Muscle Mag Workouts

Hot to Use the Better-Than-Bench Techniques

Make the king of upper-body exercises reign supreme with these four workouts

Week 1

Bench Press Partial Training: 4 Sets (3 angles) x 6-12 Reps (2 min Rest)

Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 Sets x 10-12 Reps (1-2 min Rest)

Decline Flye: 3 Sets x 10-12 Reps (1-2 min Rest)

Push-Up: 2 Sets to failure (1 min Rest)

Week 2

Bench Press with Chains: 4 Sets x 6-10 Reps (2 min Rest)

Smith-Machine Decline Press: 4 Sets x 10-12 Reps (1-2 min Rest)

Incline Cable Flye: 3 Sets x 12-15 Reps (1-2 min Rest)

Pec-Deck Machine: 2 Sets x 15 Reps (1 min Rest)

Week 3

Bench Press with Isometrics: 4 Sets (3 angles) x 10 Reps (2 min Rest)

Flat-Bench Dumbbell Press: 4 Sets x 12 Reps (1-2 min Rest)

Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 Sets x 15 Reps (1-2 min Rest)

Dips: 3 Sets to failure (1 min Rest)

Week 4

Reverse Bench Press**: 4 Sets x 8-10 Reps (2 min Rest)

Decline Cable Flye: 4 Sets x 12-15 Reps (1-2 min Rest)

Incline Dumbbell Flye: 4 Sets x 12-15 Reps (1-2 min Rest)

Incline Dumbbell Pullover: 2 Sets x 12-15 Reps (1-2 min Rest)

FSB Chest Workouts

In our FSB workouts, we generally like to shoot for a total of 12-20 total sets per muscle each week.

We also usually choose one exercise from each of the four categories (the three above + CAM Machines). When we want to increase the overload and workout volume, we’ll include two exercises that put the PML on the muscle when it’s in the lengthened position.

Here are five sample FSB chest workouts that put all this cool training information into real-world application:

Workout 1

PML in Stretch – Dumbbell Press, 4-5 sets x 6-10 repsPML in Mid – Wide-Grip Board (or Towel) Bench Press, 4-5 sets x 6-10 repsPML in Short – Cable Chest Flyes (standing behind the cables), 2-3 sets x 10-15 repsCAM Machine – Freemotion Chest Press, 2-3 sets x 10-15 reps

Workout 2

PML in Short – Standing Chest Press (standing behind the cables), 3-4 sets x 8-15 repsPML in Stretch – Incline Dumbbell Press, 4-5 sets x 6-12 repsPML in Mid – Wide-Grip Push-Ups, 3-4 sets x max repsCAM Machine – Pec Flye Machine, 2-3 sets x 10-15 reps

Workout 3

PML in Stretch – Incline Dumbbell Bench Press, 3-5 sets x 6-12 repsPML in Mid – Wide-Grip Board (or Towel) Bench Press, 3-5 sets x 6-12 repsPML in Short – One-Arm Cable Chest Flye (standing behind the cable), 2-3 sets x 10-15 repsCAM Machine – Pec Deck, 2-3 sets x 10-15 repsPML in Stretch – Parallel Bar Dips (with forward lean), 2 sets x max reps (burnout)

Workout 4

PML in Stretch – Barbell Bench Press, 3-4 sets x 6-10 repsPML in Stretch – Dumbbell Chest Flyes, 2-3 sets x 8-15 repsPML in Short – Cable Chest Flys (standing behind the cables), 3 sets x 8-15 repsPML in Mid – Standing Single Arm Cable Press, 2-3 sets x 10-15 repsCAM Machine – Techno-Gym Chest Press, 2-3 sets x 10-15 reps

Chest exercises that create a PML on the pecs in thelengthened position:

Bench PressIncline Bench PressDumbbell PressIncline Dumbbell PressDumbbell Chest FlyesParallel Bar Dips (with forward lean)Plate-Loaded Chest Press MachinePlate-Loaded Incline Chest Press MachinePush-Ups

Chest exercises that create a PML on the pecs in themid-range position:

Wide-Grip Board (or Towel) Bench PressFloor Bench PressCable Chest Flyes (standing between the cables)One-Arm Cable Chest Flyes (standing between the cable)Standing Chest Press (standing in-front of the cables)Standing Single Arm Cable PressWide-Grip Push-Ups

Chest exercises that create a PML on the pecs in theshortened position:

Cable Chest Flyes (standing behind the cables)One-Arm Cable Chest Flyes (standing behind the cable)Standing Chest Press (standing behind the cables)

CAM machine:

Pec FlyesPec-DeckTechno-Gym Chest PressFree Motion Chest Press

Trap-Building Workouts

Tack any one of the following trap workouts onto the end of your lower-body or back training day to increase the size and strength of your traps and build a better yoke. I recommend doing one of these workouts twice per week. After you’ve stuck with one of them for three weeks (six workouts total), switch to the next sequence to keep your traps growing.

WORKOUT 1

Barbell Clean: 5 x 5

Trap Bar Deadlift: 4 x 6-8

Gittleson Shrug: 3 x 10-12 per side

WORKOUT 2

Barbell Deadlift: 6×4

Farmer’s Walk: 4x 25-40 yards

Wide-Grip Barbell Shrug: 3x 10-12 per side

WORKOUT 3

Trap Bar Deadlift 4 x 6-8

Angled Cable Shrug 3 x 10-12 per side

Farmer’s Walk 4 x 25-40yds

Barbell-Focused Split

Day Bodypart(s) Trained

 1  Back, biceps, abs

 2  Thighs, shoulders, calves

 3  Chest, triceps

 4  Rest

 5  Back, biceps, abs

 6  Thighs, shoulders, calves

 7  Chest, triceps

 8  Rest

 9  Cycle repeats

The Barbell Workout – Back, Biceps, Abs

   Month 1  Month 2

 Exercise Sets

 Reps Sets

 Reps*

 Back

 Bent-Over Barbell Row

 3  6-8  4  10-15

 T-Bar Row  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Decline Barbell Pullover

 3 6-8  4  10-15

 Pull-up  3 To failure

 3 To failure

 Biceps

 Barbell Curl  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Smith-Machine Drag Curl

 3  6-8  4  10-15

 Barbell Preacher Curl

 3  6-8  4  10-15

 Incline-Bench Dumbbell Curl

 3  6-8  4  10-15

 Abs

 Hanging Leg Raise  3 To failure

 4 To failure

 Double Crunch  3 To failure

 4 To failure

 *Use one of the intensity-boosting techniques for last two sets of all moves.

The Barbell Workout – Thighs, Shoulders, Calves

   Month 1  Month 2

 Exercise Sets

 Reps

 Sets

 Reps*

 Thighs

 Squat  3  6-8  4 10-15

 Front Squat  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Leg Press  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Hack Squat  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Romanian Deadlift  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Shoulders

 Overhead Press  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Upright Row  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Barbell Front Raise  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Bent-over Lateral Raise

 3  6-8  4  10-15

 Calves

 Standing Calf Raise  3  8-12  4  20-25

 Seated Calf Raise  3  8-12  4  20-25

 *Use one of the intensity-boosting techniques for last two sets of all moves.

The Barbell Workout – Chest, Triceps

   Month 1  Month 2

 Exercise Sets

 Reps Sets

 Reps*

 Chest

 Bench Press  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Incline Bench Press  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Decline Bench Press  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Incline Dumbbell Flye

 3  6-8  4  10-15

 Triceps

 Skullcrusher  3  6-8  4  10-15

 Seated Overhead EZ Extension

 3  6-8  4  10-15

 Reverse-Grip Pressdown

 3  6-8  4  10-15

 Triceps  3 To failure

 4 To failure