Jeff Nippard is a fitness expert and influencer who takes a strong scientific approach to exercise.
His research-based videos on working out have garnered him a strong following on YouTube, where he delves into the exercise science of different lifts.
As a trainer looking to find better ways to help clients reach their fitness goals, I spent a month looking through Nippard’s videos and found his push workout unique and interesting.
So, I’m going to break things down and explain how to do the ultimate push workout the Jeff Nippard way.
Let’s begin.
Quick Summary
- Jeff Nippard suggests four push workout variations: two take a powerbuilding approach, and the other two take a muscle gain approach.
- Nippard begins each push workout with his core push lifts: either the barbell bench press or the barbell overhead press.
- Nippard’s diet changes depending on whether he’s bulking or cutting; in either case, he focuses on getting in all his macros.
Jeff Nippard Stats
- Date of birth: October 6, 1990 (32 years old)
- Height: 5’5” (165 cm)
- Weight: 178.5 lbs. (81 kg)
- Chest: 44 inches
- Waist: 32 inches
- Hips: 35 inches
What Does the Jeff Nippard Push Workout Routine Include?
The Jeff Nippard push workout includes various push exercises that work the triceps, chest, and shoulders.
Each exercise is performed with a different set and rep range.
Nippard has four push workout variations based on what he’s shared on his YouTube channel.
The first two variations have the bench press as the core lift. The other two are overhead press-focused.
Let’s dive into Jeff Nippard’s ultimate push workout.
Variation #1: Bench Press | Powerbuilding
This push workout is centered around compound lifts and begins with a powerlifting routine (high-weight and low-volume bench press) followed by hypertrophy work.
Here’s what Nippard recommends for this training routine:
- Barbell bench press: 4 sets x 4–6 reps
- 60-degree incline cable fly: 3 sets x 12–15 reps
- Standing dumbbell press or Arnold press: 4 sets x 10–12 reps
- Egyptian lateral raise: 4 sets x 10–12 reps
- Tricep pushdowns: 4 sets x 10–12 reps
- One-arm overhead cable rope extension: 4 sets x 12–15 reps
- Flat dumbbell press static hold: 2 sets x 60 seconds (use a weight that’s 40% of your 5-rep max in the dumbbell press)
“I attribute a lot of my overall chest development to working up to a 370-pound paused bench press at a 160-pound body weight as an all-time PR.”
- Jeff Nippard, Fitness Expert
Since Jeff plans to get better at the bench press, he uses this exercise as the core lift for his chest days. While benching, he recommends pinching the upper back shoulder blades together before lifting.
For this specific workout variation, Nippard continues with flys to work the upper pecs, followed by delt work, and finishes off by targeting the two heads of the triceps.
Related: Powerbuilding Workout
Variation #2: Bench Press | Hypertrophy
Like the previous workout, Nippard begins this routine with the bench press. But he focuses on mid-level weights and an 8–12 rep range. Some exercises go beyond 12 reps.
Here are the exercises for this training routine:
- Bench press: 3 sets x 8 reps
- Machine overhead press or Arnold press: 3 sets x 12 reps
- V-bar dips: 3 sets of 12–15 reps
- Skull crushers: 3 sets x 10–12 reps (3-second count when lowering)
- Egyptian lateral raise: 3 sets x 12 reps (take a breath between every 4 reps)
- Cable tricep kickback: 3 sets x 20–30 reps
In this variation, Nippard dives into a machine exercise right after his bench press. He claims that a heavy focus on free weights might be too taxing on the joints.
Related: Best Hypertrophy Program (Goal, Principles and Tips)
“For a hypertrophy week, I like to use machines because you can train closer to failure without the exercises being too taxing.”
- Jeff Nippard
Variation #3: Overhead Press | Powerbuilding
Nippard’s next variation combines the overhead press (as a powerlift exercise) with various hypertrophy-focused exercises.
Here’s how you do this training routine:
- Barbell overhead press: 4 sets x 4 reps
- Medium grip bench press: 3 sets x 10 reps
- Cable crossover: 3 sets x 10–12 reps
- Cable overhead triceps extensions: 3 sets x 10–12 reps
- Standing dumbbell lateral raise: 3 sets x 21 reps
- Neck flexion: 3 sets x 10–12 reps
For this routine, Jeff states that using the perfect form is critical in the first exercise because it’s on the heavier side.
The remainder of the training combines different isolation exercises for the chest, shoulders, triceps, upper back, and neck extensors.
“I think this [triceps extensions] is a good variation to include because the long head of the triceps crosses both the elbow joint and the shoulder joint. So varying the shoulder position can impact which region of the triceps you're emphasizing.”
- Jeff Nippard
Variation #4: Overhead Press | Hypertrophy
This variation of Nippard’s push workout highlights shoulder exercises for maximum hypertrophy.
Here’s the list of exercises:
- Barbell overhead press: 4 sets x 6–8 reps
- Close-grip bench press: 3 sets x 10–12 reps
- Incline dumbbell flys: 3 sets x 10–12 reps
- Cable rope upright row: 3 sets x 12–15 reps
- Standing lateral band raise: 3 sets x 12–15 reps
- One-arm cable overhead extension: 4 sets x 12–15 reps
- Medicine ball push-ups: 2 sets x AMRAP (as many reps as possible)
Nippard throws in the close-grip bench in this variation because it adds variety to your push exercise routine.
His Training Principles
Here are four training principles Jeff Nippard strictly follows for almost every exercise:
- Perfect form: In all his training videos, Nippar highlights the idea of performing every exercise with perfect form (especially for all the variations of the bench presses).
- Push-pull-legs training splits: Nippard follows a push-pull-legs routine. This split ensures that he avoids any overlap between different muscles.
- Progressive overload: Nippard suggests increasing your exercise volume for every consecutive set, especially compound movements, to maximize your gains.
- Eccentric focus: There are certain movements for which Nippard suggests focusing on the eccentric phase of the exercise. Targeting the eccentric part of the exercise can increase muscular girth and strength gain in the long run [1].
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Diet Plan
Nippard’s diet depends on whether he’s in a bulking or cutting phase. In either case, both diet plans focus on protein and fat-rich foods, fruits and vegetables, low carbs, and protein powder.
Diet Plan #1: Bulking
Nippard eats five heavy meals during his bulking phase. Here’s what each meal contains:
- Meal #1 (breakfast): 3 whole eggs, 2 slices turkey bacon, 1 serving of tater tots, 1 slice whole-wheat bread, 1 kiwi, 8 oz. orange juice.
- Meal #2 (lunch): Chicken breast, mashed potatoes (with gravy), sweet corn and baby carrots, and macaroni and cheese.
- Meal #3 (snack): Whey protein shake, 120 grams of banana, and 28 grams of pistachios.
- Meal #4 (snack): 3 oz. turkey breast, a sweet kale salad kit, and half a cup of raspberries.
- Meal #5 (dinner): 6 oz. grilled salmon, roasted potatoes and carrots, sweet corn, black beans, and edamame.
Diet Plan #2: Cutting
Nippard’s cutting diet consists of five meals high in macros:
- Meal #1 (breakfast): 12 oz fruit juice, 1 multigrain muffin, 18 grams organic strawberry fruit spread, 2 eggs, 1 egg white, 1 chicken sausage link, and 1 kiwi.
- Meal #2 (lunch): 3 oz. turkey, 2 slices of honey wheat bread, 15 grams of low-fat mayonnaise, 11 oz. lightly-seasoned Asian medley, 28 grams of shredded cheddar cheese, and 12 oz. orange juice.
- Meal #3 (snack): One whey protein shake with 120 grams of banana.
- Meal #4 (snack): Whey protein shake.
- Meal #5 (dinner): 130 grams ground turkey, 2 tbsp light sour cream, 1 peach, 125 grams brown rice, and 28 grams shredded cheddar cheese.
Diet and Nutrition Principles
Jeff Nippard uses the following diet principles in conjunction with his workout routine to maximize his gains:
- Tracking macronutrients: Nippard carefully tracks all his macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates), following a well-balanced diet plan. In addition to a high-protein diet, he eats about 2–3 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
- No to dirty bulking: Nippard strictly follows clean bulking practices. He believes in reducing calorie intake while maintaining muscle mass during the cutting phase and increasing caloric intake during the bulking phase with only healthy foods.
- Supplements: Nippard also emphasizes the importance of supplements as an essential aspect of his diet. His approach to diet is science-based and backed by research.
Does Jeff Nippard Take Supplements?
Yes, Jeff Nippard takes supplements. Although he hasn’t explicitly stated what supplements and how much he personally takes, his videos indicate he takes whey protein, caffeine, citrulline malate, multivitamins, and creatine.
Here’s why Nippard uses the above-mentioned supplements:
- Protein powder: To hit the daily protein target outside of meals.
- Caffeine: To increase power output and training volume on heavy exercises.
- Citrulline malate: To decrease muscle soreness, increase reps, and enhance muscle pump after exercise [2].
- Multivitamins: To make up for nutrients not covered by eating whole foods, especially when on a caloric deficit.
- Creatine: To increase exercise performance in the gym.
References:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18981046/
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-citrulline
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