Open Gym Strength and Conditioning – Functional bodybuilding

Upper body push

Bench Press (6×6)

6 sets: 6 reps

Focus: Control should be shown with each rep on the way down and on the way up. Bar should be lowered to just below the sternum. Keep elbows at a 45 degree angle to the body and avoid flaring out. Shoulders should be loaded back against the bench throughout reps.

Barbell incline press (4×10)

4 sets: 10 reps

Focus: Control should be shown with each rep on the way down and on the way up. Incline of bench should be around a 45-60 degree incline. Bar should be lowered to just below the sternum. Keep elbows at a 45 degree angle to the body and avoid flaring out. Shoulders should be loaded back against the bench throughout reps.

1:1:2 DB Bench (4×7)

4 sets: 7 reps (left arm rep + right arm rep + double arm rep)

Focus: Select a weight that you can control when sitting back to start and sitting up to finishing set. Lay back on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Extend arms to the ceiling. 1 rep consists of: Single arm bench with left arm (right arm remains extended), single arm bench with right arm (left arm remains extended), and then a double db bench rep with both arms. Lower dumbbells down to the outside of the chest. Do not drop the dumbbells. To avoid injury, bring the knees up to meet the dumbbells and sit up with them. If you have to drop them to deload, you’ve gone too heavy.

Flat bench db chest fly (4×12)

4 sets: 12 reps

Focus: Lying on a bench, extend two dumbbells towards the ceiling. Keeping a slight bend in the elbows, lower the dumbbells out to the sides. Dumbbells should be kept in line with the sternum or slightly lower. Shoulders should be loaded back against the bench through the entire movement. Refrain from going deeper than the level of the bench at end range. Movement can also be performed while lying on the floor.

standing barbell bicep curls (4×10)

4 sets: 10 reps

Focus: Stay with a weight that will allow for control and minimal kipping of reps. Keep barbell slightly in front of the body at the bottom position to keep tension on the biceps throughout set (don’t go to complete loss of tension at bottom).

standing alternating db bicep curls (4×10)

4 sets: 10 reps (each side)

Focus: Stay with a weight that will allow for control and minimal kipping of reps. Keep dumbbells slightly in front of the body at the bottom position to keep tension on the biceps throughout set. When curling, turn the arm thinking about getting the pinky finger close to the shoulder to maximize contraction with each rep.