FAST AMINOS WELLNESS
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Gym workout

Chest

Press strength and a fuller upper body.

Exercises
5
Total sets
15
Time
40–50 min
Equipment
Gym

The workout

Warm up first: 5 minutes of easy cardio, then 1–2 light sets of the first exercise.

  1. Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press

    4 sets6–10 repsRest 2 min

    Feet planted, shoulder blades pinched back and down. Lower to mid-chest with control, then press up and slightly back.

    Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press, start position
    Start
    Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press, finish position
    Finish

  2. Incline Dumbbell Press

    3 sets8–12 repsRest 90 sec

    Set the bench at 30°. Keep elbows about 45° from your body, not flared straight out.

    Incline Dumbbell Press, start position
    Start
    Incline Dumbbell Press, finish position
    Finish

  3. Machine or Weighted Dip

    3 sets8–12 repsRest 90 sec

    Lean your torso slightly forward to bias the chest. Stop when your shoulders dip just below your elbows.

    Machine or Weighted Dip, start position
    Start
    Machine or Weighted Dip, finish position
    Finish

  4. Cable or Dumbbell Fly

    3 sets12–15 repsRest 60 sec

    Keep a soft bend in the elbows the whole time. Think about hugging a tree, not pressing.

    Cable or Dumbbell Fly, start position
    Start
    Cable or Dumbbell Fly, finish position
    Finish

  5. Push-Up

    2 setsNear failureRest 60 sec

    Body in one straight line from head to heels. Elevate your hands on a bench if you need it easier.

    Push-Up, start position
    Start
    Push-Up, finish position
    Finish
The 45/30 rule

Lift for 45. Then 30 minutes of Zone 2.

45min

Resistance training

Builds and preserves lean muscle, so more of the weight you lose comes from fat, not muscle.

30min

Zone 2 cardio (LISS)

Low-intensity steady state at about 60–70% of your max heart rate: a brisk walk or incline treadmill. This is the intensity range where your body's fat burning peaks.

Why the order matters: resistance training draws down muscle glycogen and releases stored fat into your bloodstream. Research shows steady cardio started within about 20 minutes of lifting burns more fat than the same cardio done on its own. And because Zone 2 is low-stress, it burns extra fat and calories without the recovery cost of high-intensity cardio, so your muscles keep the energy they need to recover and grow.

Find your Zone 2: about 60–70% of your max heart rate. At age 40 that's roughly 108–126 bpm for men and 102–120 bpm for women. No watch? Use the talk test: you can speak in full sentences, but you couldn't sing. Calculate your Zone 2 →

Fat loss still comes down to your daily calories and protein, so get your numbers. Research: Goto et al., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2007.

Pick the right weight

Choose a weight you can lift for the listed reps with 1–2 good reps left in the tank.

Progress each week

When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add a little weight next time.

Protect your muscle

Especially while dieting or on a GLP-1: train 2–4 days a week and hit your daily protein target.

Know your protein number?

Training builds the signal; protein supplies the material. Get your daily calories and protein target in about 2 minutes.

Find my numbers →
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