Chest Athletic Workout - 20min Intermediate
Focus on explosive power and core stability with this high-intensity chest and triceps session. You will transition from heavy barbell work to unilateral stability challenges to build a functional and athletic upper body. This workout is designed to maximize muscle fiber recruitment in just twenty minutes.
This is designed for intermediate lifters and athletes, such as basketball or tennis players, who need pushing power and rotational core resistance. It is also perfect for busy professionals who want a comprehensive upper body session in under twenty minutes.
Equipment
Workout Plan
Rest 90 seconds after heavy barbell sets to recover power. For handle and rope accessories, keep rest periods to 60 seconds to maintain metabolic stress.
Barbell Bench Press
Chest, Triceps, Abs
Drive your feet into the floor and explode the bar upward using Tonals Spotter mode for safety.
Iso Split Squat Single Arm Chest Press
Chest, Quads, Obliques
Maintain a rock-solid split squat to resist the Tonal cables pull as you press.
Bench Chest Fly
Chest, Shoulders
Keep a slight bend in your elbows and focus on the stretch provided by the digital weight.
Triceps Extension
Triceps
Flare the rope at the bottom of the movement to maximize triceps peak contraction.
Why this order
The session begins with the Barbell Bench Press to capitalize on maximum energy for heavy loading. We then transition into a unilateral stability press and handle-based flies to refine chest shape and core control, finishing with high-rep rope extensions to fully exhaust the triceps.
Want this personalized for you?
This is a template workout. Connect your Tonal and the AI coach adjusts weights to your strength scores, swaps exercises around injuries, and progresses you week over week.
Start Free with AI CoachFrequently Asked Questions
How should I choose my starting weight for the Barbell Bench Press?
Tonal will suggest a weight based on your assessment, but if it feels too light for 8 reps, use the weight dial to increase it until the last two reps are very challenging.
Why are we doing a chest press in a split squat position?
This unilateral movement mimics athletic stances, forcing your core to stabilize against the cables lateral pull while training chest power and lower body endurance simultaneously.
Can I use the Smart Bar for the triceps extensions?
While possible, the Rope accessory allows for a greater range of motion and the ability to flare the ends, which targets the long head of the triceps more effectively than a fixed bar.
Is it okay to use Eccentric Mode on the chest flies?
Absolutely. Tonals Eccentric Mode is excellent for Bench Chest Flies to increase time under tension during the lengthening phase of the movement, promoting better muscle growth.