Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 8/26 Upper Body Hypertrophy [back, chest, shoulders]
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:47.195Z
Duration: 65 min
Description: 8/26 Upper Body Hypertrophy [back, chest, shoulders]

Caitlin

Fantastic!! Several days behind due to life but always enjoy jumping back in!!

Kody Young

Hypertrophy days always make it difficult for me to choose the proper weight. Great movements!  Can you give some guidance about rep scheme related to when we should feel exhaustion?

Diana

Changed to a smaller band today for pull ups!!!

Nicole

Katie

Those corkscrew flys are the coolest! I feel it in both my lats and chest from the rotation, and I absolutely love it 💪😍

Megan

Kathryn Whitten

Jess

Stephanie

Great upper workout!!💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💕👏🏻🔥

Donalee

Challenging as always 🔥 did 10 reps of weighted push ups 🔥 can't believe it

Really engaging and the incline lat pull down was such a great new exercise!

Isabelle

Thee best shoulder burn.......EVER 🔥🔥💪😍

Carol

Made my mom join in on our Hawaii trip. “Ooof this is tough! You are so strong.” -mom. Thank you, Sweeneys!

Meghan

Loved it! Nothing a Sunday pump to start the day! 💪🏼🙌

Mia Arrowsmith

Holy boulder shoulders, that hurt a little, discomfort rules!

Kate

Nyakeh

Great workout. My back is feeling it. 🔥

Dedra

Didn’t feel like getting after it, but still got into the gym and for it done 💪

Annie

Veronica

Love it👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾💪🏽💪🏽!!

Kimmy

Michelle

Antionette

Holy shoulders and back dayyyyy 🙌🏻💪🏼💪🏼😎

Kelsey

Caryn

April

Jessica

I started that one a little too cocky. Those last two supersets killed my shoulders!

Julie

Just joined and this was my first workout. I loved it!!!💪🏻❤️💪🏻

Ruth Szymialowicz

Sarah

First full Friday workout I’ve been able to complete in a few weeks and it felt 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Kristen

Love me a natural breast lift 😜💪🏻

Channing

Michelle 

Gloria

Such a good upper body! Feel the burn! 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

Audi

I loved all the reps on this one!! Graduated from the purple to black band on pull-ups! 👊🏻

Laney

Hannah

First day back feeling 100% post-covid! What a shoulder pump to “cap” off the week! (Get it…like capped delts)

Teagan

Ann-Marie

Such a great workout today! Felt so strong!

Kristen Griffiths

Seriously can’t thank you enough for the amazing programs you have given us all ❤️

Joanne Nichols

Loved the lat raise variation on the incline bench!! 🔥 💪

Audry

Brandi

Stacey

Hella great workout.  Feelin every muscle worked. Stronger by the week! Let’s go! 💪🏼

Paula

Heather

Still getting it done with limited equipment and getting a great workout 💪

Cindy Smith

Elizabeth

[Challenge Week 6/Day 5] 

Happy Friday! 

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

*Remember to track your primary movements [pull ups and push ups] and iso hold movement [dumbbell Z press iso hold] today! 

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

Upper Body Hypertrophy [chest, back, shoulders]:

1. Pull Ups: 3S/3-5R [weighted/assisted]

2. Push Ups: 3S/8-10R [weighted/modified] 

3. Dumbbell Z Press Iso Hold: 3S/40 seconds 

Superset: 
4A. Incline Bench Supported Lat Pulldown: 4S/12-15R 
4B. Incline Corkscrew Fly: 4S/15-20R 

Compound Set: 
5A. Side Lying Single Arm Lateral Raise: 3S/12-16R each side [6-8R in front + 6-8R at hip]
5B. Seated Floor Cable Rope Facepull: 3S/30R

Superset: 
6A. Dumbbell Hyperextension Crescent Row: 2S/30 seconds 
6B. Flat Bench Pronated Grip Low Fly: 2S/30 seconds

8/26 Training Day Overview

Rep Range: 3-5R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: assisted or banded pull ups or inverted rows

*check back to your numbers from week 5 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: 
- use a bench or chair to reach your hands up to the bar if needed
- grip the pull up bar with a pronated grip, just outside of shoulder width. [thumbs wrapped over or under the bar] 
* [step each foot into the band (if you are using the band)
- extend your legs and arms and allow your body to hang from the bar. 
- bend your legs [or keep them straight] and squeeze your glutes to brace your core [‘brace for a punch’ and create a “hollow” position]

Execution: 
- depress your scapula as you bend your elbows and pull your chest to meet the bar. 
- as you pull yourself up, keep your elbows in front of your shoulders, think about breaking the pull up bar in half and use your lats to initiate the pull. 
- contract your back when your chin is above the bar
- lower your body with control until your arms are fully extended again. 
- reset your scapula before each rep 
- keep your wrists straight.

Pull Ups [weighted/assisted]

Rep Range: 8-10R 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: incline push ups or drop to your knees.

*weighted for difficulty 

*check back to your numbers from week 5 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:
- position yourself in a high plank/push up position, hands under your shoulders just outside of your chest. 
- squeeze your glutes and quads simultaneously and push your mid back through your scapula. 
- hold the “hollow hold” position to secure the brace. 

Execution: 
- bend your elbows so they are below your shoulders [~45 degree angle from the torso]
- lower chest towards the ground
- tap your chest on the ground at the bottom of the rep [or lower as far as you are able]
- drive your palms and toes through the ground and extend your arms as you press yourself up into the high plank position. 
- your body should lower and rise in a straight line [watch for “worming”, the hips rising faster than the chest or vice versa.] 

*use weight or band for difficulty, drop to knees or perform incline push ups to modify. Make sure to record.

Push Ups [weighted/modified]

Time: 40 seconds
Tempo: hold 

*be sure to track your weight, so you are able to refer back

Set Up: 
- sit on the ground with your legs extended in front or spread. 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand and position them at your shoulders 

Execution: 
- extend your arms and press the dumbbells into the overhead position, palms facing in
- lock your scapula down, keep your dumbbells in line with your shoulders
- drive your ribs down, keep a neutral spine, and brace as you hold the dumbbells in the overhead position for an entire 30 seconds

*if you feel pull or tension in your low back you are likely going too heavy, and/or hyperextending through your low lumbar. Make sure you are utilizing your core to help keep you upright and in position. 

*the Z press naturally forces more core control by sitting on the ground [no help from your feet] start lighter than you think.

Z Press Iso Hold

Rep Range: 12-15R 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: mid grip lat pulldown 

Set Up: 
- set an incline incline to ~75 degrees. 
- position the incline bench in front of the lat pull down machine or in front of a single side of the cable [cable positioned high, pad of the incline bench facing away from the cable.]
- attach a straight bar or lat pulldown bar to the cable 
- grip the bar with a pronated grip, about shoulder width apart. 
- step back around your bench, straddle the bench with your legs, and position your chest/hips against the pad of the bench
- extend your arms towards the direction of the cable

Execution: 
-  depress your scapula and drive your elbows towards your hips as you pull the cable down towards your chest
- lift your chest just slightly at the top of the rep and contract your lats
- release the cable with control, keeping your chest and hips pinned to the back of the bench until your arms are fully extended again 
- make sure to release the cable until your arms reach full extension
- reset your scapula between reps 
- watch to make sure your wrists stay straight throughout each rep
- keep your elbows in front of your torso as you pull the bar and at the top of the rep

Incline Bench Supported Lat Pulldown

Rep Range: 15-20R 
Tempo: steady 

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand
- position yourself on an incline bench [set to 60-75 degrees] 
- extend your arms and lift the dumbbells over your chest
- position your pinkies together, palms facing back, at the top- supinated grip
- dumbbell should be in line with your chest

Execution: 
- bend your elbows below your shoulders and lower the dumbbells
- as you lower the dumbbells begin to rotate your palms forward until your pinkies are pointing out and away [pronated grip] 
*you can exaggerate the stretch in your chest at the bottom of the rep
- feel the stretch through your chest
- extend your arms and press your dumbbells back up and to the center until your pinkies are together at the top of the rep -supinated grip at the top of the rep [palms facing back] 
- contract your chest

Incline Bench Corkscrew Fly

Superset

Rep Range: 12-16R total, each side [6-8R in front + 6-8R at hips] 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: single arm lateral raise

Set Up: 
- set an incline bench to 60-75 degrees 
- position yourself so one side of your body is leaned into the bench and your chest and hips are facing out, 90 degrees from the bench
- stack your knees on top of one another
- hook your arm around the top of the bench and hold
- grip a dumbbell in the hand furthest from the bench

Execution:
- push your hips forward and secure them in place [squeeze your glutes/ribs down.]
- on your first 6-8R begin with your arm extended down in front of your torso, dumbbell in line with your shoulder
- raise the dumbbell out to your side until it is in line with your shoulder
- contract your lateral delt 
- lower the dumbbell back in front of your torso with control [full ROM] 
- on your final 6-8 reps, begin with the dumbbell resting on the outside of your hip. [palm facing down] 
- extend your arm out and raise the dumbbell until it is in line with your shoulder. 
- lower with control until the dumbbell rests back on your hip 
- complete reps on each side

Side Lying Lateral Raise

Rep Range: 30R 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: banded face pulls or banded pull aparts 

Set Up: 
- attach the cable rope attachment to one side of the cable and position it high 
- face the cable 
- grip the rope with a neutral grip
- step away from the cable 1-3 steps
- sit on the ground, bend your legs and plant your feet firmly on the ground
- lean your torso back ~60-45 degrees, point your chest towards the cable, and pin yourself in this position
- drive ribs down, keep a neutral spine, and brace. 
- start with your arms extended towards the direction of the cable 

Execution: 
- bend your elbows and lead with your thumbs as you pull the rope towards your face
- think about ripping the rope apart as you pull
- keep elbows in line with or slightly below your rear delts at the top of the rep and contract your rear delts
- release the weight and extend your arms back towards the cable with control

Seated Floor Cable Rope Facepull

Compound Set

Time: 30 seconds 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: bent over crescent row

Set Up: 
- set up on the hyperextension machine so the pad is in line with the crease of your hips, or just slightly below. 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip and lock in only a slight bend in your elbows (keep this position)
- begin with arms extended down and chest facing the ground. 
- squeeze your glutes and create a stable base. 

Execution:
- use your low back to lift your torso
- simultaneously use the momentum to swing the the dumbbells back by retracting the scapula and driving your elbows towards your hips  [lead with your pinkies]
- keep your entire trunk stiff and as you elbows pass your torso contract your mid/low/high back at the top of the rep
- lower your torso and extend your arms back down towards the ground
- keep a neutral head/neck/spine throughout
- retract scapula each rep 
- keep feet planted on the platform

Dumbbell Hyperextension Crescent Row

Time: 30 seconds
Tempo: steady 
Modification: pronated grip machine chest fly 

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand and sit on a flat bench [pronated grip on the dumbbells]
- lie back on the bench and plant your feet firmly on the ground 
- extend your arms over your chest
- pin a slight bend in your arms

Execution: 
- keep your arms mostly straight and lower your dumbbells out to your sides, and below your shoulders [a low fly*]
- lower your dumbbells until they move slightly past your hips and you feel a full stretch in your front delts/high chest
- lift the dumbbells back up and over the center of your chest until your thumbs are together again
- contract your chest

Flat Bench Dumbbell Pronated Grip Low Fly

8/26 Upper Body Hypertrophy [back, chest, shoulders]

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

Porchia

Jennifer

6/16 Quads, Glutes

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

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

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

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.

8/26 Upper Body Hypertrophy [back, chest, shoulders]

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