4 days per week. Bench press is the centerpiece. Everything else supports it.
Push / Pull / Legs + dedicated bench day
Heavy bench press focus. Main movement + accessory chest and triceps work. This is the sacred day.
Back and biceps. Rows, pulldowns, face pulls. Keeps the shoulders healthy and posture in check.
OHP, incline press, dips. Volume day — lighter than Monday but more total sets for hypertrophy.
Squats, Romanian deadlifts, leg press. Because upper-body-only guys are a cliché Michael refuses to become.
The main event. Every weight in kg.
Main movement — heavy, paused reps. 3 min rest between sets.
Triceps overload. 70% of main bench weight.
Upper chest development. Controlled eccentric.
Isolation finisher. Squeeze at the bottom.
Shoulder health. Never skip these — Michael learned the hard way.
The checklist Michael runs through before every set.
Eyes directly under the bar. Not too far forward, not too far back. Consistent every single rep.
Slightly wider than shoulder-width. Forearms vertical at the bottom. Pinky fingers on the rings.
Feet flat on the floor, driving into the ground. Upper back tight on the bench. Create full-body tension.
Slight diagonal — touches lower chest, presses back over shoulder joint. Not straight up and down.