Best Beginner Push Day Workouts

The Dumbbell Bench Press is a great exercise for beginners that targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Using dumbbells helps improve stability and ensures both sides of the body work equally without compensating for weaknesses.

How to do it

1. Lie back on a bench, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
2. Place your feet flat on the ground, under your knees.
3. Hold the dumbbells outside shoulder-width apart, above your chest.
4. Keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle and engage your core.
5. Extend your arms fully and then lower the dumbbells back to starting position.

The Dumbbell Fly is an effective exercise for strengthening and building the chest muscles. It also engages the shoulders for support. This exercise helps to develop muscle balance by working each side of the body independently.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back on a bench, squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your feet flat on the ground.
2. Ensure the bench supports your head, shoulders, and buttocks.
3. Hold the dumbbells above your shoulders with palms facing inward and elbows slightly bent.
4. Engage your core and slowly lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
5. When the dumbbells are level with your chest, exhale and lift them back to the starting position.

Dips are a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the triceps. You lift and lower your body using your arms while keeping your core engaged.

How to do it

1. Hold onto the dip bars with straight arms and slightly bent elbows.
2. Suspended above the ground, brace your core and keep your back straight.
3. Lean your body forward slightly and pull your elbows down to lower yourself.
4. Keep your elbows close to your sides until they reach a 90-degree angle.
5. Push back up to straighten your arms and return to the starting position.

The Dumbbell Skullcrusher is a great exercise for strengthening your triceps. Using dumbbells helps ensure both arms work equally and adds a challenge to your stability.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back on a bench with your shoulder blades squeezed together and feet flat on the floor.
2. Ensure the bench supports your head, shoulders, and hips.
3. Hold dumbbells above your shoulders with palms facing each other and elbows slightly bent.
4. Engage your core and lower the dumbbells behind your head by bending your elbows, keeping your upper arms stable.
5. When the dumbbells are just above your forehead, exhale and lift them back to the starting position.

Skullcrushers are a triceps exercise performed while lying on a bench. This movement focuses on isolating the triceps and can be done with an EZ-Bar for better grip and stability.

How to do it

1. Lie back on a bench, keeping your shoulder blades squeezed and your heels flat on the ground.
2. Ensure the bench supports your head, shoulders, and buttocks at all times.
3. Hold the EZ-Bar above your shoulders with hands shoulder-width apart.
4. Keep your upper arms still and bend your elbows to lower the bar just above your forehead.
5. Exhale as you extend your arms to lift the bar back to the starting position.

The Dumbbell Back Fly targets the back of your shoulders while providing stability from an incline bench. This exercise helps strengthen your posterior deltoid by isolating the muscle effectively.

How to do it

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells.
2. Lie chest-down on an incline bench with your knees slightly bent.
3. Hold the dumbbells in front of your shoulders, palms facing forward.
4. Keep your elbows slightly bent and back straight.
5. Lift the dumbbells out to the sides until shoulder height, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
6. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position slowly.

The Cable Crossover Fly is a chest exercise that uses cables to maintain tension and control. This exercise helps isolate different parts of the chest for a focused workout.

How to do it

1. Set the pulleys to just above head height.
2. Stand with one foot forward, holding the pulley handles at shoulder height with palms facing forward.
3. Engage your core and keep your spine straight.
4. With arms extended, sweep the handles down in a wide arc towards the bottom of your ribcage.
5. Return to the starting position.

The Cable Lateral Raise is a shoulder exercise that targets the middle deltoid muscle. Using a cable machine allows for better control and can help identify strength differences between your left and right sides.

How to do it

1. Adjust the pulley to the lowest position and attach a handle.
2. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, facing the pulley with your left side.
3. Grab the handle with your right hand, keep your palm facing in.
4. Tighten your core to maintain a straight back.
5. With a slightly bent elbow, raise the handle to shoulder height while rotating it slightly upwards.
6. Lower the handle back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

The Dumbbell Front Raise is an exercise that strengthens the front part of your shoulders. It helps build muscle and balance strength between both sides of your body using dumbbells.

How to do it

1. Stand upright holding a dumbbell in each hand at waist height, palms facing inward.
2. Keep your arms slightly bent and lift the dumbbells in front of you to just above shoulder height.
3. Lower the dumbbells back to waist height, maintaining a neutral back.

The Dumbbell Shoulder Press is an exercise that focuses on strengthening the shoulders. Using dumbbells helps engage stabilizing muscles and can improve balance between both sides of the body.

How to do it

1. Sit on a bench with your back straight.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, just outside shoulder-width, palms facing forward.
3. Bend your elbows and keep them close to your sides.
4. Press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are fully extended, keeping your wrists straight.
5. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

The Dumbbell Shoulder Raise is an exercise that focuses on strengthening the middle part of your shoulders. It helps improve muscle balance and can enhance shoulder strength by using dumbbells.

How to do it

1. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing in at your hips.
3. Tighten your core by breathing deeply and engaging your abs.
4. With a slight bend in your elbows, raise the dumbbells to the sides until they reach shoulder height.
5. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position in a controlled manner.

The Hammerstrength Chest Press is a chest workout that targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps using a specialized machine. It helps you maintain focus on the exercise and learn proper movement without worrying about balance.

How to do it

1. Sit upright in the Hammerstrength chest press machine and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
2. Place your heels flat on the ground under your knees, ensuring your back is against the pad.
3. Hold the handles with an overhand grip outside shoulder-width.
4. Engage your core by breathing into your stomach and tightening your abdominal muscles.
5. Push the handles to extend your arms while keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.

The Hammerstrength Decline Chest Press is a machine exercise that targets the lower chest. It provides stability, allowing you to focus on building strength without worrying about balance.

How to do it

1. Sit in the decline chest press machine and press your shoulder blades together.
2. Keep your feet flat on the ground and ensure your back rests against the pad.
3. Grab the handles just below your chest, with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
4. Engage your core and push the handles to fully extend your arms, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.

The Hammerstrength Incline Chest Press is a machine exercise that targets your upper chest, shoulders, and triceps. It provides stability and focuses your effort on these muscle groups by using a fixed range of motion.

How to do it

1. Sit upright in the machine and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
2. Keep your heels on the ground and your back against the pad.
3. Grab the handles above your chest with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
4. Brace your core and push through your palms to extend your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
5. Once your arms are straight, slowly return to the starting position.

The Smith Machine Bench Press is a chest exercise that works your triceps and shoulders too. The Smith Machine helps keep the movement steady, making it easier to focus on properly performing the exercise.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back on a bench with your shoulder blades squeezed together.
2. Make sure your head, shoulders, and butt stay on the bench.
3. Place your feet flat on the ground and keep your knees bent.
4. Position the bar over your chest, holding it just outside shoulder-width with an overhand grip.
5. Engage your core and unhook the bar, lowering it slowly towards your chest while keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
6. Touch your chest gently with the bar, then exhale and push it back to the starting position.