It's time to PUSH! If you're unfamiliar with push and pull training splits, they basically divide your muscle groups into those you're using to move the weights away from your body (push) and those you're using to move the weights towards your body (pull.)

Your push muscles are going to be your chest, shoulders, and tricep muscles. I've personally been enjoying this style of training so much lately! I split my strength training between a Push day, Pull day, Leg Day, and a total body HIIT workout. It's been a really enjoyable way for me to train lately, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 

Quick Lifting Tip: Controlling the Negative

You can think of the negative portion of any movement as the part of the exercise where your body is moving in the same direction as the resistance. If you're doing a bicep curl, the negative is when you're lowering the weights back down to the starting position. 

If you're performing a squat, the negative is when you're lowering into the squat.

If you're doing a cable rope tricep pushdown, it's when your forearms are traveling back upward towards the pulley. 

Whenever we are performing the negative portion of the movement, we want to focus on controlling the weight. We do this by slowing down! As we slow down, we have to use our muscles to work against the resistance. So instead of just dropping to the bottom of a squat, for example, we want to slowly lower the body with control into the squat. 

The most strength gains are made during this part of the movement! Keep it slow and controlled! 

The Workout 

1. Push Up (Kneeling or Standard) 4xAMRAP

2. Machine Chest Press 4x10

3. Cable Standing Chest Fly 4x10

4. Cable Single Arm Lateral Raise Superset with Dumbbell Front Raise 4x10 and 4x12

5. Cable Rope Tricep Push Down Superset with Dumbbell Lateral Raise 4x12 each

Exercise Instructions

Push Up (Standard or Kneeling)

1. Get into high plank position and drop your knees to the floor. Raise your feet off the mat and cross them at the ankles. Activate the core to protect the lower back. You want your upper body to form a straight line.
2. Bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the mat. 
3. When your upper arms are about parallel to the floor, use your chest to push back up to the starting position. 
4. Do not arch or round your back. Keep the back straight throughout the movement. 

Machine Chest Press

1. Sit up straight with your back against the back support. Hold each handle with an overhand grip (palms facing down.) Elbows should be tucked rather than flared out directly to your sides. You want a 45-75 degree angle from your body.
2. Push both handles forward until your arms are fully extended out in front of your chest with just a slight bend in the elbows. (Don't lock out your elbows.)
3. Bend at the elbows to slowly return to the starting position.

Cable Standing Chest Fly

1. Adjust the cable handles to be about shoulder height on either side of you.
2. Face away from the cable machine while holding each handle just below shoulder height. Arms should be fully extended to your sides with a slight bend at the elbow. Stagger your stance.
3. Pull the handles together at chest height in front of your body while keeping arms fully extended. 
4. Slowly return to the starting position.

Cable Single Arm Lateral Raise

1. Adjust the cable handle to the lowest position. Stand to one side of the station. Hold the station with the arm closest to it and hold the cable handle with the other hand. The arm holding the cable handle should be fully extended downward with a slight bend in your elbow.
2. Raise the handle outward and upward until it hits about shoulder height. Keep the arm fully extended with that slight bend in the elbow the whole time. The movement is happening at the shoulder joint. 
3. Slowly lower the handle back to the starting position. 

Dumbbell Front Raise

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Using an overhand grip, hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms fully extended in front of your thighs. Keep a slight bend in your elbows. Engage the core to protect your back throughout this movement. 
2. While keeping arms fully extended, use the shoulders to raise the dumbbells in front of your body and up to shoulder level. 
3. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Cable Rope Tricep Push Down

1. Adjust the cable pulley to the highest setting and attach the rope attachment. 
2. With elbows bent, hold the ends of the rope with each hand in front of your chest. 
3. While keeping the upper arms stationary and your elbows against your sides, push the rope downwards until your arms are fully extended (without locking out the elbows.) 
4. Pause and slowly return to the starting position.

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

1. Stand tall with feet shoulder with apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand using a neutral grip (palms facing each other.) Let your arms hang fully extended with a slight bend in your elbows. Activate the core in order to protect your back throughout the movement.
2. While keeping the arms fully extended, use the shoulders to move the dumbbells out and upward until they reach shoulder height on each side of your body. 
3. Pause and slowly return to the starting position. 

Are you ready to transform your body, health, and life?

Girl, it sounds like it’s time to apply for Emily Cramer Fitness 1:1 Coaching!

My 1:1 coaching program is for you if:

✔ You want to lose fat and build muscle without your workout or nutrition program taking over your whole life. You want something sustainable and realistic so you don't just keep starting and stopping.

✔ You want help learning how to eat and workout for your goals and how to consistently execute on these healthy habits

✔ You've been struggling with all or nothing thinking. You're tired of feeling like you need to do everything perfectly in order to see progress.

✔ You want to radiate confidence and strength - not just look fit, but feel it too!

✔ You want to make changes with the support, encouragement, and push from a trained and understanding expert.

There will never be a "perfect time" or "perfect circumstance" to get started on your fitness goals. Today is the day to make moves!

Every little action step you take brings you one step closer to the life you want, and confidence comes AFTER you take action. Breakthrough is on the other side of your 'YES!'

Not convinced it could work for you? Take a look at my Client Success Stories. If it worked for them, WHY NOT YOU?

I look forward to coaching you! 

To Your Good Health & Success,

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