Burning out your chest is the key to getting that chiseled look that every man wants. Using really difficult body weight exercises helps tear the muscle tissue. Yet, most people stop there. If you want to get well defined pecs you have to take it a step further by doing what is called a Chest Burnout. This means that you target every fiber in your chest from different angles and you burn them out several times. This body weight chest workout routine is designed to help you do that. You’ll need a little over 15 minutes for total burnout and trust me, you’ll be feeling the effects the next day.
There’s a great article that I recommend checking out called For Maximum Muscle and Minimum Fat, Your Workouts Must Incorporate Both Variability and Consistency. It talks about the importance of variety in your workouts. That’s one of the reasons I like the workout below. Each exercise is unique and not the standard pushup.
15 Minute Body Weight Chest Workout
Workout Description
Every one of the below exercises targets your chest in a unique way and helps tear the muscle tissue to the max. There are 3 sets to this routine with 5 total exercises. You will go through each exercise for one minute and at the end of the 5 exercises take a 1 minute break. Get out your timer because you’ll be needing it. If you absolutely must take a break in the middle of a set, then do so but count to 5 and get back into it. The point of this routine is to burnout your chest and when you are not working out your are not burning out.
Body Weight Chest Exercises
Go through all the exercises once (and to total fatigue). Then take a one minute break and do them all again. Do a total of 3 sets.
Spider Pushup
Condensed Pushup
Deep Pushup
Heart Pushup
Falling Pushup
Chest Workout Tips
- Make sure you have plenty of water handy. Drink a lot during the 1 minute break.
- Do some dynamic stretching during your 1 minute break. You’ll want the muscle elastic for the workout.
- Try doing this routine 3 days a week for 4 weeks. You’ll notice a huge difference in your definition. The Downloadable Routine is designed for this.
ive never felt so good after finishing the workout. been doing calisthenics for a while and ive tried you 7 min abs workout too and its amazing!!!!!!! love from india man.
Hey Todd!
Love your website, and I have used many of your routines. Killer stuff! I can’t find a video of the falling pushups. Do you have a link or video on that?
Thanks!
Hi Udayan,
I’m really happy you like the site, thanks bro. AS for the exercise, e herese:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIE75bsfFgY
– Todd
Thanks for the video Todd! I tried the routine for the first time today. The pump feels great! To make things a bit harder a rested in plank position and as warmups did 2 sets of inclined pushups
Thumbs up to you!
You’re welcome Udayan, glad you liked it 🙂
– Todd
Hey Todd!
Its been two days since I tried this routine. I am amazed at the results! I dunno about the increase in muscle mass (I didn’t take measurements before I tried this one) but there DEFINITELY has been increase in strength. I’ve always wanted to do impressive moves like one hand pushups. But trust me when I say this, only 5 days back, I tried doing it; I couldn’t get a single rep even on a decline one hand pushup. Today, I decided to give it a shot. I got down on the floor, AND I ACTUALLY CRANKED 5 REPS ON MY LEFT AND 4 ON MY RIGHT! No decline. No support. Decent form. I don’t know how to thank you! I admit, I never knew these 15 minutes would provide the kickstart I needed to take my calisthenics to the next stage.
Salute to you! Can’t recall when I’ve been this excited last 😀
Could you insert links for the exercises you post about in your workouts, so that way if we don’t know what the exercise is, we can learn about the one you are talking about.
Hi Todd,
the links to the sheets for this workout are broken, any chance you could restore them?
All the best,
Max
Sorry, I’m afraid the sheets are gone 🙁
– Todd
Hi,
I’m trying to download the workout but the links are broken.
BTW: your site is amazing you give me great ideas for my training.
Thank you!
Jorge.
So I made it through my first time all on my feet. My strategy this time was to just do 3-6 reps for each movement, but do them slowly with mini breaks holding a plank. I figured this would work my core and arm/chest more. Brutal for me, but I survived. My arms and chest are Very shaky still.
That’s awesome Matthew! Way to go! Great idea to do 3-6 reps.
Did this again today, but replaced the spider push-ups with horizontal side to side push-ups. Added the condensed push-ups and did it from the knees. Got blasted again, it is hard to imagine 5 min of full push-ups, much less 3 sets of them.
Did this again today, but replaced the spider push-ups with horizontal side to side push-ups. Added the condensed push-ups and did it from the knees. Got blasted again, it is hard to imagine 5 min of full push-ups.
Love the ideas Matthew. Keep them coming! Its always a good idea to modify exercises for your own level and body.
Super intense, actually too intense for me. I modified it my dropping the condensed push-ups and doing the reps from my knees. This made it possible for me, if you aren’t already a push-up stud you might consider this variation.
Great tip Matthew. That’s a wonderful idea.