In the run-up to shooting his Men’s Health cover, Paddy McGuinness broke the internet with the results he achieved from committing to the 75 Hard challenge. But while the challenge created consistency, the final stage of his pre-shoot training came from a more traditional approach: smart programming and intelligent coaching.
During the final month before the shoot, McGuinness worked closely with performance coach Steve Coleman – a Men’s Health regular who trains our very own Ben Shephard. For McGuinness, Coleman built a ‘simple, highly structured split designed to sharpen muscle definition while keeping fatigue under control’.
The result is a training plan designed to work alongside Coleman’s nutritional guidance to target every major muscle group from a variety of angles, before finishing the week with a lighter pump workout to ‘drive blood flow and polish the physique.’
Below are two workouts from the programme that helped get Paddy cover-ready. The full guide is available to Men’s Health Squad members.
Follow Coleman’s coaching cues to maximise your return on investment from hitting these workouts, and if you want an insight into Paddy’s 75 Hard journey, as well as the full 5-day split from Coleman, sign-up today.
Push Workout
Goal: Upper-chest fullness, front delts, triceps
1. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press – 4-5 sets × 6-10 reps
2. Flat Cable Chest Press (on bench) – 3-4 x 8-12
3. Low-to-High Cable Fly – 3 x 12-15
4. Seated Lateral Raise – 3-4 x 12-15
5. Cable Triceps Push-Down (rope) – 3-4 x 12-15
6. Eccentric Push-Up – 2-3 x 5-8
Coach’s Notes
- Leave 1-2 reps in reserve on compound lifts and avoid grinding reps. Use a 3-second eccentric on presses and a controlled concentric throughout. On isolation work, lower for 2-3 seconds and chase a smooth squeeze rather than momentum.
- Rest up to 90 seconds on main pressing work, 75-90 seconds on secondary presses, and 45-60 seconds on isolation lifts.
- The final push-ups are about quality tension, not exhaustion – keep hands just outside shoulder-width, elbows at roughly 30-45 degrees, and maintain full-body tension throughout.
Lower-Body Workout
Goal: Maintain size, minimise inflammation
1. Leg Press Machine – 4 sets × 8–12 reps
2. Romanian Deadlift (moderate load) – 3 x 8-10
3. Seated Leg Extension Machine – 3-4 x 8-10
4. Walking Lunge – 2-3 x 20-24
5. Standing Calf Raise – 3 x 12-20
Core Finisher – 3 rounds:
A1. Plank x 60 secs or Weighted Plank x 30 secs
A2. Sit-Up x 10-15
Coach’s Notes
- This session should feel controlled and productive – not like a leg-day beatdown.
- Leave 1-2 reps in reserve on the leg press and RDLs, with no grinding reps. Use a 3-second eccentric on compounds, and on leg extensions hold the top for 2 seconds before lowering for 3.
- Rest 90 seconds on leg press and RDLs, 45-60 seconds on extensions, calves and core work, and around 60 seconds on walking lunges.
- Focus on clean movement, controlled stretches and no sloppy lockouts.
With almost 18 years in the health and fitness space as a personal trainer, nutritionist, breath coach and writer, Andrew has spent nearly half of his life exploring how to help people improve their bodies and minds.
As our fitness editor he prides himself on keeping Men’s Health at the forefront of reliable, relatable and credible fitness information, whether that’s through writing and testing thousands of workouts each year, taking deep dives into the science behind muscle building and fat loss or exploring the psychology of performance and recovery.
Whilst constantly updating his knowledge base with seminars and courses, Andrew is a lover of the practical as much as the theory and regularly puts his training to the test tackling everything from Crossfit and strongman competitions, to ultra marathons, to multiple 24 hour workout stints and (extremely unofficial) world record attempts.
You can find Andrew on Instagram at @theandrew.tracey, or simply hold up a sign for ‘free pizza’ and wait for him to appear.
