Goal program

Chest Like Armor

Chest twice a week from every angle, with nearly as much back work.

4 days a week
12 weeks
Intermediate
For men
Gym

About this program

An upper/lower split that trains chest twice a week, about 20 hard sets of flat, incline and machine presses, cable flyes and dips, with nearly as much back work to keep your shoulders healthy. Key rule: stop most sets 1–2 reps short of failure, add weight once every set hits the top of the rep range, and take an easy half-volume week around week 7. Over 12 weeks, expect a visibly fuller chest and a stronger bench, with steady rather than dramatic change; you can't isolate an 'inner' or 'lower' chest, but incline pressing does shift more work to the upper chest.

Who it’s for

You already train regularly and want more volume and intensity.
Written with men in mind; anyone can follow it.
A gym with machines, cables and free weights.
4 sessions a week, about 60 minutes each.
8–10k steps a day on top of the workouts.

The week

Warm up for 5–7 minutes first. Rest is the pause between sets. A1 and A2 (B1 and B2) are supersets: do one set of each back to back, then rest. Rest days: walk and recover.

Monday Upper A: Heavy Bench

Chest (flat + incline), lats and mid-back, side delts, triceps · about 65 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Barbell Bench PressWarm up with 2–3 lighter sets first. Pinch your shoulder blades together, keep your feet planted and touch the bar to your lower chest. Stop 1–2 reps short of failure and use a spotter or the safety bars.	4 × 5–⁠8	3 min
Lat PulldownPull to your upper chest with elbows down and slightly back. Let the bar rise slowly so you feel the stretch in your lats.	4 × 8–⁠12	90 s
Incline Dumbbell PressSet the bench to about 30°. Lower slowly into a deep stretch until the dumbbells are level with your chest.	3 × 8–⁠12	2 min
Seated Cable RowLet your shoulders stretch forward, then row to your belly without leaning back.	4 × 10–⁠12	90 s
A1 Cable Chest FlyKeep a slight bend in your elbows, open wide into a full stretch and squeeze as your hands meet. The last set can go to failure.	3 × 12–⁠15	—
A2 Lateral RaiseUse a light weight, lead with your elbows and don't swing.	3 × 12–⁠20	75 s
Overhead Cable Triceps ExtensionFace away from the cable and let the rope go deep behind your head for a full stretch of the long head.	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s

Tuesday Lower A: Squat

Quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, abs · about 50 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Barbell Back SquatWarm up with 2–3 lighter sets. Squat as deep as you can while keeping a neutral back. If your back complains, swap in the leg press.	4 × 5–⁠8	3 min
Romanian DeadliftPush your hips back, keep the bar close to your legs and lower until your hamstrings are fully stretched.	3 × 8–⁠10	2.5 min
A1 Lying Leg CurlLower slowly and straighten your legs fully at the bottom.	3 × 10–⁠15	—
A2 Standing Calf RaiseStand on a step holding a dumbbell and pause 1–2 s in the bottom stretch.	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s
Cable CrunchRound your spine and pull your ribs toward your hips while your hips stay still.	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s

Cardio after: Stationary Bike, 10 min easy. Optional easy spin to cool down. A short, easy ride won't get in the way of muscle growth.

Thursday Upper B: Incline + Dips

Chest (incline, machine, dips), back thickness, rear delts, biceps · about 65 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Incline Dumbbell PressYour heaviest press of the day, so go heavier than on Monday. Set the bench to about 30° and keep your shoulder blades pinched.	4 × 6–⁠10	2.5 min
Assisted Pull-UpUse the least assistance that still lets you hit your reps. Work toward bodyweight pull-ups.	4 × 6–⁠10	2 min
Machine Chest PressThe machine lets you push hard safely, so take the last set to failure.	3 × 10–⁠12	90 s
One-Arm Dumbbell RowBrace one hand and knee on a bench. Let the dumbbell hang for a stretch, then drive your elbow toward your hip.	4 × 8–⁠12 per arm	60 s
A1 Dip (assisted if needed)Lean forward slightly and lower into a comfortable deep stretch. Use the assisted machine if needed, or add weight once 12 reps is easy.	3 × 8–⁠12	—
A2 Face PullPull the rope toward your forehead with elbows high, and spread your hands apart at the end.	3 × 12–⁠15	90 s
Cable Biceps CurlKeep your elbows pinned to your sides and straighten your arms fully at the bottom.	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s

Friday Lower B: Leg Press + Hip Thrust

Quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, side delts, abs · about 60 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Leg PressLower the sled deep, but not so far that your hips lift off the pad.	3 × 8–⁠12	2.5 min
Barbell Hip ThrustKeep your chin tucked and pause for 1 s at the top.	3 × 8–⁠12	2 min
A1 Leg ExtensionPause 1 s at the top and lower under control.	3 × 12–⁠15	—
A2 Lying Leg Curl	3 × 10–⁠15	75 s
B1 Lateral RaiseYour second weekly dose for wider shoulders. Keep it light and strict.	3 × 12–⁠20	—
B2 Standing Calf RaiseSlower than on Tuesday: 2 s up, 2 s down and a 1–2 s pause in the bottom stretch.	3 × 15–⁠20	60 s
Captain's Chair Knee RaiseCurl your pelvis up instead of just lifting your knees, and lower slowly.	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s

Cardio after: Incline Treadmill Walk, 10–15 min. Optional brisk walk at a moderate incline. It's good for your heart, and at this dose it won't hurt your gains.

How to progress

Double progression: add reps within the range first. When every set reaches the top of the range with clean form, add a little weight (about 5–10 lb on lower-body lifts, 2.5–5 lb on upper-body lifts) and start again at the bottom.
Stop most sets 1–2 reps short of failure. Beginners stop 2–3 reps short for the first weeks.
Every 6–8 weeks, or when you feel run down, take an easier week: half the sets, same weights.

Food

Eat in a small surplus (+200–400 kcal a day, gaining about 0.25–0.5% of body weight a week) with 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg of body weight (0.7–1 g per lb) daily; if you're carrying a lot of extra fat, eat at maintenance or in a slight deficit instead.

Find your numbers with the free TDEE calculator, the macro calculator and the protein calculator.