OnionPatchAnterior Delts
13 effective sets in this workout
45-Minute Upper Body Hypertrophy Workout
An upper-body focused session that balances pressing, pulling, and shoulder-arm support work.
45 min
Upper
Intermediate
Chest, Lats, Middle Delts
Equipment Required
DumbbellWeight Bench
Who this workout is for
- Lifters running upper/lower splits
- Home or gym trainees with dumbbells and a bench
- People chasing upper-body size with manageable fatigue
Next step
Want a full program, not just one workout?
For a similar goal, focus, and equipment setup, start with 4 Day Upper Lower Workout Plan for Hypertrophy.
Recommended Warmup
5 Minutes Submaximal Aerobic Warm Up (Optional)
Dynamic Warm Up:
- 10 Leg Swings Front to Back
- 10 Leg Swings Side to Side
- 10 Arm Circles Forward
- 10 Arm Circles Backward
- 10 Cross Body Arm Slaps
- 10 Walking Lunges w/Trunk Rotation
Ramp-up sets for your first main exercise
For your first hard lift for a muscle group, build up with a few lighter ramp-up sets instead of jumping straight into your working weight.
Exercise Plan
45-minute hypertrophy upper workout with extra emphasis on Chest.
- Built for a upper training day.
- Designed around 45-minute sessions.
- Intermediate-friendly exercise density with practical rest periods.
- Extra emphasis on Chest.
- Starts with a 3-set pre-exhaustion slot for Chest.
- Progress load or reps once you can hit the top of the target range with solid form.
Muscle-by-muscle detailsExpand to review which muscles this workout emphasizes based on the selected exercise mix.
Expand to review which muscles this workout emphasizes based on the selected exercise mix.
Note on smaller muscle groups
Minor muscle groups often show up with more effective sets than you may expect because they get trained indirectly as secondary muscles during many compound exercises.
Middle Delts
10 effective sets in this workout
Chest
10 effective sets in this workout
Triceps
7 effective sets in this workout
Scapular Retractors
3 effective sets in this workout
Lats
3 effective sets in this workout
Biceps
3 effective sets in this workout
Rear Delts
3 effective sets in this workout
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
Tap for equipment, muscles, and coaching notes.
| Exercise | Sets/Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 × 13-17 | 7-10 | 90-150s | |
| 4 × 6-9 | 6-9 | 150-210s | |
| 3 × 10-13 | 6-10 | 150-210s | |
| 3 × 13-15 | 6-10 | 150-210s | |
| 3 × 17-20 | 7-10 | 90-150s |
How to use it
- Take the first two lifts seriously and track them week to week.
- Use accessories to accumulate quality volume rather than chasing failure.
- Rest long enough to keep technique sharp on rows and presses.
Why this works
The session anchors around compound upper-body patterns, then uses smaller movements to fill in delts and arms.
FAQ
Can I add extra curls at the end?
Yes, but only if recovery and elbow comfort stay good across the week.
Is this okay for strength goals too?
Yes, but a strength-specific prefill will bias the first exercises toward lower rep work.
Related workouts
45-Minute Dumbbell Push Workout
A push-day session built around pressing patterns plus enough delt and triceps work to round things out.
45-Minute Dumbbell Pull Workout
A pull-day workout that prioritizes rows, vertical pulling patterns, and direct rear-delt and biceps volume.
50-Minute Chest and Triceps Workout
A chest-and-triceps focused push workout built for lifters who want more pressing volume without losing shoulder balance.
Important safety note
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