A push day workout is very popular amongst gym-goers looking to build strength and muscle in the upper body. We’ll take a look at what’s needed for push day and how it’s great for your overall fitness routine.
Keep reading to find our favourite push day workout exercises that you can add into your gym routine.
What is a push day workout?
A push day workout basically does what it says on the tin. It involves a range of upper body (and lower body) exercises that target the muscles responsible for pushing movements, primarily focusing on the chest, shoulders, and triceps. These exercises typically focus on pushing our body weight away from our bodies.
By concentrating on these muscle groups, a push day workout helps to build upper body strength, improve muscle definition, and enhance overall functional fitness.
Sometimes, push workouts also include exercises which involve pushing the lower body muscles e.g. leg muscles. Although, people usually prefer to split their upper and lower push exercises into different days. Trainers will often do 1-2 push day workouts a week on a training split.
Push day workouts include:
- Bench press
- Push ups
- Overhead shoulder press
- Chest dips
- Tricep dips
- Lateral raises
- Chest fly
- Skull crusher
Keep reading to find our full push day workout routine.
Benefits of a push day
Push exercises are a great way to strengthen your muscles. Let’s take a look at the benefits of push workouts.
By focusing on exercises working the chest, shoulders, and triceps you effectively work your muscles to build strength. As well as this benefit, push workouts also improve overall fitness and help to achieve goals such as muscle gain or weight loss.
There are also other overall health benefits to these exercises. Incorporating push day workouts into your routine can enhance posture and stability, reduce the risk of injuries, and contribute to a well-rounded fitness routine.
So, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced athlete, integrating push day workouts into your training plan can lead to significant improvements in strength, muscle mass and weight loss.
Push day workout exercises
As we mentioned previously, you could split your push day exercises into two separate training sessions: upper body and lower body.
We know that everyone is different, so please only do what you feel comfortable with. You may wish to modify the number of sets and reps you do.
10 upper body push day exercises
- Bench Press
Focuses on the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
- Lie flat on a bench with feet firmly planted on the ground.
- Grip the barbell with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lower the barbell to your chest, keeping elbows at about a 45-degree angle.
- Push the barbell back up until your arms are fully extended.
4-6 sets of 10 reps.
- Overhead Shoulder Press
Targets the shoulders and triceps.
- Stand or sit with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold a barbell or dumbbells at shoulder height with palms facing forward.
- Press the weight overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Lower the weight back to shoulder height.
3 sets of 10 reps.
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Targets the shoulders and triceps.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Sit on a bench with back support or stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height with palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Avoid locking your elbows at the top.
- Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
3 sets of 10 reps.
- Push-Ups
Engages the chest, shoulders, and triceps.
- Start in a plank position with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the ground, keeping your body straight.
- Push back up to the starting position.
1-3 sets of 10-20 reps (depending on individual).
- Dumbbell Flyes
Isolates the chest muscles.
- Lie on a flat or incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Extend your arms above your chest, palms facing each other.
- Lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
- Bring the dumbbells back together above your chest.
3-4 sets of 10-15 reps.
- Chest Dips
Primarily works the chest and triceps.
- Grasp the parallel dip bars and lift your body off the ground.
- Lean slightly forward and lower your body until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
- Push back up to the starting position.
3-5 sets of 10-15 reps.
- Tricep Dips
Focuses on the triceps.
- Sit on the edge of a bench and place your hands next to your hips.
- Move your hips off the bench, supporting your weight with your arms.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows until they are at a 90-degree angle.
- Push back up to the starting position.
3 sets of 10-15 reps.
- Lateral Raises
Targets the lateral deltoids (shoulders).
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Raise the dumbbells out to the sides until your arms are parallel to the ground.
- Lower the dumbbells back to your sides.
3-4 sets of 12-20 reps.
- Front Raises
Focuses on the anterior deltoids (front of shoulders).
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.
- Raise the dumbbells in front of you until your arms are parallel to the ground.
- Lower the dumbbells back to your thighs.
3 sets of 10-15 reps.
- Skull Crushers (Tricep Extensions)
Works the triceps.
- Lie on a bench with a barbell or dumbbells.
- Extend your arms above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Lower the weight towards your forehead by bending your elbows.
- Extend your arms back to the starting position.
3 sets of 8-12 reps.
10 lower body push day exercises
Now that we’ve gone through an upper body workout, let’s take a look at a routine for your lower body push day.
There’s a reason people say never skip leg day. It’s just as important to build lower body strength as these muscles help to build a strong foundation for your entire body.
Here are some of our favourite lower body push exercises.
- Squats
Focuses on the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold a barbell across your upper back or dumbbells at your sides (if using weights).
- Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
- Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Push through your heels to return to the starting position.
3 sets of 12-15 reps.
- Leg Press
Targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.
- Sit on the leg press machine with your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform.
- Push the platform away by extending your legs, keeping your knees slightly bent at the top.
- Slowly bend your knees to lower the platform back to the starting position.
3 sets of 8–15 reps.
- Lunges
Focuses on the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.
- Stand with feet together, holding dumbbells at your sides or with hands on your hips.
- Step forward with one leg and lower your body until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Push back up to the starting position and switch legs.
3-4 sets of 15-20 reps per leg.
- Step-Ups
Targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.
- Stand in front of a bench or sturdy platform.
- Hold dumbbells at your sides (optional).
- Step up onto the bench with one leg, pushing through your heel.
- Step back down with the same leg.
- Repeat with the opposite leg.
3-5 sets of 5-10 reps per side.
- Bulgarian Split Squats
Focuses on the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.
- Stand a few feet in front of a bench with one foot resting on the bench behind you.
- Hold dumbbells at your sides (optional).
- Lower your body by bending the front knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground.
- Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.
3-4 sets of 8-10 reps on each leg.
- Leg Extensions
Isolates the quadriceps.
- Sit on the leg extension machine with your feet under the padded lever.
- Extend your legs to lift the weight until your knees are straight.
- Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.
3 sets of 8-12 reps.
- Calf Raises
Targets the calves (gastrocnemius and soleus).
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart on a raised surface with heels hanging off the edge.
- Hold dumbbells at your sides (optional).
- Raise your heels as high as possible by extending your ankles.
- Lower your heels back to the starting position.
3 sets of 20 reps.
- Goblet Squats
Focuses on the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell close to your chest.
- Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, keeping your back straight.
- Go down until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Push through your heels to return to the starting position.
3 sets of 12-20 reps.
- Sumo Squats
Targets the inner thighs (adductors), quadriceps, and glutes.
- Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart and toes pointed outward.
- Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell with both hands in front of you.
- Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, keeping your back straight.
- Go down until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Push through your heels to return to the starting position.
3 sets of 12–20 reps.
- Hack Squats
Focuses on the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.
- Position yourself on the hack squat machine with your shoulders under the pads and feet shoulder-width apart on the platform.
- Lower your body by bending your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
3 sets of 10-12 reps.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced gym-goer, having a push day workout routine is both popular and beneficial. These exercises are perfect for building body strength, improving muscle definition, and enhancing overall fitness.
Visit our news page for other popular workouts, including legs, bums and tums and the best upper body workout.
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