How to get your best chest in 30 minutes or less

Looking for the best bodybuilding workouts? Want a bigger chest? This high-intensity-training plan is just what you’re looking for — a plan to help you pack some size on those pecs. And if you hustle, you can get it done in 30 minutes or less.

A word about high-intensity training
For those who may be new to this style of training, HIT involves doing one all-out work set, going to absolute failure on an exercise instead of multiple work sets — absolute failure meaning that you can’t perform one more rep even if you want to. So, if you can do a drop set or a rest/pause set to keep the set going, you do it. You can use partial reps and forced reps as well. You do one or two light-to-moderate warm-up sets before performing your single work set — then you HIT it!
Every generation of bodybuilders has had at least one superstar advocate of HIT. In the Golden Era it was Arthur Jones, founder of Nautilus, and the late, great Mike Mentzer. Nowadays six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates is most associated with this training philosophy. Okay, lesson over. Let’s hit the iron.

Flat-bench barbell bench presses
A lot of bodybuilders who are associated with having huge chests say this is the exercise. It is the most popular upper-body exercise of all, so let’s start with barbell bench presses. First, you do two warm-up sets of 10 to 12 reps. Go light on the first set, and add some weight for the second. Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between the warm-up sets. Then add enough weight that you can get only six to eight reps, and have a spotter ready to help you.
Now, this is where it gets intense. You’re going to do a double-drop set. Go all out on it — get as many reps as you can. If you’re able to complete the six to eight reps on the first round, you must attempt another rep. When the spotter has to help you, rack the bar and strip 25 per cent of the weight off the bar. For example, 25 per cent of 200 lbs (91 kg) is 50 (23 kg), so you would go down to 150 lbs (68 kg). As soon as you change the weight, get back on the bench and start over.
Shoot for another six to eight reps, and once the spotter has to help you again, rack the bar and take the same amount of weight off again. So if you went from 200 to 150, you strip another 50 lbs off the bar so you have 100 lbs (45 kg) left. Now get back under the bar and continue lifting until failure. When the spotter has to step in with help, you’re done. Rest two minutes before moving on.

This exercise is going to be a different sort of drop set. Get an adjustable bench and set it at a 45 degree angle. Do one warm-up set of 12 to 15 reps. Rest one minute, and grab a pair of dumbbells that you can handle for eight to 10 reps.
Now perform your all-out set using the same philosophy as you did on the flat bench — if you get the rep, you must attempt another. Once you reach failure, set the dumbbells down.
Now comes the twist. Instead of lowering the weight after every set to failure, you lower the angle of the adjustable bench — by one notch — and get back to work. Once you reach failure, repeat the process, continuing to repeat the cycle until the bench is flat. Then keep repping out until you hit total failure. Once you finish, rest two minutes and move on.

Weighted dips
Now you move on to dips. Start with a warm-up set with only your bodyweight for 12 to 15 reps. If you can’t do your own weight, use a dip machine. Rest for one minute, and either load up a belt with some weight or use whatever will make you work for 10 to 12 reps. Go for your set, but when you reach failure, stop and count to five. After five seconds go for more reps.  When you reach failure the second time, count to 10, and then go all out for one more push. When you hit failure, you’re done with dips. Rest for two minutes before going to the last exercise.

Flat-bench dumbbell flyes
Now you’re coming down the home stretch, so you want to ensure that you’ve pumped as much blood into those pecs as possible. Flat-bench flyes is your finisher. No warm-up here — go straight into your work set of 50 reps. That’s right, 50. Don’t fly through the movement either. Take your time lowering the weight and explode up. When you reach the top, squeeze those pecs before bringing the weights back down.
It will feel like forever, but finish strong because this is the last set of the day. Once you reach 50, you’re done. Make sure you stretch your chest before leaving the gym.
After six to eight weeks on this program, you’ll notice that your chest size and strength are the best they’ve ever been. The one-work-set-to-failure philosophy may not seem like much, but after attacking this routine consistently and intensely, you will have a whole new appreciation for it. You‘ll look forward to every chance you get to HIT the gym. IM

Greatest HITs Chest Workout
Flat-bench barbell presses
Sub-failure warm-up (add weight on the second set)    2 x 10-12
Drop sets (decrease by 25 per cent
of the original weight on each drop)    1 x 6-8 (6-8)(6-8)
Incline dumbbell presses
Subfailure warm-up    1 x 12-15
Start with the bench at 45 degrees    1 x 8-10
No rest
Lower the bench one notch    1 x max
No rest
Lower the bench one notch    1 x max
No rest
Lower to flat bench    1 x max
Dips
Sub-failure warm-up (body weight)    1 x 12-15
Add weight    1 x 10-12
Rest 5 seconds, then    1 x max
Rest 10 seconds, then    1 x max
Flat-bench flyes (controlled reps, squeeze at the top of each)    1 x 50

Note: All work sets are all out to positive failure.

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