Three-time Arnold Classic Champion Kai Greene has posted his latest YouTube training video, but this time he was joined by another popular bodybuilder. 212 Division bodybuilder Guy Cisternino joined Greene in a workout that focused primarily on the chest but did also include exercises for the back and arms.
After some back and forth about who will lead the workout, the athletes start with Greene’s traditional warm-up which is supersets of pull-ups and dips. For those that may wonder why “Mr. Getting It Done” likes doing a back exercise before chest training, he offers an explanation to Cisternino and the viewers watching.
Greene: “Whenever you’re a competitive bodybuilder standing onstage, what’s the first pose that you hit?”
Cisternino: “Standing relaxed.”
Greene: “Standing relaxed pose. And when you hit that, what is that?”
Cisternino: “You open up your back and your chest.”
Greene: “That’s right. Simultaneously. Real talk…one of the ways I learned to stand up and hold it when beaten down by fatigue was to get into condition, learn how to flex them simultaneously. And the more I did my pull-ups and my dips, I found that I’d be able to better condition (poses) that.”
After their explanation, they proceed to perform three supersets each.
Next it was CIsternino’s turn to lead, and he chose an incline machine press. While he normally advocates free-weights, he says he likes to experiment with machines while traveling at different gyms that he may not have access to when at home.
“I’m not a machine advocate but when I travel, I like to use things that my gyms don’t have back in Jersey and New York.”
They actually work with two different machines on this day. One has horizontal handles that are wider and the other with vertical handles that allow for closer grip. Cisternino also offers a tip on how to maximize the benefits of the machines.
“What I try to tell people is I try to have an invisible line from across (the chest and handles) and I want that bar above my chest. So right now it’s here (lower chest) and I want it here (points to shoulders) so I gotta come down a little bit.”
Cisternino then adjusts the handles and the two continue to train. They use the second machine with the opposite handles to train the pecs from another angle and they feel it will focus more on the inner portion of the upper chest.
It should be noted that each athlete follows their own rep schemes. Greene sticks with his 20, 15, 12 rep protocol while Cisternino sticks to a range of 10-15 reps. They both add weight each set with all exercises.
They move on to a free weight exercise and perform dumbbell flyes on a low incline. Next they work with a standing chest press machine which challenges their core and stability as well as their pecs. They conclude the chest portion of the session with the pec-deck.
The two champions move on to triceps and perform rope press-downs followed by incline dumbbell curls for biceps.
They continue by doing incline triceps extensions with a cambered bar. Cisternino shows Greene another movement for triceps here. He has Greene twist his hands and flare out his elbows for a unique close grip press.
“With a heavier weight, these will blow your triceps up.”
The high-volume session concludes with preacher hammer curls for the biceps which is a Greene favorite.
Greene and Cisternino Workout
- Pull-ups and Dips Supersets: 3 sets of 10-20 reps each.
- Incline Machine Press (Horizontal Handles): 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
- Incline Machine Press (Vertical Handles): 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
- Low Incline Dumbbell Flye: 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
- Standing Chest Press: 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
- Pec-Deck: 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
- Rope Press-downs: 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
- Incline Dumbbell Curl: 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
- Incline Triceps Extension and Incline Close Grip Press: 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
- Hammer Preacher Curl: 3 sets of 10-20 reps.
Featured Images: Instagram/kaigreene and Instagram/guycisternino
