Time is short today, but you would hate to lose a weeks’ worth of progress when it comes to your chest training. Never fear! Check out this 5-minute chest routine to keep you strong and pumped when you don’t have time for a complete chest workout.
- One set incline dumbbell flyes, 6 to 12 repetitions
Immediately followed by:
- One set incline dumbbell press, 6 to 12 repetitions
Immediately followed by:
- One set incline Smith machine press, 10 to 15 repetitions
Immediately followed by:
- One set Hammer Strength machine press, 15 to 20 repetitions
Immediately followed by:
- One set cable curls, 15 to 25 repetitions
This is a super intense workout which moves from low repetition (targeting the fast-twitch muscle fibers) up the pyramid to the higher repetitions (hitting the slow-twitch muscle fibers). You will target every part of the pectorals – inner, outer, inner, lower and upper. At the conclusion of this set, you should feel a super intense burn and moderate to very intense pump sensation. This workout starts with free weights for the first two sets, and then moves over to machines for the last 3 sets. During these, you may be experiencing some balance problems as your muscles start to fail. The muscle failure at the end will be VERY intense.
Remember that you need to train with all-out intensity in order to garner a full and complete chest muscle pump in only five minute. You are training to failure on every single set, never accepting stopping when you still have another few repetitions left in your tank. This workout does not include warmups, which are essential. And of course, you may need a spotter handy for set #2, which can be pretty heavy and dangerous when taken to failure.
Keep in mind you won’t get optimal results by using this routine every week. High volume training is very popular because, well, it works! If you want to grow new inches of chest mass, then you will need to use heavy movements such as dumbbell and barbell presses & flyes. Four to five sets of 8 to 12 reps work best for new muscle mass. This kind of intense training plus plenty of food and rest are what’s needed to build new muscle – but a five minute chest routine like this is great for maintaining muscle when time is of the essence.


