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This efficient and effective pec blast is perfect for the time crunched

If the allure of ‘International Chest Day’ is too hard to resist, but your schedule just isn’t playing ball with the idea of 90 solid minutes of pumping up your pecs, we have the perfect solution.

Our chest-centric ‘chipper’ is an efficient and effective quick-fire blast that will add slabs of muscle to your pecs and triceps, quicker than you can say ‘bench press’.

Whether you’re a functional trainee looking to score a sweet pump at the end of your session, a home gym hero looking for a minimalist mash-up or just a late summer holiday goer looking to score a quick, pre-poolside pump — keep this protocol in your back pocket for a rainy (or sunny) day.

This workout uses a chipper format, which literally means you’re going to ‘chip away’ at the reps, resting just long enough between bouts to regain your strength each time you get close to failure. You'll finish all reps of each movement before moving onto the next. Pick weights that allow you to do no more than 15-20 reps in your first few sets, but don’t go too heavy— if you can’t do at least 5 from the get-go this is going to be a long workout.

Warm-up thoroughly and pump your way through all 250 reps as follows.

Lay flat on a bench, your knees bent, pushing your feet into the floor. Press a pair of dumbbells into the air, locking out your elbows (A). Lower the bells slowly until they touch your chest (B), keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle. Pause here before explosively pressing back up. When you can no longer lockout another rep, drop the bells on to your knees, sit up and rest for no longer than 20-40 seconds before reengaging.

25 reps on the bench dispatched, take your weights to the floor. Lay flat on your back and press the weights above you, locking out your elbows (A). Lower them slowly until your upper arms are resting on the floor, close to your body (B). Pause here before explosively pressing back up. Keep repping out until you can no longer rip the weights from the ground, before dropping them to pause briefly before continuing on to 50.

Flip over and assume a strong plank position, with your core tight and hands gripping your dumbbells just over shoulder-width apart (A), Slowly lower your chest to the floor (B). Keep your elbows from flaring as you push back up explosively. Once you reach full lockout, pause and repeat for a second rep.

After your final press-up remain in your plank position. Move your hands off your dumbbells, bringing them close together, almost touching, between the bells (A). Bend your elbows to bring your chest to the floor (B). Keep your elbows close to your body as you push back up explosively.