizontal presses (bench variations)
• 1 vertical press (overhead press)
• 1-2 chest isolation (flys)
• 2-3 sets of lateral raises (side delts)
• 2-3 tricep exercises (pushdowns, extensions)

Train push day 2x per week, progressively overload your main lifts, and watch your pressing strength and upper body size grow.

Push hard, recover well, and enjoy the pump.