Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 3/8 Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:46.290Z
Duration: 75 min
Description: 3/8 Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Loved this push day. The incline close grip bench press sneak up on you ☠️

Sarah

Betty

This was my favorite chest & shoulder day to date 🙌🏼 so good

Morgan

Stephanie

Kody Young

Went up 10lbs in chest press today!! Also loved those Cuban presses! Such good shoulder rotation work 💓

Megan

Jess

Dominique

Viviana Kolb

Kelsey

Never felt my shoulders burn like I did with that Cuban / Lat raise combo 🥵🥵🌶️🌶️🔥🔥

Audry

Corrine

Crystal

Those 2 sets of hand release push ups had my arms on fire!! I loved it! 🤘🏻

Alicia Heier

Those Cuban shoulder presses were a burner. 🔥 Great workout

Dedra

I definitely had to check my ego on the compound shoulder set!!

Shelby

Deja

I can’t lift my arms up.. 🤷🏼‍♀️😅

Hand release push-up ↔️invert rows wit trx

yangBAE

Had to break some things up because of a busy gym but still loved it!!

Sarah Arnett

This hand release push ups at the end🥵

Emily

I really struggle with my mobility with the Cuban press! Definitely need to work on those

Bree

Amie

Brandi

April

Jennifer

Tiffany

Lacey

Janelle

Jordan

Felt good this morning!  Loved the finisher!

My favorite chest/shoulder/tris day in this split! Feeling amazing 🤩

Courtney

🥵 and I thought yesterday was a challenge...

NATASHA

Oh crud!  That push up finisher did me in!! 🔥🔥🙌

Heather

Allie

Porchia

Rebecca

Another great upper body day! Definitely not crazy taxing which is great since tomorrow is bound to be a spicy Thursday

Maria Zenz

Been looking at your workouts for awhile. Needed to finish a 12-week training before jumping in—-great workout today!!

Probably my favorite chest/shoulder day of this split! 🔥

Kristie

Tasha

Happy Wednesday! 

Week 4 of 6 in the current split

Focus of this split: perfecting skills and building strength in fundamental joint archetypes. 

Pre Training Mobility and Warm Up: listed in the workout. 

*consider tracking your primary lifts throughout this split. I would even encourage you to film your working set(s) throughout this first week [and following weeks, if possible] so you are able to visually see improvement. 

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

Chest, Shoulders, Triceps:

Pre Training Mobility and Warm Up: 1X through
a. Banded Overhead Distraction: Shoulder Mob: 2 mins minimum 
b. Banded Distraction Elbow Mob: 2 mins minimum per side
c. Banded Distraction Elbow Extensions: 2 minutes minimum per side 
e. 3 minutes Walking Inchworm
f. Banded Pull Aparts: 30R
g. Plank Shoulder Taps: 30 taps total 

Strength Training: 
1. Barbell Push Press: 5S/5R 

2. Dumbbell Flat Bench Chest Press: 4S/8-10R

Compound Set: 
3a. Single Arm Cuban Press: 3S/10-12R each side 
3b. Chest Supported Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 3S/12-15R [3 second pause at the top]

4. Incline Bench Close Grip Barbell Chest Press: 5S/10R 

Compound Set: 
5a. Floor Single Arm Cable Skull Crushers: 3S/8-10R each side [3 second eccentric]
5b. Dips: 3S/6-8R [3 second eccentric] 

6. Hand Release Push Ups: 2S/60 seconds

3/8 Training Day Overview

Time: 2 Mins Minimum

Set Up: 
- loop the band high around a rack 
- loop your hands through the band, thumbs up
- face away from the band and walk forward 

Execution: 
- first, raise your arms overhead and allow the band to pull your arms back, while in a full end range of the overhead position 
- squeeze your glutes, pull your belly button to spine, and drive your ribs down 
- hold in this position and exaggerate your breathing 
- tension hunt and find tight areas
- then flip your arms to full extension position, arms reaching straight back behind you
- the band should track shoulder back and pull your arms together
- again, exaggerate your breathing 
- rotate side to side in both positions, practice external rotation at your shoulders 

*again spend as much time as needed in each position, minimum 2 minutes

Banded Overhead Distraction: Shoulder Mob

Time: 2 minutes minimum each side 

Set Up and Execution: 
- loop the band at the mid point of a rack 
- bend your arm into a hang position and loop the band around your elbow
- face away from the band, elbow in line with the pull of the band
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly to spine, and drive your ribs down to create a neutral spine

Execution:
- keep arm in a hang position as the band pulls your elbow back
- position your hand behind your back 
- wind up your shoulder and move into extension with your arm behind your torso and then over your head 
- move your arm through full ranges
- find places of tension, hold/contract and relax in these positions

Banded Distraction Elbow Mob

Time: 2 minutes minimum per side

Set Up: 
- loop the band low around the rack 
- get down on the ground in a kneeling position, facing 90 degrees from the rack/band
- pull the band and loop the free end of the band around your elbow furthest from the rack 
- plant your hand on the ground, fingers pointing in the direction of the band
- glue your palm to the ground by placing your free hand over your hand on the ground- push down 
- keep your shoulder in a stable position over your wrist
- flex your elbow into the band 
- control your arm into extension and allow the band to pull your elbow to its full end range position 
- flex and extend your elbow until you have full range of motion or you feel change
- move palms in both directions [fingers pointing away from rack as well]

Banded Distraction Elbow Extensions

Time: 3 minutes 

Set Up: 
- stand with feet together, toes pointing forward 
- squeeze your glutes, pull your belly button to spine, drive your ribs down and brace

Execution: 
- keep a neutral spine and bend your torso towards the ground 
- plant your hands on the ground, under your shoulders
- walk your hands out until they are directly under your front delts, high plank position 
- keep your legs as straight as possible and tip toe your feet in towards your hands [as close as you are able to with straight legs] 
- you may either stand all the way upright again, or stay facing the ground and move direction into the next rep

Walking Inchworm

Rep Count: 30R
Tempo: steady 

Set Up: 
- grip a band with a pronated grip on each end
*the further apart your grip, the less tension from the band, the closer- the more tension 
- stand with feet hip width apart, toes forward
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, brace
- extend your arms straight forward so your hands are in line with your front delts
- keep your traps down, scapula pinned [we want less movement in the scap, more focus on the rear delts here]

Execution: 
- keep your arms straight, a slight bend in the elbows is ok 
- use your rear delts to pull the band apart until your arms are extended out to your sides 
- contract your rear delts 
- release the band with control until your hands are in line with your rear delts again

Banded Pull Apart

Rep Count: 30R total 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: incline plank shoulder taps [hands on bench]

Set Up: 
- get down on the ground in a high plank position 
- position your hands under your shoulders
- drive your feet into the ground 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine and brace

Execution: 
- keep hips square to the ground and lift one hand off the ground
- bend your arm and tap your opposite shoulder 
- extend your arm towards the ground again and plant your hand back down on the ground, under your shoulder
- alternate by picking up the other hand to tap the opposite shoulder again 
- keep hips square to the ground, try not to twist each time to tap 
- keep back flat, head/neck/spine neutral

Plank Shoulder Taps

Pre Training Mobility and Warm Up

Rep Count: 5R
Tempo: steady, power
Modification: dumbbell push press, or barbell/dumbbell overhead press

Set Up: 
- rack the bar at shoulder level or just below 
- step your feet under the bar
- grip the bar with a pronated grip, shoulder width apart
- elbows should be down, palms foward
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, drive your ribs down and brace
- un rack the bar and step back from the rack ~3 steps

Execution: 
- bend your knees and push your hips back just slightly 
- extend your legs and press up onto the balls of your feet
- simultaneously extend your arms and press the barbell up and directly over your head [move your head under the barbell at the top]
- keep elbows pointing forward and in line with your delts as you press
- make sure your are fully locked out at the top of the rep 
- bend your elbows and lower the barbell with control 
- ‘catch’ the barbell with soft knees at collarbone or just below 
- keep a stiff trunk to support the momentum 
- keep explosive in your press

Barbell Push Press

Rep Range: 8-10R 
Tempo: steady 

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand 
- sit on the edge of a flat bench and rest the heads of the dumbbells on your quads
- kick each leg up as you rock back and place your back on the flat bench
- as you kick the dumbbells up, position them over your chest and lie back on the flat bench
- plant your feet firmly on the ground
- pin your mid back to the bench
- squeeze your gluteus, pull belly button to spine and brace
- keep wrists straight and pronated grip on the dumbbells, tuck your pinkies forward just slightly to keep position 

Execution: 
- bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells to a ~90 degree bend in your arms or just below
- elbows should be at a 45 degree angle from your torso, knuckles facing the ceiling at the bottom of the rep with a full stretch across your chest
- drive your feet down through the ground and press the dumbbells back up and over your ches
- dumbbells should be in line with your chest at the top of the rep
- contract your chest
- keep knuckles facing the ceiling and wrists straight
- do not clang your dumbbells together at the top of the rep

Dumbbell Flat Bench Chest Press

Rep Range: 10-12R each side 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: single arm overhead press

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in one hand, pronated grip 
- sit on a bench, plant your feet on the ground 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine and brace
- sit up tall, keep a neutral head, neck, and spine 

Execution: 
- bend your arm holding the dumbbell at 90 degrees, with you palm down 
- elbow should be straight out from your shoulder, palm holding the dumbbell facing back 
- externally rotate at your shoulder and keep the 90 degree bend in your arm as you raise the dumbbell so your palm is facing forward 
- immediately extend your arm and press the dumbbell up and over your head
- bend your arm and lower the dumbbell until your arm reaches a 90 degree bend again 
- internally rotate at your shoulder and lower the dumbbell below your elbow again, palm facing back 
- keep this one fluid motion
- finish reps on one side before moving to the next

Single Arm Cuban Press

Rep Range: 12-15R 
Tempo: 3 second pause at the top 
Modification: chest supported dumbbell lateral raise 

Set Up: 
- set your bench to ~80 degree incline 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand, neutral grip 
- straddle the bench with your legs and press your chest and hips into the back pad of the bench 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and brace
- pin a very slight bend in your arms
- tuck your chin and keep neutral 

Execution: 
- lift the dumbbells and raise your arms out to your sides, slightly in front of your torso 
- when your hands are in line with your shoulders pause and hold the contraction for 3 full seconds 
- lower your arms back down to your sides, slightly in front of your torso/the bench

Chest Supported Lateral Raise

Compound Set

Rep Count: 10R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: dumbbell neutral grip chest press

Set Up: 
- set your bench to ~60 degrees
- position yourself on the bench, barbell racked directly over your eyes, plant your feet on the ground
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, tuck your ribs down and brace
- reach up to grip the bar with a close, pronated grip [inside shoulder width] 
- un rack the bar and position it directly over your high chest

Execution: 
- bend your elbows, keep them tucked close to your sides
- lower the bar to your mid/high chest
- extend your arms and press the bar back up and over your chest again 
- contract your chest and triceps together

Incline Bench Close Grip Barbell Chest Press

Rep Range: 8-10R each side
Tempo: 3 second eccentric 
Modification: single arm dumbbell or cable skull crushers 

Set Up: 
- attach the single arm handle to one side of the cable and position it low 
- lie on the ground in a supine position, facing away from the cable 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and brace
- bend your legs and plant your feet in the ground 
- reach one arm overhead and grip the handle of the cable with a neutral grip 
- pull the cable and pin your elbow in line with your front delt, arm bent at 90 degree angle back

Execution: 
- extend your arm and pull the cable straight up
- twist your grip to pronated at the top of the rep, palm in line with your front delt 
- contract your tricep
- keep your elbow pinned and bend your arm to lower the cable back behind your head again 
- twist back to a neutral grip at the bottom of the rep
- lower to a 90 degree bend in your arm
- use your assisting arm to hold your elbow in place if needed

Floor Single Arm Cable Skull Crushers [twist grip]

Rep Range: 6-8R
Tempo: 3 second eccentric 
Modification: rom controlled bench or KB dips

*weighted for difficulty

Set Up: 
- position your hands on the dip handles, neutral grip
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, tuck your ribs to help hold the brace and create full body tension
- press yourself up and extend your arms
- legs straight below you, toes pointed, or legs bent and crossed behind you 

Execution:
- bend your arms, squeeze your elbows in close by your sides
- dip your chest forward slightly, and lower until your arms are bent at a 90 degree angle or just below [depending on your mobility]
- drive your palms through the handles and press yourself back up as you extend your arms
- contract your chest
- do not lock out or hyperextend your arms at the top of the rep 
- keep shoulders down and back

Dips

Time: 60 Seconds 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: lower chest on your toes- press on your knees, or all on your knees

Set Up: 
- get down on the ground in a push up position, hands under your shoulders and just outside of your chest, feet together
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and brace
- keep a neutral head, neck, spine 

Execution: 
- think about screwing your hands into the ground and bend your elbows 
- lower your chest towards the ground, keep elbows traveling ~45 degrees from your torso 
- bring your chest all the way to the ground
- keep a stiff torso and pick your hands up off the ground and reach your arms overhead
- plant your hands just outside of your chest again, under your shoulders
- squeeze your glutes and quads simultaneously 
- extend your arms and press your torso off the ground and back up into the start position 
- body should travel in a stiff, straight line as you lower and press
- watch for worming up [chest rising before hips or vice versa]

Hand Release Push Ups

3/8 Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

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

6/16 Quads, Glutes

Jessica

6/15 Shoulders, Arms

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

Lizz

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!

Michelle 

6/5 Hamstrings, Glutes

Nyakeh

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

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

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!!

Lorena

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!!!

3/8 Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

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