Chest and Shoulder Workout (4 Training Plans with PDF)

The chest and shoulders are probably the two most important muscle groups in our body. They are both major “push” muscles and pushing is one of the seven essential functional movements.

So, if you have weak shoulder and chest muscles, you will pretty much be shorthanded in many aspects of your daily life while also struggling to perform basic exercises at the gym.

The only way to avoid that is to have a stellar chest and shoulder workout routine to optimize your gains. Anyone can perform basic bench presses, shoulder presses, and shrugs and call it an intense shoulder-chest workout. And while that may work to some extent, such a routine would not yield the best results.

To help you with that, we have come up with the best set of chest and shoulder workout routines to help you get maximum strength and muscle gains at each stage of your fitness journey.

Chest and Shoulder Workout Routines

A good chest-shoulder workout should be well-rounded to promote balanced muscle development. Incorporating different kinds of exercises that demand both horizontal and vertical movements can help your chest and shoulders grow significantly.

Moreover, there should be an added emphasis on progressive overload, which is key to achieving maximum strength and muscle mass.

Keeping all these key principles in mind, we have devised different chest shoulders workout routines for people with distinct requirements.

Chest and Shoulder Workout with Dumbbells

Using dumbbells to grow your chest and shoulder muscles can be pretty effective. Exercises that use free weights promote a more extensive range of motion, ensuring fuller muscle contractions and stretching.

At the same time, the movements involved in dumbbell-based exercises are simpler. This means that fitness enthusiasts can focus solely on getting the best squeeze and lifting the maximum weights without worrying too much about maintaining proper form.

Our dumbbell chest shoulder workout routine, therefore, is suitable for all kinds of gym-goers, including beginners.

• Push-ups – 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Incline dumbbell bench press – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Dumbbell bench press – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Dumbbell chest flys – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Arnold press – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Standing lateral delt raise – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Front/rear delt raises – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Dumbbell shrugs – 3 sets of 10 reps

Chest and Shoulder Workout for Beginners

Our next set of workout routines is specifically designed for beginners. This training plan features a well-rounded schedule comprising both compound and isolation exercises that target the chest and shoulders.

These exercises can help beginners build foundational strength and get accustomed to maintaining proper form and technique while exercising.

• Push-ups – 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Incline bench press – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Machine bench press – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Peck deck flys – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Smith machine shoulder press – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Standing lateral delt raise – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Front/rear delt raises – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Smith machine Shrugs – 3 sets of 10 reps

Chest and Shoulder Workout for Intermediate Lifters

The next routine is intense and designed for intermediate lifters who are ready to move on to more challenging workouts.

All the exercises promote targeted muscle building as well as strength gains. The inclusion of AMRAP sets also encourages lifters to push beyond their limits and make continuous progress.

The diverse exercises also ensures that the muscles are constantly challenged in new ways, reducing the risk of stagnation and plateaus while promoting well-rounded shoulder-chest development.

• Parallel bar chest dips – 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Incline bench press – 4 sets of 10 reps
• Bench press – 3 sets of 10 reps
• Incline dumbbell chest flys – 4 sets of 10 reps
• Arnold press – 4 sets of 10 reps
• Seated dumbbell lateral raise – 3 sets of 15 reps + 1 AMRAP
• Seated front/rear delt raises – 3 sets of 15 reps
• Dumbbell shrugs – 4 sets of 10 reps

Chest and Shoulder Workout for Advanced Lifters

Next, we have the ultimate chest and shoulder workout routine for advanced lifters. This training plan consists of exercises with complex movements that require more stability and work from different muscles.

The intensity of the workout challenges lifters to push beyond their limits and achieve progressive overload effectively. The main aim of this training program is to maximize muscle gains while also building strength in the chest and shoulder areas.

• Weighted Push-ups- 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Incline dumbbell bench press – 5 sets of 8 reps
• Bench press – 5 sets of 8 reps
• Cable crossover – 4 sets of 10 reps
• Military press – 5 sets of 8 reps
• Cable lateral raises – 3 sets of 15 reps + 1 AMRAP
• Front delt raises – 2 sets of 15 reps
• Reverse pec deck fly – 2 sets of 15 reps
• Barbell Shrugs – 4 sets of 10 reps

The chest and shoulder muscles need proper nurturing. They dictate a large portion of how well an individual can perform at the gym or while lifting heavy weights.

The push muscles are also needed in all the other aspects of life. A strong set of shoulder and chest muscles will not only improve the aesthetic appeal of your body but also allow you to get through functional training plans efficiently.

We have devised these workout routines to assist you at each stage of your fitness journey, whether you are a beginner or an advanced lifter. The main aim of these programs is to optimize chest-shoulder development and prioritize strength and muscle gains.

Is It Good to Train Chest and Shoulder Together?

Yes, training chest and shoulder together on the same day can be pretty effective. These muscle groups are closely related anatomically and functionally, making them very complementary when worked together.

One of the main advantages of a chest-shoulder workout routine is the use of muscle synergy. Both muscle groups work together to perform all kinds of pushing movements. They reinforce and support each other during compound movements.

For example, exercises like bench presses and push-ups primarily target the chest muscles. But they also require the shoulders to work to some extent to maintain proper form and balance.

In this case, shoulders are engaged to be used as stabilizer muscles during the pushing movement.  Here the chest is the primary muscle group, while the shoulders are secondary muscle groups, training them together can result in the well-rounded development of both.

The overlapping effect created by the synergistic engagement of these two muscle groups can increase the overall effectiveness of workouts.

Is It Better to Train the Chest or Shoulder First?

It is better to train the chest before you move on to shoulder-based exercises. That is because the chest is a major muscle group, with larger muscles like the pectoralis major and minor.

When creating a good training split, it’s always recommended by experts to pair a major muscle group with a minor one.

This allows you to dedicate your time and energy to both the major and minor muscles proportionately.

Working your shoulder muscles out first can severely handicap your ability to perform exercises that demand a lot of energy and strength, like chest presses.

That can result in your chest muscles being underdeveloped after a while. That is why you should always train your chest before you train your shoulder muscles.

Chest and Shoulder Workout PDF

We have provided you with efficient and balanced workout routines to build your chest and shoulder muscles effectively. The different training plans are designed to help fitness enthusiasts at different chapters of their training journey.

Following these routines without fault can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle while gaining strength and muscle mass.

You can download the complete Chest and Shoulder Workout Program from here.

The PDF can be downloaded and printed so that you can carry the training schedule with you to the gym.

Don’t miss:

Back and Bicep Workout Routines
Flat Chest Workout
Two Body Parts a Day Workout Routine

Final Words

Having a proper workout plan is extremely important for getting optimal results. Considerations such as which muscle groups to pair together and which exercises to perform can help you achieve your fitness goals significantly faster.

When it comes to chest-shoulder workout routines, we have given you the best plans as per the distinct requirements of various gym enthusiasts.

References

• The effect of grip width on bench press performance
• Relative strengths of the chest wall muscles
• Effects of low-intensity bench press training with restricted arm muscle blood flow on chest muscle hypertrophy: a pilot study
• Muscle activation when performing the chest press and shoulder press on a stable bench vs. A swiss ball
• Shoulder biomechanics
• The role of shoulder muscles is task specific
• Effects of body position and loading modality on muscle activity and strength in shoulder presses