Sam Sulek is known for his detailed approach to bodybuilding, often explaining his process during the “car talk” portion of his insanely popular YouTube vlogs, but while the big man likes to put the work in, he also knows how to get rapid with his reps when time is at a premium. To that end, Sulek sweated it out with a solid chest workout that took less than ten minutes and involved just three moves. Here’s how to try it for yourself.
The key here is to minimize rest times and go heavy to make gains. Work toward, or close to failure, and don’t be afraid to utilize dropsets if you find the load is too great, or your form is suffering too much. Aim for two to three heavy sets repping in the range of eight to 12.
Sam Sulek’s ‘Straight Chest’ Workout
- Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
- Seated Chest Press Machine
- Cable Flyes
Workout Breakdown
“These 150s have some dust on ‘em,” quipped Sulek as he got to grips with the heavy dumbbells for the incline chest press. With no time to waste, the social media star kept repping until he hit failure, making 16 reps in the first set, and 10 solid reps in the second set. This move targets the pectorals of the chest and to a lesser extent will also recruit the triceps and deltoids to complete the full range of motion.
Next up, Sulek opts for a “slightly lighter, squeezing, machine press.” By using this machine, the new IFBB Pro will be able to isolate his pecs without his supporting muscles being recruited as heavily as they are with free weights. The biceps and the back do come in to play here, but primarily you’ll be hitting your pecs. Notice how Sulek maintains a moderate tempo with his presses, opting for time under tension rather than explosive movements. After around 5 reps, Sulek realized he’d gone too heavy here, so he performed drop sets to find the sweet spot, finishing after 3 sets.
The bodybuilder rounded up his workout with three sets of cable flyes, working to failure with each set. “The first few (reps), controlled,” explained Sulek of his process. “And as I get more fatigued… pump ‘em out.” His pecs take a final pounding as the competitor attempts to bring his knuckles together to complete each rep, squeezing his chest as he does so. Once again, Sulek is not afraid to share the fact that he drops his weights where necessary in order to maintain form and make meaningful reps rather than ego lift for the camera. And just like that, he’s done.
To conclude his video, Sulek showed the fruits of his labor, revealing his pumped-up pecs and showing his latest progress as he prepares for his first pro show.