The 4-Move Chest Workout an American Gladiator Uses to Build a Superhero-Like Physique at 40
What does it take to be an American Gladiator? Try 111 push-ups in a minute. That's how many reps Jessie Godderz pumped out at the combine that cast the latest crew of Gladiators.
I'm not called ‘Mr. Pec-tacular' for no reason," the 40-year-old says. After a performance that also included knocking out 46 pull-ups in a minute, he was officially reborn as the Gladiator Steel. It was a moment he was built for, thanks to his years as a TNA wrestling veteran, Big Brother contestant, and pro bodybuilder.
Steel joins a stable of other freshly minted Gladiators in flexing, sprinting, and stick-swinging their way through the classic series' latest reboot, now available on Amazon Prime Video. Steel and his fellow Gladiators crunch contenders in Powerball, bash their heads in with the classic, giant Q-tip of Joust, and crash giant metal balls into each other in Godderz's favorite event, Atlasphere.
"The Atlasphere balls, they're like 400 pounds of curled metal," he says, sounding giddy as he describes an event he calls a bit of a chess match. "You kind of play possum, like the other guy's going to blow by…and you just throw yourself into the side and just stop somebody-a dead stop."
For Godderz, like any guy born in the ‘80s, rolling around in that metal sphere is a dream come true. Boys of that era grew up glued to their TVs watching Nitro, Laser, and Gemini dominate the arena, worshiping them as real-life comic book figures and getting inspired by their leotard-clad, rippling physiques.
"These guys were action figures in real life, superheroes in real life," he says. And with the new cast, the bodies are even bigger. "These guys are studs. Absolute units … I think there's five guys over 6-foot-4, three of which are over 250 pounds."
In that locker room of behemoths-populated with men nicknamed Eagle, Mayhem, and the Bull-the 40-year-old "Mr Pec-tacular" is the elder statesman. But that doesn't mean he's letting his athleticism, or his physique, fall behind.
"As crazy as this sounds, I implore people to try and find a bad photo of me," he says. "I've stayed consistent the entire time: Eating healthy, always going to the gym five or six times each week."
Here's how one of those days builds and maintains his "pec-tacular" chest with just four moves.
How to Build an American Gladiator-Worthy Chest at 40
Godderz does a body-part split, so he works his chest hard one day per week. He does just three main moves in each session, plus an optional finisher when he's got a training partner around.
For his two main lifts, incline and flat bench press, he takes inspiration from a former Gladiator: Mike O'Hearn, the legendary fitness magazine cover model who starred as Titan in the show's 2008 revival.
"I do what Mike O'Hearn does: One working set," Godderz says of his bench days. "You build up, going from 185 to 225 to 275 to 315, and then to the actual working set of 335."
Your weights may not match Steel's, but your method can. Here's how to do his weekly chest workout.
Exercise 1: Flat Barbell Bench Press
How to Do It
- Lie face up on the bench and grab the bar with an overhand grip just wider than shoulder-width.
- Push your heels into the floor and unrack it, holding the bar above your sternum with straight arms.
- Brace your core and bend your elbows to lower the bar to your chest. Your elbows should stay close to your sides, forming a 45-degree angle rather than a wide, "T" shape.
- Pause for a beat, then press back to start.
- Perform 4 to 6 total sets, building up to your heaviest weight, doing 6 to 10 reps in each set.
Pro Tip
In your heaviest set, use a weight where you can hit five or six reps with one rep left in the tank. This method, called "one rep in reserve," can help you build muscle and strength with less soreness than going all the way to failure. Rest between sets for 1 to 2 minutes, until you're composed again.
Exercise 2: Incline Barbell Incline Press
How to Do It
- Lie face up on an incline bench with your spine in a neutral position and your feet flat on the floor.
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip just wider than shoulder-width.
- Push your heels into the floor and unrack it, holding the bar above your sternum with straight arms.
- Brace your core and bend your elbows to lower the bar to your chest. Your elbows should stay close to your sides, forming a 45-degree angle rather than a wide, "T" shape.
- Pause for a beat, then press back to start.
- Perform the same reps and sets as above. Do 4 to 6 sets of 6 to 10 reps, building up to a heavy working set.
Related: 10 Beginner-Friendly Chest Exercises to Build Foundational Size and Strength
Exercise 3: Dumbbell Fly
How to Do It
- Lie face up on a bench holding dumbbells at arm's length in front of you, palms in. The dumbbells should be touching. Bend your elbows slightly.
- Lower the weights out to either side in a wide arc, feeling the stretch in your pecs. Bring the weights to a stop when they're in line with the bench.
- Pause for a beat, then hug the weights back together to the starting position.
- For this move, Godderz does a long drop set. He starts with a lighter weight for 25 reps, then immediately goes heavier for 20. He keeps increasing the weight and decreasing the reps for three more rounds, doing 15, 12, and then 10 reps.
Exercise 4: Finisher: Resisted Isometric Dumbbell Fly
How to Do It
- Lie face up on a bench holding dumbbells at arm's length in front of you, palms in. The dumbbells should be touching.
- Your training partner now grabs the dumbbells and tries to force them apart. Squeeze them together, resisting the pull-apart by your partner.
- Continue until you can't hold the dumbbells together anymore.
- Godderz does two sets of this move, each lasting one rep that lasts as long as he can hold the dumbbells together.
Related: 10 Best Chest Exercises You Can Do Without a Bench to Blast Your Pecs
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
2026 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 1:00 PM.