IFBB Pro Mike Sommerfeld Teaches Hardcore Push Workout

[Mike Sommerfeld]

IFBB Pro Mike Sommerfeld just dropped one of the most informative, no-BS push workout breakdowns on YouTube—and it's a must-watch if you're serious about building dense muscle the right way.

In this training session, Mike isn’t doing the lifting himself. Instead, he’s coaching Joseph, a trainee from Romania, through a full push day—chest, shoulders, and triceps. What makes it golden? Mike explains every rep, angle, and technique in detail, so you actually understand why the exercises work—not just how.

Highlights and Key Takeaways:

• Mental Prep First: Before lifting a single weight, Mike has Joseph walk on the treadmill. Not for the body—for the mind. Get focused. Get locked in.
• Warm-up Like a Pro: He uses a progressive 3-set warm-up scheme: 20 reps light, 12–15 reps moderate, and a heavier pre-working set. No rest. It’s all about blood flow and neurological priming.
• Execution is Everything: Emphasis is on elbow positioning, stretch tension, and perfect rep quality. “Hands don’t press—elbows do,” Mike reminds viewers.
• Rest-Pause Sets: These are brutal. Triple-failure rest-pause sets save time but drive insane stimulus. 6 reps, 4 reps, 2 reps—all to failure with 10–15 second rests.
• Stretch-Focused Chest Presses: Using cable chest machines that overload the stretch position instead of the contraction for better muscle growth based on current studies.
• High-Incline Pressing: Targets upper chest and front delts—smartly angled around 20–25°. No unnecessary fluff, just precise biomechanics.
• Cuffed Cable Laterals (Lying Down): Locks the body in place so only the shoulders work. Partial reps and eccentric control turn this into a burnout monster.
• Triceps: Two Killer Moves
  • Overhead Extensions – Set the cable at shoulder height for a safe and stable stretch on the long head of the triceps.
  • Rope Pushdowns – Positioned with the machine behind you for support, keeping form strict and drive powerful.

Intensity > Volume: Instead of 6–7 sets of fluff, Mike loads every single set with intensity, precision, and intention. You don’t need more sets—you need better ones.

Post-Workout Recovery: Wraps it up with a reminder to get a post-meal or shake in. Recovery starts now.

This video isn’t for casual gym goers. It’s a masterclass in hypertrophy training from a top-tier IFBB Pro. Save it. Study it. Train like this, and you’ll finally understand what it means to stimulate, not annihilate.

Watch the full workout:
IFBB PRO BODYBUILDER EXPLAINS PUSH WORKOUT


Let us know what you think—who’s tried rest-pause sets like these? Are you hitting your chest from the stretch or still chasing the squeeze?