Jeff Cavaliere Shares ‘Perfect Science-Based Workout’ for Building a Bigger Chest

Jeff Cavaliere is committed to helping his fanbase reach a new level of fitness in 2025. On January 6, 2025, he shared his ‘perfect’ science-based workout for building a bigger chest, structured around joint health and longevity.

Cavaliere has steadily become a powerful authority in the fitness industry, thanks to years of experience helping athletes and individuals reach their ideal physiques. He boasts over 13.9 million YouTube subscribers who hang on to his every word when it comes to maximizing performance inside the gym. 

Chest training can be challenging for multiple reasons. Whether you’re struggling with mind-muscle connection or limited range of motion due to rotator cuff issues, effectively targeting the muscle requires focus, preparation, and a touch of instinct. This has led Jeff Cavaliere to outline the most effective chest workout using techniques he’s implemented for years. 

Build a Bigger Chest With Jeff Cavaliere’s ‘Perfect’ Science-Based Workout 

To effectively build your chest, Jeff Cavaliere laid out the framework he’s following in a recent YouTube video, which is grounded in science-based principles as well as the preservation of joint health. 

“We rely on the sciences of anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology, and we put it all together in a workout that actually makes sense. We’re going to do the same thing for you here. We’re going to sprinkle in what we know now to be the most effective techniques to employ when we’re trying to build a bigger chest.” 

“Longevity and joint health is also going to be a big concern of mine as a physical therapist,” he adds. 

Workout Schedule  

To craft the perfect science-based chest routine, he explained why taxing the body part twice a week is optimal. 

“When it comes to the perfect science-based workout, the first thing you have to ask yourself is what is the frequency with which I’m training? The one thing we do sort of know with pretty good confidence these days is two times a week per muscle group is actually better than maybe one time a week.” 

• Monday (Day 1) 
• Friday (Day 2) 

Chest Day 1 

Find the first workout below: 

• Primer: Banded External Rotation — 1-2 sets x 10-15 Sub-Max 
• Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets x 5-10
• Crossovers: 3 sets x 10-12 + Partials 
• Floor Flys: 2-3 sets x 8-10 + Eccentric Only Reps 
• Deficit 1.5 Rep Ladder Pushups: 1 set x Failure 

Jeff Cavaliere suggested using external rotation work to properly warm up the rotator cuffs for this workout. 

“When you do external rotation work before you bench, you actually warm up the shoulder a little bit more effectively. You help to wake up the rotator cuff muscle which is a very important muscle to be primed before benching. You want to make sure that it’s doing its job.

The job of the rotator cuff is to keep the head of the humorous in the middle of the joint and not let it migrate up.” 

All in all, he asked lifters to perform 11 sets on the Day 1 chest workout before completing another 11 on Day 2, for a total of 22 sets per week. 

“That’s 11 sets in this workout. Again, if you do this in workout two, it’s going to put you at 22 sets for the week, which is right where you want to be.” 

Chest Day 2 

This is the second workout: 

• Primer: Band Pull Aparts: 1-2 sets x 10-15 (Sub Maximal) 
• Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets x 5-8 Form Failure 
• High-to-Low Crossovers: 3 sets x 10-12 + Partials 
• Incline Cable Press: 2-3 sets x 8-10 Form Failure 
• 1.5 Rep Dip Ladder – 1 set x Failure 
• Prison Yard Push-Up: 1 set x Failure 

Cavaliere detailed why the band pull apart, a primer movement, is essential to performing the rest of the workout. 

“What does that second workout look like? Well, you’ll see again we have a primer exercise, this time it’s the band pull apart. You’ll do them the same exact way, one to two sets done at that very sub max level. This exercise is great when you perform it from that high position and pull it down apart.

You have the effect of hitting the lower traps eccentrically and also again working on those mid-scap muscles and getting the rotator cuff to allow you to have a more effectively warmed up shoulder to perform guess what? The bench press,” he shared. 

With these 11 exercises divided between two days out of the week, Jeff Cavaliere is confident you can build a bigger chest quickly. Feel free to implement his routine and experience the benefits of balanced growth, improved strength, and enhanced joint health.

RELATED: Jeff Cavaliere Shares Best Dumbbell Exercises for ‘Bigger, Stronger, Healthier Shoulders’

Watch the full video from the ATHLEAN-X YouTube channel below: 

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