Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 10/26 Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:45.048Z
Duration: 75 min
Description: 10/26 Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Stupid how hard those Sven press iso holds were 🙈

Kelby Kletchka

Sarah

Helena

Michelle 

This has been one of my more favorite splits

Audrey

Ending with the Sven press was the absolute best pump 💪❤️

Megan

Nyakeh

Audry

SO excited for my Sweeney Ptula hear seeing you workout in them the last week 😍😍😍😍

Amanda Howell

Kimmy

My arms/chest are on fire!!  Loving these upper body workouts!!!

Danielle

I hope I can wash my hair tonight 😭😅😅

Sinclair

Great upper body workout. Feeling that 🔥 at the end 💪🏽

Dedra

The pump I had after this workout was INSANE!! Everything felt good! But those holds at the end! Whooo weeeee had my shakin!

DeAnna

Such a good pump as usual. This SVEN ISO holds we’re deceiving 😂

Jemme

Bree

Shoulders and chest are on 🔥 push ups again after full body was rough 🥲

Deja

April

Kashay Sullivan

Lacey

Lizz

Mia Arrowsmith

Omgeeeeee…my triceps…. Are on fire 🔥 thank you Sam 🙏🏼

Lorena

Alayna Nathe

Mine was distracted but felt it all.  The lying upright raises, wow!! Maybe never do them another way again.  🔥

Kristen

Porchia

Regina

Steve

My arms were shaking by that last exercise.

Christina

Had to really push myself to get moving this morning but so glad I did - upper body pump is 🔥🔥!

Stephanie

Paula

Megan Laudick

Rachael Milbrook

Quick but crazy effective- big chest / shoulder pump!!

Maria Zenz

Happy Thursday!

Week 3 of 4 week split 

Goal of Split: Strength building and hypertrophy through the use of isometric tempo.

Pre Training Mobility and Warm Up: please choose appropriate warm up from the “Warm Up and Activation” bubble in the app. [previous warm ups can all be found here]

Tap the ‘start now’ button to find the training day overview.

Chest, Shoulders, Triceps: 

Pre Training Warm Up and Mobility: 
*Choose one or combine multiple routines from the “Warm up and Activation” bubble in the app to prep you appropriately for the training day. Focus on what you need to in order to be ready to train. 

Strength Training: 

1. Paused Barbell Bench Press: 2S/3R [5 second pause at the bottom of each rep]

2. Barbell Bench Press: 3S/5R 

3. Paused Seated Arnold Press: 4S/6-8R [3 second pause at the bottom of each rep]

4. Decline Bench Dumbbell Chest Fly tempo change]: 4S/5R w/ 3 second pause at the bottom + 5R steady tempo

5. Lying Double Cable Upright Row: 4S/12-15R

6a. Single Arm Cable Overhead Extension: 3S/10-12R each side
6b. Feet Elevated Paused Diamond Push Ups: 3S/6-8R [2 second pause at the bottom and 2 second pause at the top of each rep]

7. Seated Sven Press Iso Hold: 4S/40 seconds, 30 seconds, 20 seconds, 10 seconds

10/26 Training Day Overview

Rep Count: 3R
Tempo: 5 second pause at the bottom of each rep
Modification: dumbbell chest press

Set Up: 
- set the bar at a reasonable height so you are able to safely un-rack the barbell when you are lying supine on the bench. 
- sit on the bench, plant your feet on the ground
- to get into position, retract and depress your scapula and pin your mid/upper back as you lie supine on the bench
- position your toes in line with or slightly behind your knees 
- grip the bar with a pronated grip, wider than shoulder width (grip placement will depend on your body mechanics and mobility)
- lock in the natural arch in yourhalfback by contracting your lats (keep the scapula retracted and depressed), lift your chest towards the bar
- think about breaking the bar in half 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and brace 
*the arch will keep your shoulders safe during heavy pressing. (No need to accentuate it if uncomfortable, just utilize the natural arch)*
- brace and create full body tension [death grip on the bar- grip the ground with your feet]
- point your knuckles towards the ceiling 

Execution: 
- keep full body tension- break the bar- spread the ground with your feet) and un-rack the barbell
- position the bar over your chest in the starting position
- bend your elbows so they travel ~45 degrees from your torso 
- lower the barbell to tap your mid/low chest 
*think about rowing the bar into your chest and squeeze your scap as you do, this will help keep tension in your posterior chain to support the press
- pause for 5 seconds 
- drive your feet through the ground and exhale as you extend your arms and press the bar up and slightly “back” to the start position over your chest
- reset your brace and breath between reps
- keep wrists straight, knuckles facing the ceiling 
- keep glutes tight

Paused Barbell Bench Press

Rep Count: 5R
Tempo: steady, power
Modification: dumbbell chest press

Set Up: 
- set the bar at a reasonable height so you are able to safely un-rack the barbell when you are lying supine on the bench. 
- sit on the bench, plant your feet on the ground
- to get into position, retract and depress your scapula and pin your mid/upper back as you lie supine on the bench
- position your toes in line with or slightly behind your knees 
- grip the bar with a pronated grip, wider than shoulder width (grip placement will depend on your body mechanics and mobility)
- lock in the natural arch in yourhalfback by contracting your lats (keep the scapula retracted and depressed), lift your chest towards the bar
- think about breaking the bar in half 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and brace 
*the arch will keep your shoulders safe during heavy pressing. (No need to accentuate it if uncomfortable, just utilize the natural arch)*
- brace and create full body tension [death grip on the bar- grip the ground with your feet]
- point your knuckles towards the ceiling 

Execution: 
- keep full body tension- break the bar- spread the ground with your feet) and un-rack the barbell
- position the bar over your chest in the starting position
- bend your elbows so they travel ~45 degrees from your torso 
- lower the barbell to tap your mid/low chest 
*think about rowing the bar into your chest and squeeze your scap as you do, this will help keep tension in your posterior chain to support the press
- drive your feet through the ground and exhale as you extend your arms and press the bar up and slightly “back” to the start position over your chest
- reset your brace and breath between reps
- keep wrists straight, knuckles facing the ceiling 
- keep glutes tight

Barbell Bench Press

Rep Range: 6-8R
Tempo: 3 second pause at the bottom of each rep

Set Up: 
- sit on a bench with back support 
- plant your feet on the ground and press your back into the back of the seat
- grip a dumbbell in each hand and rest them on your quads
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and brace
- keep a tall torso, and a neutral head, neck, and spine 
- raise the dumbbells by lifting each leg and extending each arm as you lift the dumbbells up into the overhead position, palms facing forward
- drive your ribs down 

Execution:
- tuck your elbows just slightly in front of your torso 
- lower the dumbbells to 90 degrees or just below
- rotate the dumbbells forward towards the center until pinkies are together and palms are facing you
- keep the 90 degree bend in your arms, and rotate the dumbbells back out until your palms face forward, pinkies out
[keep this one fluid motion]
- immediately extend your arms and press the dumbbells into an overhead position
- keep dumbbells in line with your shoulders at the top of the rep
- keep your wrists straight, knuckles facing the ceiling

Paused Seated Arnold Press

Rep Count: 5R w/ pause at the bottom of each rep + 5R steady tempo
*10 reps total 
Tempo: 3 second pause at the bottom of your first 5 reps, steady tempo on your final 5 reps

*slide a plate or two under one end of a flat bench to create a slight decline

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand, neutral grip 
- position yourself on the decline bench, feet at the higher end of the bench 
- lie back in a supine position on the bench 
- pin your scapula down and press your mid back into the bench 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and brace
- extend your arms over your chest, palms facing in
- pin a slight bend in your elbows 
- tuck your chin 

Execution: 
- lower your arms out to your sides until the dumbbells are in line with your chest on either side
- when dumbbells are in line with your chest, pause here for 3 seconds on your first 5 reps
- feel the stretch across your chest at the bottom of the rep 
- lift the dumbbells and raise your arms back over your chest
- when your dumbbells are in line with the center of your chest
- contract your chest
- similar to a “hug” keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout
- keep your wrists straight

Decline Bench Dumbbell Chest Fly [tempo change]

Rep Range: 12-15R 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: standing dumbbell upright row 

Set Up: 
- sit on the double cable seated row machine, facing the handles
- grip the handles with a pronated grip 
- scoot your butt to end of the bench, close to the platform 
- bend your legs and plant your feet up on the platform 
- lie back in a supine position on the cable bench 
- position your head at the edge of the bench 
- extend your arms down in front of your torso
- tuck your chin 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and brace

Execution: 
-  pin your traps down and bend your arms
- pull the cables towards your chest, in front of your torso 
- drive your elbows high and wide at the top of the rep when your handles are directly in line with your chest
- contract your shoulders
- extend your arms and release the cables down in front of your torso with control 
- keep your wrists straight
- elbows should make a V shape with your hands at the top of the rep

Lying Double Cable Upright Row

Rep Range: 10-12R each side
Tempo: steady
Modification: standing single arm dumbbell overhead extension

Set Up: 
- use no cable attachment and position one side of the cable low
- stand in front of the cable, facing away 
- grip the knob of the cable with one hand, neutral grip
 - step 1-2 steps away 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and brace
- tuck your ribs and keep a neutral head/neck position 
- pull the cable and pin your arm in the overhead position, knob of the cable directly over your shoulder

Execution: 
- pin your elbow directly over your shoulder
- bend your arm and lower the cable behind your head
- lower until your arm is bent at ~90 degree angle or just below
- extend your arm and press the cable back up and into the overhead position 
- contract your tricep
- keep wrist straight, elbow pinned overhead

Single Arm Cable Overhead Extensions

Rep Range: 6-8R 
Tempo: 2 second pause at the bottom and 2 second pause at the top of each rep
Modification: feet on the ground or incline diamond push ups

Set Up: 
- place a 25-45lb rubber plate on the ground 
- step each foot on top of the plate and get down in a prone position 
- walk your hands out until they are under your chest, inside of your shoulders in a diamond push up position 
- point your fingers towards each other
- drive the balls of your feet into the plate
- contract your quads, squeeze your glutes, and pull belly button to spine
- tuck your chin and keep a neutral head, neck, and spine

Execution: 
- bend your arms
- keep your elbows squeezed close to your sides as you lower your chest to the ground
- pause here for 2 seconds holding tension in your triceps
- extend your arms and press your chest away from the ground 
- contract your chest and triceps at the top of the rep 
- hold for 2 seconds 
- keep your body traveling in a straight line, do not let your hips rise faster than your chest or chest faster than your hips
- keep a tight brace in your core

Feet Elevated Paused Diamond Push Ups

Compound Set

Time: 40 seconds, 30 seconds, 20 seconds, 10 seconds
Tempo: iso hold

*take small breaks in your time if needed

Set Up: 
- sit on a bench with back support 
- plant your feet on the ground 
- pin a single plate between both palms
- bend your arms, squeeze your elbows in by your sides, and line up the plate with the center of your chest
- keep a tall torso, pull belly button to spine, and brace
- pin your shoulders back, traps down

Execution: 
- extend your arms and push the plate out and away from your chest
- contract your chest and hold here for the specified time
- do not release the plate from the extended position until your time is up 
- continue to squeeze the plate between your palms throughout the entire set to create tension in your chest

Seated Sven Press Iso Hold

10/26 Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

No modification for hack squat. No weight is not modification. Overall okayish workout.

Jennifer

6/16 Quads, Glutes

Jessica

6/15 Shoulders, Arms

Really loved the trap bar grip on the stiff legs, hit soooo right ❤️‍🔥

6/12 Hamstrings, Glutes

This felt great and the burnout was especially awesome!

Janet

6/11 Chest, Shoulders

💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻❤️🔥❤️❤️

6/10 Back, Core/Abs

Elaine Rondon

Loved the ladder SS! As always such a good leg day! 🔥

6/9 Quads, Glutes

How many times can I say perfection in a single split? The limit does not exist ♾️

Katie

6/8 Shoulders, Arms

Please make this split a permanent workout option on the app! I have extremely mixed feelings about it, but I can’t deny the growth I’ve been seeing!

Emily

6/5 Hamstrings, Glutes

6/4 Chest, Shoulders

Absolutely loved everything about this one, a favorite for sure!

6/3 Back, Core/Abs

The burnout leg extensions were a really cool variation!

BabyLuv

Morgan

6/2 Quads, Glutes

Love the lat raise variety, hit just right ❤️

6/1 Shoulders, Arms

Calling the authorities because that box squat into reverse lunges superset-pyramid-drop-set shenanigans was attempted murder.  😤🥵

Mandy Rigsby

Alice

5/29 Hamstrings, Glutes

Vanessa

Shoulders and chest annihilation 🤸🏻‍♀️🥇🪂

5/28 Chest, Shoulders

I would love if there were more abs on ab day. But I adore all of the diff ways we worked the back.

I surprised myself today! Didn’t know i had the strength or stability to do the one leg pullover and I did!!! This split has really made its way into my top favorites already!

5/27 Back, Core/Abs

5/26 Quads, Glutes

All the corkscrews felt SOOO good today 💪🥰

5/25 Shoulders, Arms

Heather

Alexis

5/22 Hamstrings, Glutes

Solid chest day. Those around the worlds depleted the tank fully!

Tamara Feist

5/21 Chest, Shoulders

I'm trying to fall in love with the gym again and the structure of this split is helping significantly! Thanks Sam!

5/20 Back, Core/Abs

First day back! Almost 11 months postpartum. That was tough but so glad to be back at it.

5/19 Quads, Glutes

The trisets flowed so perfectly together!

Trisha Jones

5/18 Shoulders, Arms [NEW SPLIT!]

This day always feels so aligning for me 🥰

Just did the running part …needed that this morning 🔥

Yesenia

5/15 Shoulders, Core (sprints- DELOAD)

Wall sits never fail to bring the quad fire 🔥

Vonny

5/14 Quads, Glutes (abs-DELOAD)

Shoulders have been feeling a lot stronger to support these chest day moves!!

5/13 Chest, Triceps (sprints- DELOAD)

5/12 Glutes, Hamstrings (abs- DELOAD)

Bicep endurance has improved so much over the course of this split 💪🥰

5/11 Back, Biceps (sprints- DELOAD)

Linz

Great split. Ready for a deload week though

5/8 Shoulders, Core (sprints)

Holly

5/7 Quads, Glutes (abs)

Flavia

Has anyone got triceps I can borrow? Mine are on 🔥🔥💪

Carol

5/6 Chest, Triceps (sprints)

Really love the eccentric focus on the 2-1 ham curls

JulieAnn

5/5 Glutes, Hamstrings (abs)

God those inverted rows get me every time 💀🫠

Molly

5/4 Back, Biceps (sprints)

One of the kick ass workout ever. Those snatches wow. Loved it. 😍

5/1 Shoulders, Core (sprints)

Lateral walks and step ups were challenging today, loved it. 😍

Omg the step ups 😭🥵. I will not be able to walk right tomorrow

Faith

4/30 Quads, Glutes (abs)

Took a week break cause was in a rut but we're back and feeling better 🔥 even with the break still progressing 🔥 all thanks to the intentional programming.

4/29 Chest, Triceps (sprints)

The contralateral reverse lunges felt really great today!

4/28 Glutes, Hamstrings (abs)

Karen Arce

Better than late than never 🥹🤷🏻‍♀️

4/27 Back, Biceps (sprints)

Jill

This split is by far my favorite. Please add Cardio days more🩵

Olivia Schneider

4/24 Shoulders, Core (sprints)

Gabrielle

McKayla

Loving this!! I needed to switch gears! Love the new challenge.

4/23 Quads, Glutes (abs)

Rachael

So good. I’ve been combining chest and shoulders for my 4 days a week split and works great!!!

4/22 Chest, Triceps (sprints)

Jessi mollak

Lisa

4/21 Glutes, Hamstrings (abs)

Pull ups will forever be a struggle 😂😂

4/20 Back, Biceps (sprints)

Love this program. Skipped run did deep stretches instead.

4/17 Shoulders, Core (sprints)

Shannon

4/16 Quads, Glutes (abs)

Energy on high today! Flew through that and finished feeling absolutely fantastic! A favorite for sure!!

4/15 Chest, Triceps (sprints)

Wow I really needed that! Feeling so strong and balanced 🥰❤️‍🔥

4/14 Glutes, Hamstrings (abs)

Kayla Staker

4/13 Back, Biceps (sprints)

Love the addition of core and ab work. Thank you. Always a challenge for me but worth it!

10/26 Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Community

More workouts from Sam Sweeney