Goal program

Chest Up, Shoulders Back

Stronger pecs and upper back for a lifted look and upright posture.

3 days a week
12 weeks
Any level
For women
Gym

About this program

Training can't enlarge or lift breast tissue, but stronger pecs underneath and a strong upper back make your upper chest look fuller and keep your shoulders from rounding forward. Three full-body days give chest and upper back about 15 hard sets each per week, with a little more pulling than pushing: stop each set 1–3 reps short of failure and add a rep or a little weight every week (new to lifting? do 2 sets per exercise for the first 2 weeks). After 12 weeks expect a more upright posture and a more lifted-looking chest line, not a new cup size.

Who it’s for

Any level: beginners start with fewer sets and lighter weights, as the notes explain.
Written with women in mind; anyone can follow it.
A gym with machines, cables and free weights.
3 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 Chest + Row: Upper Chest & Row

Upper chest, mid-back, rear delts, quads, core · about 60 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Incline Dumbbell PressBench at about 30°. Start light, around 10–15 lb per hand. Lower slowly to a comfortable stretch across the chest. When all 4 sets reach 12 reps, move up to the next dumbbell.	4 × 8–⁠12	2 min
Seated Cable RowSit tall with your chest up. Let your shoulder blades slide forward for a stretch, then drive your elbows back and squeeze the blades together for a second.	4 × 10–⁠12	90 s
Leg PressFeet shoulder-width, in the middle of the platform. Go as deep as you can while your lower back and tailbone stay on the pad. Stop 2 reps short.	3 × 10–⁠12	2 min
A1 Cable Chest FlySet the pulleys low, around hip height, elbows slightly bent. Sweep your hands up and together to chest height, like a big hug. This hits the upper chest. Keep light dumbbells nearby and go straight to reverse flies.	3 × 12–⁠15	—
A2 Reverse Dumbbell FlyLight dumbbells, 5–10 lb. Hinge forward with a flat back and soft elbows, raise your arms out to the sides leading with your elbows, and squeeze your upper back. Rest, then repeat the pair.	3 × 12–⁠15	75 s
Dead BugKeep your lower back pressed into the floor. Breathe out as you reach the opposite arm and leg away. Move slowly.	2 × 8 per side	45 s

Cardio after: Incline Treadmill Walk, 10–15 min, 8–12% incline, 2.5–3.2 mph. Optional easy cardio for heart health and a few extra calories. Skip it if you're short on time.

Wednesday Back + Posture: Back & Posture

Lats, upper back, hamstrings, chest, shoulders, grip · about 65 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Romanian DeadliftStart with the empty 45 lb bar, or dumbbells if that's too heavy. Soft knees, flat back. Push your hips back and slide the bar down your thighs until you feel a strong hamstring stretch, then squeeze your glutes to stand up.	3 × 8–⁠10	2.5 min
Lat PulldownGrip at shoulder width or slightly wider. Get a full stretch at the top, then drive your elbows down to pull the bar to your upper chest.	4 × 8–⁠12	90 s
Machine Chest PressSet the seat so the handles line up with your mid-chest. Control the return into a full stretch. The last set can go to 1 rep short of failure.	3 × 8–⁠12	90 s
One-Arm Dumbbell RowHand and knee on the bench. Let the dumbbell hang for a stretch, then pull it toward your hip, not your armpit.	3 × 10–⁠12 per arm	60 s
A1 Face PullRope at forehead height. Pull toward your eyes with elbows high and thumbs pointing back, and hold the squeeze for 1 second. Keep the weight light. Go straight to lateral raises.	3 × 12–⁠15	—
A2 Lateral RaiseLean slightly forward and raise to shoulder height. 5–10 lb is plenty. Stronger side delts give your shoulders a nice shape that frames your upper body. Rest, then repeat the pair.	3 × 12–⁠20	60 s
Farmer's WalkPick dumbbells that feel heavy, but only as heavy as you can carry with perfect posture: shoulders down and back, ribs down, walk tall. This is posture training.	2 × 30–⁠40 s	60 s

Cardio after: Stationary Bike, 10 min, moderate pace (you can still talk). Low-impact spin to cool down and add a bit of cardio.

Friday Full Body: Press, Pull & Legs

Chest, lats, glutes, hamstrings, core · about 60 min

Exercise	Sets × reps	Rest
Dumbbell Bench PressFlat bench, shoulder blades squeezed together and down. Lower to a comfortable stretch at chest level. When every set reaches 12 reps, move up to the next dumbbell.	4 × 8–⁠12	2 min
Assisted Pull-UpChoose the assistance that allows 6–10 clean reps, then take a little off every week or two. Goal: your first unassisted pull-up.	3 × 6–⁠10	2 min
Bulgarian Split SquatRear foot on a bench; hold a rack for balance if you need to. Lean slightly forward to work the glutes more. Use bodyweight for the first 2 weeks, then hold dumbbells. Too wobbly? Do reverse lunges instead.	3 × 8–⁠10 per leg	90 s
A1 Push-UpIf you can't do 8 good reps from the floor, put your hands on a bench or a Smith machine bar and lower it as you get stronger. Stop 1–2 reps before your form breaks. Go straight to face pulls.	2 × 8–⁠15	—
A2 Face PullSame cues as Wednesday: elbows high, pull to your eyes, hold the squeeze for 1 second. Rest, then repeat the pair.	2 × 12–⁠15	60 s
Lying Leg CurlKeep your hips pressed into the pad and lower slowly over 2–3 seconds. Take the last set to 1 rep short of failure.	3 × 10–⁠15	60 s
Side PlankElbow under your shoulder, body in a straight line. Easier option: bottom knee on the floor.	2 × 20–⁠30 s per side	45 s

Cardio after: StairMaster, 8–10 min, steady pace, hands light on the rails. A short StairMaster finish. If your legs are done after the split squats, do an incline walk instead.

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 at maintenance, or in a small deficit (losing about 0.5% of body weight a week) if you also want to lean out, with 1.6–2.2 g of protein per kg (0.7–1 g per lb) spread over 3–4 meals, and keep in mind that losing a lot of fat can also make your breasts smaller.

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