Strength and Conditioning Coach Shares an 'Express' Chest and Back Workout for Busy Men With No Time

Strength workouts don't need to be long to be effective. When intensity, exercise selection, and rest are carefully monitored, shorter workouts still deliver strength and muscle gains without wasting time you can't spare. The secret lies in structuring your workouts to maximize work output in minimal time. One effective way to do this is through antagonistic muscle training, which pairs muscles that perform opposite actions.

Jeff Cavaliere, CSCS, MSPT, of Athlean-X recently brought that concept to life in an express 30-minute chest and back workout. By training chest and back together, the workout keeps intensity high while allowing one muscle group to recover as the other works hard, pushing through heavy weights.

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"Fast 50" Warmup

This quick and efficient warmup primes your muscles using just a resistance band. But don't underestimate the power of the band. By the end of this, you'll have completed 100 total warmup reps.

Perform the two exercises below, back-to-back. Begin with a round of 14 reps of each. Each round, drop 2 reps until you're down to 6. Aim to complete the warmup in 3 minutes. If you finish early, rest before moving on.

Kneeling Banded Press

1. Tie a resistance band to a solid surface like a rack and wrap around your body. Set up holding the band in front of your chest in a kneeling position.
2. Press the resistance band up like an incline press, keeping tension through the entire motion.
3. Perform 14 reps, dropping 2 each round until you complete 6 reps.

Banded Squeeze Row

1. Keeping the band looped, face the band and grip it in both hands, hinging at the hips.
2. Pull the band back toward your torso, focusing on pulling your scapula together.
3. Perform 14 reps, dropping 2 each round until you complete 6 reps.

"System Check"

Before jumping into heavy lifts, perform a system check. The goal of this is to get a pulse check on how your muscles are feeling with weights while working out any kinks.

Use your 12-rep max and perform 10 slow reps of an incline dumbbell bench press. Focus on wrist, elbow, and shoulder mobility. Intentional lifting ensures your joints and muscles are ready for heavier loads while minimizing injury risk.

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High-Tension Superset

By combining these antagonistic muscle groups, you'll maintain workout intensity while allowing one muscle group to recover slightly as the other works. It's one of the most time-efficient ways to work out while still getting a solid pump.

How to Do Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

1. Lie on an incline bench holding a pair of dumbbells.
2. Press dumbbells up while controlling the descent.
3. Perform 3 sets of 8 reps.

How to Do Chest-Supported Row

1. Lie chest-down on a bench, holding a pair of dumbbells.
2. Pull the dumbbells toward your torso, squeezing your back muscles.
3. Perform 3 sets of 8 reps.

Giant Finisher Set

Finish off your chest and back workout with a spicy combination of moderate- and light-tension exercises. This will fully fatigue the muscles and give you a dose of cardio conditioning.

Aim to complete the exercises below in a 5-minute window, moving continuously. Keep the pace up to maximize work done in minimal time.

How to Do Cable High-to-Low Crossovers

1. Set up cable pulley handles in a position over head height.
2. Pull the handles from high to low, focusing on the chest muscles working.
3. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps.

How to Do Pushups

1. Start in a high plank position.
2. Descend to the ground and reset up.
3. Perform 3 sets to failure.

Single-Arm High Cable Row

1. Grab the handle from the same heightened position with one hand.
2. Pull toward your torso, squeezing shoulder blades.
3. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side.

Straight Arm Pushdown

1. Pull rope down with straight arms, elbows tight and close to sides.
2. Perform 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps.

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