Mike Sommerfeld is just days away from his title defense in Columbus, Ohio. On March 1, 2026, he shared his intense push-day workout ahead of the Arnold Classic.
Mike Sommerfeld enters the Arnold Classic as the clear favorite. After taking runner-up to Chris Bumstead at the 2024 Mr. Olympia, ‘Mike the Badass’ dominated the Arnold Classic in 2025. Fans thought he was a shoo-in to secure the vacant Olympia title that same year, but he faced off against an all-time best Ramon Rocha Queiroz.
Ultimately, Sommerfeld settled for second place again, leaving him on the outskirts of bodybuilding history. With the show just under a week away, he laid out how he’s approached push training for maximum results.
Mike Sommerfeld’s Push Workout Ahead of 2026 Arnold Classic
Find his exercises from the video below:
- Cable Flies
- Incline Chest Press
- Flat Press Machine
- Dips
- One-Arm Cable Lateral Raise
- Shoulder Press
- Triceps Extension
Cable Flies
He started with low weight on cable flies and progressed to heavier weight with more control in subsequent sets.
“I start with a low weight for 15-20 reps. We’re increasing the weight straight away so we don’t stop. 10-12 reps, and every time we’re getting a little bit heavier, we’re getting a little bit slower, and more controlled. That’s the most important part.”
Incline Chest Press
He explained that positioning the handle as low as possible gives him the best range of motion on incline chest presses.
“Bring the handle as down as possible to get the biggest full range of motion,” he explains.
Flat Press Machine
On the flat press machine, Sommerfeld utilized rest-pause sets for more time under tension.
“As I’m pressing the handles, turn in and outwards. As they turn back inwards, they push my elbows out. As I’m pushing inwards, it brings my elbows closer to the center, which contracts my muscle fibers even better. This is not a straight set. We usually do straight sets, 12 reps, failure, out. Here, we are doing rest-pause sets.”
Dips
Dips helped him finish off the lower portion of his chest.
“We’re activating chest, the lower part actually, to finish it off entirely. We train basically all the fibers. Flies, medium range, incline upper, flat, entire chest.”
One-Arm Cable Lateral Raise
He prefers one-arm cable lateral raises because it provides a greater stretch on the shoulder compared to traditional variations.
“Here we have the chance to overstretch the shoulder. That kind of stimulus, that kind of stretch, that’s what your shoulder never gets, and that’s a deal. What I like to do is bring the handle slightly lower than hip position.”
Shoulder Press
When shoulder pressing, Sommerfeld said to keep the elbows aligned with the hands.
“Quite a simple exercise. It’s basic. Try to keep your elbows under your hands.”
Triceps Extension
He finished off his triceps with extensions while his back was facing the wall, which gave him more stability.
“I like to stand with my back against the machine to brace against it and to get more stability.”
Sommerfeld hasn’t taken any chances with his Arnold Classic prep. Consistency is king, leading him to include two-a-day workouts in his training plan. This has allowed him to train back, chest, shoulders, and arms in the same day.
Sommerfeld looks on track to present his best onstage. The 2026 Arnold Classic is set for March 5-8 in Columbus, Ohio. Our Fitness Volt team will have live coverage of the action.
Watch the full video from the Mike Sommerfeld YouTube channel below:
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