Do This Workout for Kickass Pushup Form and Cleavage You'll Want to Flaunt

Share This

It’s a plain, unfortunate fact: Women tend to be particularly weak in the upper-body “pushing” muscles. These include the chest (pectorals), arms (triceps), and shoulders (anterior deltoids). Part of the reason why we’re prone to less-than-stellar pushing abilities is that our daily routines rarely require us to push. We “pull” a lot during a day—opening doors, carrying bags, picking up heavy objects—but we just don’t push much.

And yet, pretty much every woman I know wants to be able to do pushups with good form. It’s a skill that is great to have and is an indication of your overall fitness. Plus, the same muscles that help you perform rock star pushups are responsible for making your chest and cleavage look sexy and feminine—sweetness!

This week’s workout is designed specifically for three reasons: 1) to make you strong—you know I’m all about helping women to be strong; 2) to help you ace the pushups portion of your next bootcamp class; and 3) to make your chest and shoulders look gorg. Sound good?

The Workout: For this routine, you’ll follow a strength-training format called supersets. This means that you pair two exercises and do one right after the other with no rest in between. Then, after this one-two punch of both exercises, you take a one-minute rest. And that, all together, is one superset. You’re going to complete three sets of each superset below for 15 reps on all exercises. Let me give you an example: From below, you will perform Superset 1, which pairs Move 1 and Move 2. You’ll perform 15 reps of Move 1, then immediately perform 15 reps of Move 2. Then you’ll rest for one minute. You’ll repeat this exact superset two more times before moving on to Superset 2. Got it? Let’s do it!

Here's a rundown of the workout in pin-able form. Keep scrolling for a play-by-play of each exercise.

MOVE 1Chest Press with Resistance Band (Superset 1)

THOMAS MACDONALD

Using an elastic resistance band with handles, find an immovable anchor where you can loop the band at chest height. Stand with your back to the anchor, and hold each handle in front of your shoulders with your elbows bent and tucked back and palms face down. Step forward until there is no slack in the band, and bring one leg forward in a staggered lunge stance(A). Contract the muscles of your chest to push the handles forward in line with your chest, ending with the handles together (B). Immediately return to the starting position. That’s one rep. Pause for two seconds in this position before each new rep.

MOVE 2Incline Chest Flies (Superset 1)

BETH BISCHOFF

Adjust an incline bench to 45 degrees, and sit holding 10- to 15-pound dumbbells. Extend your arms up toward the sky, directly over your upper chest. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing each other, and keep your arms extended without locking the elbows. Release your shoulders away from your ears and down toward your hips (A). Open your arms in a large arc, maintaining the same angle at your elbows, until your hands are in line with your chest. Pause here for two seconds (B), then contract your upper chest muscles to bring the dumbbells back to the starting position. That’s one rep. 

MOVE 3Single-Arm Bench Press (Superset 2)

BETH BISCHOFF

With an eight- to 15-pound dumbbell in one hand, lie on a flat exercise bench. Extend your arm and dumbbell up toward the sky so that your arm is fully extended without locking your elbow. Brace strongly in your core to stabilize and counterbalance the weight. Use your free hand for balance or place it on your torso (A). With your palm facing toward your feet, bend your elbow to lower the dumbbell slowly and with control until it is near the outside of your chest. (Aim to end with your upper arm just below parallel to the floor.) (B) Immediately press your arm back to the starting position. That’s one rep. Complete all 15 reps on this arm, then switch and complete all reps on the other arm with the same weight. 

MOVE 4Dumbbell Push Press (Superset 2)

BETH BISCHOFF

Stand with a long, tall spine, and hold eight- to 10-pound dumbbells at the front of your shoulders with your palms facing each other. Keep your feet hip-width apart, your core engaged, and your knees unlocked (A). Bend your knees into a ¼-squat, and immediately stand back up using a little bit of that momentum to “pop” the dumbbells up. End with your arms fully extended and the dumbbells directly overhead (B). Lower down to the starting position. That’s one rep.