A good chest day does not need ten exercises. This one runs four moves: a heavy hammer press to start, a cable fly to open the chest, dips for the lower chest, and spiderman push-ups to finish. You press while you are fresh and end on your own bodyweight.
The order moves from machine to cable to bodyweight. You load the most weight at the start when you have the most to give. Then you chase the pump as you fatigue. The whole session takes about 35 minutes.
The first two movements run a 12-10-8 ladder. Start with a weight you can control for 12 clean reps, add load each set, and drop toward 8 on the last one. The press gets one warm-up set with no added weight before the ladder. Dips and the push-up finisher are straight sets.
The Workout at a Glance
| Exercise | Warm-up | Working Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammer Press | 1 × no weight | 3 | 12 / 10 / 8 |
| Cable Fly | — | 3 | 12 / 10 / 8 |
| Dips | — | 3 | 15 / 15 / 15 |
| Spiderman Push-up | — | 3 | 10 |
1. Hammer Press
Start on the hammer press. It is the heaviest movement of the day, so it goes first while the chest is fresh and the stabilizers are not yet tired. The fixed path lets you load up and push without balancing the weight.
Run one warm-up set with no added weight to feel the path and get the shoulders moving. Then work the 12-10-8 ladder, adding plates each set as the reps drop.
Here is the cue that changes this press for me. Hook your thumbs over the top of the grips instead of wrapping them around. It opens up more range of motion at the bottom of the press and lets you get a deeper stretch across the chest before you drive back up.
Sets: 1 warm-up + 3 working | Reps: 12 / 10 / 8 (ascending weight)
2. Cable Fly
Move to the cables and set the handles above shoulder height. This is the part that decides whether the fly hits your chest or your front delts. With the cables mounted high, they ride above your arms through the whole range, so the tension stays on the chest where you want it.
Take a staggered stance and lean into the movement. Hold that leaned-in, stable posture for the whole set. Do not let your torso pop upright as you tire. Extend your arms back until you feel the stretch. Then contract tight and bring the handles together in front of you.
There is no reason to go heavy here. A lighter weight you can control will pump the chest better than a load that turns the fly into a press. Run the same 12-10-8 ladder.
Sets: 3 | Reps: 12 / 10 / 8 (ascending weight)
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Affiliate link — we may earn a commission.3. Dips
Dips bring in the lower chest. I run three straight sets of 15 on bodyweight. Lean your torso forward as you drop so the chest takes the load instead of pushing everything onto the triceps.
When bodyweight 15s stop being a challenge, clip on a dip belt and add weight. That is how you keep the movement progressing instead of just grinding out more reps. If full bodyweight dips are too much right now, use the assisted dip machine and work the assistance down over time.
Sets: 3 | Reps: 15 / 15 / 15
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4. Spiderman Push-up Finisher
Finish with spiderman push-ups. After three loaded movements the chest is already cooked, so this one is as much about the abs and coordination as it is the chest. As you lower into each rep, drive one knee out toward the same-side elbow. Push back up and alternate to the other side on the next rep.
Keep the reps slow enough that the knee actually meets the elbow. Rushing turns it into a sloppy push-up with a leg twitch. Three sets of 10 and you are done.
Sets: 3 | Reps: 10 (alternating sides)
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I train chest with this workout?
Once a week is enough for most people. Chest already gets indirect work from shoulder and tricep pressing on other days. One focused session like this is plenty of stimulus without cutting into recovery.
Can I do this workout at home?
Some of it. Spiderman push-ups need nothing, and you can do dips on a sturdy dip station or a solid pair of surfaces. The hammer press and cable fly need gym equipment. At home, swap the press for a floor or dumbbell press and the cable fly for a resistance-band fly.
Should I really start with no weight on the hammer press?
For the warm-up set, yes. One set through the full range with no added weight grooves the path and wakes up the shoulders before you load it. Then the working sets climb in weight as the reps drop from 12 to 8.
How do I make the dips harder once 15 reps gets easy?
Add a dip belt and load it. The extra weight keeps the movement building strength instead of drifting into pure endurance. Work back up the rep count with the belt on.