Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 8/15 Upper Body Strength [chest, back, shoulders]
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:47.245Z
Duration: 65 min
Description: 8/15 Upper Body Strength [chest, back, shoulders]

Joyce

Amazing day 🤩 it seriously feels like I’m hitting new PRs every day with the volume training in this split! Probably my favorite training method yet!

Megan

Very tough!! Especially at the end! OMG! BOOM!💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻❤️👍🏻🔥🔥🔥

Donalee

Laura

Lizzie Paschal

Katie

Some stuff was hard to modify without fancy machines/cables but still 🔥

Becky

Diana

FFFFF!!! SHOULDER ARE DEAD!!!💪🔥LOOOVED IT!

Jess

Jessica

Melanie

Could hardly lift my arms for the AMRAP after those lateral raises 😂🥵

Morgan

Well…the lateral raises killed me, bad day for hair washing 😂

Kaylin

How am I going to wash my hair after that ??? 🔥🔥🔥

Stephanie

Olivia Schneider

Malan wu

Kate

Mia Arrowsmith

Those double cable overhead presses were tricky! My shoulders are burning 🔥

Ruth

Holy cow! That was spicy 🌶 one! 💀❤️‍🔥

Kody Young

Such a great workout! My bench felt great and I had the knarliest shoulder pump!!

DeAnna

A fun welcome back after my 55 mile backpacking trip. Shoulderssss. Wow. Increasing weight on deads and bench! ☺️

Omg those cable shoulder presses were the end of me

Ashley

Rosa

Kathryn Whitten

Amazing!! Definitely will feel this later 🔥🔥🥵🥵

Rachel

Ana lopez

Niranjana

Killing us this week!!!! However, i'm hitting new pr's every week tho 🤟🤸

Nicole

Holy crap! Those cable pulls hit different! I don’t have that set up at home so coming to an actual gym and trying them out was different. Felt the burn in a new way that DB just don’t. Love the combination of the two.

Jessica Ramos

Brushing my hair will be a mammoth task thus evening after that arm and shoulder burn. Wowza

Carol

Kaitlin

Alyssa

Kirsten

Michelle

My shoulders are on fire at the end. 🔥

Dedra

KILLER first day using this program. I LOVED it!

Lindsey

Shoulders on 🔥🔥🔥🙌🏻🙌🏻

Kelsey

Ann-Marie

Wow my shoulders 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Janelle

Put 15 lbs on my bench press just since the start of the cycle!!!!

Alysa

Sarah Arnett

JulieAnn

A bit long. Had to skip the last compound exercise

Firuza

Brandi

[Challenge Week 5/Day 1]

Happy Monday! 

Warm Up: foam roll, warm up and activation routine A from app, + dead hangs on the bar [10-30 seconds]

*Remember to track your primary movements [bench and deadlifts] and AMRAP movement [dumbbell overhead press] starting today! 

Click the ‘start now’ button to find the training day overview

Upper Body Strength [chest, back, shoulders]: 

1. Bench Press: 5S/3-5R [+1-2 warm up sets] 

2. Conventional Deadlift: 5S/4-6R [+1-2 warm up sets]

3. Machine Chest Fly: 5S/8-10R, 8-10R, 6-8R, 6-8R, 4-6R 

4. Wide Lat Pulldown: 5S/8-10R, 8-10R, 6-8R, 6-8R, 4-6R 

Compound Set: 
5A. Seated Double Cable Y Raise: 4S/6-8R 
5B. Seated Double Cable Overhead Press: 4S/8-10R 

6. Standing Lateral Raises: 50R [broken up however is needed] 

1 Minute AMRAP: Dumbbell Overhead Press [as many reps as you can in 1 minute]

8/15 Training Day Overview

Warm Up Sets: 1-2S
Rep Range: 3-5R
Tempo: Power
Modification: dumbbell flat bench chest press

*check back to your numbers from week 4 to know your starting weight. 

*be sure to track your weight, reps, sets so you are able to refer back to this each week. 

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. 
- to get into position, retract and depress your scapula and pin your mid/upper back to the bench. 
- 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 your low back by contracting your lats (keep the scapula retracted and depressed), lift your chest towards the bar, squeeze your glutes, and position your toes in line with or slightly behind your knees. 
*the arch will keep your shoulders safe during heavy pressing. (No need to accentuate it if uncomfortable, just utilize the natural arch)*

Execution: 
- keep full body tension (break the bar) and un-rack the barbell, position it just above your chest in the starting position. 
- bend your elbows below your shoulders as you lower the barbell to mid chest or just under your 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]
- keep your knuckles facing the ceiling 
- drive your feet through the floor and exhale as you press the bar up and slightly “back” to the start position.
- reset your brace and breath between reps.

Bench Press

Warm Up Sets: 1-2S
Rep Range: 4-6R
Tempo: power
Modification: trap bar, sumo, or dumbbell/kettlebell deadlifts [whichever you choose, be consistent] 

*check back to your numbers from week 4 to know your starting weight. 

*be sure to track your weight, reps, sets so you are able to refer back to this each week. 

Set Up: 
 - load the bar with an appropriate weight for the rep count. 
- stand behind the bar and position the bar so it is in line with/above “mid shoelace “
- take a hip width stance or slightly inside. (feel free to play around with stance, your mobility and biomechanics will play a large role in the width of your stance)
- create a tripod foot with your feet (think about connecting/pressing through the base of your big toe, little toe, and heel) 
- with a neutral spine, hinge the hips back and bend forward to grip the barbell. 
- grip the barbell with a pronated grip (feel free to use straps), hook grip, or an under/overhand grip. (Use a “death grip” on the bar)
- grip should be just outside of the hips
- activate your lats by depressing your scapula (shoving them down and pinning them there) and think about breaking the bar around your body to create tension.
*as you do this the bar should be pulled right up to your shins.
- keep head/neck/spine neutral

Execution: 
- take a bracing breath, expand your core 3D
- keep a neutral spine, and press your feet through the ground. 
- leg press the weight up until the bar is at knee level 
- as soon as the bar reaches the knees use torque snap your hips in and lift your torso as you stand the rest of the way. (think about your knees externally rotating, but don’t actually rotate, and push the hips in)
- contract the entire posterior chain and keep it tight, make sure to reach full hip extension at the top of the rep, but don’t hyperextend through the low back
- lower the bar with control, keep the bar as close to your body as possible. 
- Reset your breath in between each rep.
- at the top and bottom of the rep we should always be able to ‘read the logo on your shirt’- this just means keep your chest up and facing forward.

Conventional Deadlift

Rep Range: 8-10R, 8-10R, 6-8R, 6-8R, 4-6R
Tempo: steady 
 

Set Up: 
- position yourself on the chest fly machine so you are able to the grip the handles on each side with hands just below your shoulders 
- grip the handles with a neutral grip on each side
- plant your feet on the ground and push your back into the pad of the machine
- lock in a slight bend in your elbows
- drive your ribs down and brace

Execution: 
- pull the handles forwards and towards the center to meet
- when your knuckles are facing each other, hands in line with the center of your chest, contract your pecs
- release the weight with control until your arms are extended out to your sides again.

Machine Chest Fly

Rep Range: 8-10R, 8-10R, 6-8R, 6-8R, 4-6R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: banded lat pulldowns, [un] assisted pull-ups 

Set Up: 
- attach the wide lat pulldown bar
- sit on the seat so your glutes are at the edge of the bench
- adjust the knee pads so you are able to press your knees up into the pads by lifting your heels and driving your toes into the ground. 
- grip the bar with a wider than shoulder width grip 
- lean your torso back just slightly [~45-60 degrees]
- drive your ribs down and keep a neutral spine

Execution: 
- depress your scapula and drive your elbow straight down towards the ground
- keep your elbows in front of your torso as you pull the bar towards your high chest
- contract your lats 
- release the bar with control until your arms are fully extended again 
- keep your torso from swaying throughout each rep 
- keep your wrists straight
- reset scapula between each rep

Wide Lat Pulldowns

Rep Range: 6-8R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: chest supported dumbbell Y raise, or seated banded Y raise

Set Up: 
- sit on the seated double cable machine, position your feet on the ground and squeeze the bench with your legs. 
- grip each handle with a pronated grip. 
- keep your torso upright and chest facing forward. 
- lock arms as straight as you can  
- depress the scap and keep them pinned down, and brace the core by thinking about keeping the ribs down. 

Execution: 
- pull and raise the cables in a Y shape overhead [again, keeping the arms straight]
- contract the delts/high back
- lower with control until your arms are extended in front of you again.
-  keep torso from lifting or swaying throughout each rep. 
- keep the adduction on the bench with your legs to help brace and hold position. 
- keep spine neutral.

Seated Double Cable Y Raise

Rep Range: 8-10R 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: chest supported dumbbell overhead press, or seated banded overhead press

Set Up: 
- sit on the seated double cable machine, position your feet on the ground and squeeze the bench with your legs. 
- grip each handle with a pronated grip. 
- keep your torso upright and chest facing forward. 
- lock arms as straight as you can  
- depress your scap and keep them pinned down, and brace the core by thinking about keeping the ribs down
- raise your arms overhead, so the handles of the cables are in line with your shoulders, palms facing forward

Execution: 
- keep your scapula pinned as you bend your arms and lower the cables
- allow your elbows to bend slightly in front of your torso [tuck the pinkies forward] 
- lower until your arms reach 90 degrees or just below 
- extend your arms and press back up and overhead
- fight against the tension of the cable wanting to pull your arms forward- this will take more control from your stabilizing muscles [rear delts/scap/high back] 
- keep your torso from dipping or swaying

Seated Double Cable Overhead Press

Compound Set

Rep Count: 50R
Tempo: Quick 

*broken up however needed, short rest

Set Up: 
- in a standing position, hold a dumbbell in each hand [neutral grip]
- extend your arms down by your sides [palms facing in]
- keep your arms mostly straight ( locking in a slight bend in your elbows is ok)
- squeeze your glutes and chest your chest upright and facing forward. 

Execution: 
- lead with your pinkies and extend your arms out to each side [keep arms slightly in front of your torso when you raise] 
- raise the dumbbells out to your sides until they are in line with your shoulders at the top of the rep. [palms down] 
- contract your lateral delts
- lower the dumbbells back to your sides with control. 

-**if you struggle to feel lateral raises in your medial/lateral delt, position the dumbbells slightly in front of your torso when you raise. This will help keep the tension out of the traps and disperse it to the delts.

Standing Lateral Raises

Time: 1 minute
Tempo: steady 

*track the number of reps you complete within the 1 minute time cap. Record this number so you are able to refer back to it as we move through each week. 

*choose a weight you know you will be able to lift for 15 reps. 

Set Up: 
- set your timer for 1 minute
- choose an appropriate weight and grip a dumbbell in each. hand
- stand with your feet hip width apart
- lift the dumbbells up and into the overhead position [arms extended, palms facing forward] 
- drive your ribs down and squeeze your glutes to brace. 

Execution: 
- bend your elbows and lower the dumbbells until your arms reach a 90 degree bend or just below 
- as you bend your arms keep your elbows slightly in front of your torso [this will take tension out of your traps] 
- extend your arms and press the dumbbells back up and into the overhead position
- keep the dumbbells in line with your shoulders at the top of the rep 
**it is ok to take small rest periods within the minute time frame. get as many reps as you can and keep track as you move through the minute so you are able to record.

1 minute AMRAP: Dumbbell Overhead Press

8/15 Upper Body Strength [chest, back, shoulders]

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

Porchia

Jennifer

6/16 Quads, Glutes

Audry

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 ♾️

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

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

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!!

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 🔥🔥💪

5/6 Chest, Triceps (sprints)

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

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🩵

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!!!

8/15 Upper Body Strength [chest, back, shoulders]

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