Regan Grimes is hoping to get on the road to the 2025 Mr Olympia contest by putting in a strong performance at the New York Pro and in a recent Instagram post, the Canadian bodybuilder shared his current chest and shoulder workout. Try it for yourself.
“My current chest and shoulders workout as we enter the final weeks of contest prep,” wrote Grimes alongside a workout demonstration for his almost 2 million followers. The IFBB Pro is hoping to better the ninth-place achievement that he earned during his last Mr Olympia contest in 2023 with a dialed in approach that makes the best of both his nutrition and his time in the gym. The 6-feet-tall muscle man is expected to perform at the New York Pro on May 17 and having won at the same event, in the Classic Division back in 2018, Grimes is looking to repeat this success in the Open grouping.
To that end, Grimes is leaving no stone left unturned when it comes to building a total package for the stage and never misses a moment to build muscle, including adding protein shakes to cornflakes. Here the 31-year-old shows that he is just as detailed in with his approach to training with this super chest and shoulders workout.
Regan Grimes’ Chest and Shoulders Workout
Lying Dumbbell Chest Fly — 2 Sets x 10 – 12 Reps
Machine Decline Chest Press — 2 Sets x 10 – 12 Reps
Machine Chest Press — 2 Sets x 10 – 15 Reps
Dumbbell Shoulder Press — 2 Sets x 10 – 12 Reps
Seated Cable Reverse Fly — 2 Sets x 15 Reps
Lying Cable Lateral Raise — 2 Sets x 15 Reps
The Superset Finisher
Machine Lateral Raise and Partial Dumbbell Raise — 2 Sets x 10-15 Reps
Regan Grimes’ Chest and Shoulders Workout Breakdown
As Grime’s rep protocol shows, this bodybuilder likes to go heavy and work towards failure, so he keeps his sets low and his reps in the muscle building range of hypertrophy. Starting with the lying dumbbell chest fly, the big man hits his pectorals and deltoids and will also use secondary muscles for stabilization, such as the biceps and triceps.
Next up is a staple for shoulders and chest that is recommended by body builders past and present. Legends like Dorian Yates and Derek Lunsford regularly use this move because it is effective at working the lower part of the chest, helping to build a fuller appearance in the pecs. For good measure, Grimes then utilizes the traditional straight-forward moving press, similar to the bench press, to help build that barrel of a chest.
Switching to the dumbbell shoulder press, Grimes gets to grips with the front of his shoulders, specifically the anterior deltoid, while using the rest of his shoulder, triceps, trapezius and pecs for stability. He then turns his attention to the rear deltoids with the reverse cable fly. This exercise will also contribute to a huge upper-back.
If you really want to feel the burn, the lying cable lateral raise will get you there. You will need to arrange some furniture and place the bench near a cable station, but the reward will justify the effort. You’ll hit all the major muscles in the shoulder and upper-back but since you are lying down, you will be more isolated with the movement and will have less need to stabilize your body, meaning that all of the right muscles will be targeted here, such as the deltoids and traps.
They do say that the last set is the best set, so Grimes shows a stroke of genius by finishing off with a superset. The Canadian weight crusher utilizes the machine lateral raise to really hammer those shoulders, particularly the medial delts, and then goes all out with partial dumbbell raises to call it a day.
“Do you really feel like you get something out of the partial raises at the end?” asked a curious Instagram follower. “Pretty good at the end of the workout!” replied Grimes. So, here’s the pertinent question: can YOU get to the end of this workout?
