Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 9/16 Bench Strength + Chest + Delts
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:41.638Z
Duration: 90 min
Description: 9/16 Bench Strength + Chest + Delts

Marsha Ross

The lat raise/front raise complex was my FAVORITE!!

Megan

Molly

Kody Young

Looove the efficiency of this split 🔥 you don't need to do too much 🔥

Priscilla

Idk what just happened but I loved it ☠️

Lee Ann

Michelle 

I’m thinking this is another permanent bubble 💕💕💕

Decline push up to pike press at the end was absolutely insane 😂🥵

Morgan

Dedra

Shania

Deja

I think a little piece of me just died with that last set ☠️

JulieAnn

Porchia

❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥wow!!! Felt so good. Thank you 🙏🏼

Lorena

🔥🔥 I am in love with every split. Each one gets better and I feel so much stronger

Marta

Kristin

I’m dead 😵!!! Great workout after taking some time off

Angie

Brittanie

Regina

Nyakeh

Absolutely love, love this upper body day💪🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Kimmy

Karen

Happy Tuesday! 

Week 2 of 5 (week 5 deload)

Pre Training Mobility and Warm Up: Please use the warm up listed and/or 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.

Bench Strength + Chest + Delts: 

Warm Up: 
1a. Banded Dislocates: 1-2S/10-20R total 
1b. Banded Pull Aparts: 1-2S/20-30R
1c. Barbell Bench Press Primer Sets: 1-2S/2-3R 

Strength Training: 
2. Barbell Bench Press: 5S/3-5R 

3. Single Arm Incline Chest Press: 3S/6-8R each side

4a. Single Arm Cable Lateral Raise: 4S/12-15R each side
4b. EZ Bar Wide Grip Front Raise: 4S/6-10R

5. Low Incline Dumbbell Chest Fly to Hex Press: 4S/8-10R total [1 fly + 1 hex press= 1 rep]

6. Decline Push Up to Pike Press: 3S/5-8R total [1 push up + 1 pike press= 1 rep]

9/16 Training Day Overview

Rep Range: 10-20R total 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: arm circles

Set Up: 
- grip a long loop band with a pronated grip, shoulder width apart
- extend your arms straight forward and hold the band in front of your chest
- stand with feet hip width apart, toes forward
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- tuck your ribs down and keep a tall torso 

Execution: 
- keep your arms straight and raise your arms over your head and behind you
- stretch across your chest and shoulders
- bring the band back over your head and in front of your chest again
- move at a steady tempo that feel appropriate for you

Banded Shoulder Dislocates

Rep Count: 20-30R 
Tempo: steady  

Set Up: 
- grip a long loop band with a pronated grip, shoulder width apart
- extend your arms straight forward and hold the band in front of your chest
- stand with feet hip width apart, toes forward
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- tuck your ribs down and keep a tall torso 

Execution: 
- keep your arms and wrists locked straight and pull the band apart 
- stretch band across your chest with arms out to each side
- contract mid back, rear delts
- bring arms forward to start position again

Banded Pull Aparts

Rep Count: 2-3R
set 1: bar or 50% of working weight
set 2: 50-75% of working weight 
[add another ramp up set if appropriate]
Tempo: steady

*these are light sets to be used as a neural primer to your heavy sets. We want these to be as clean as possible. Use these sets to practice set up, and execution. The goal is to make your working sets looking as easy as your ramp up sets.

Barbell Bench Press Ramp Up Sets

Warm Ups and Activation

Rep Range: 3-5R 
*rest at least 120 seconds, 180 seconds if appropriate
Tempo: steady, powerful
Modification: 

Target muscle groups: chest- [please note; this is a compound movement so you will be utilizing multiple muscle groups at once]

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)*
- plant your feet on the ground so your toes are in line with or slightly behind your knees 
- brace and create full body tension [death grip on the bar- grip the ground with your feet]

Execution: 
- keep full body tension (break the bar- spread the ground with your feet) 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

Barbell Bench Press

Rep Range: 6-8R
Tempo: steady

Target muscle groups: chest, high pec

Set Up: 
- set your bench to a ~45 degree incline
- grip a dumbbell in one hand, pronated grip
- sit on the bench, plant feet on the ground, press mid back into the bench 
- tuck ribs down and brace
- extend your arm and lift the dumbbell over your high chest
- tuck your pinky forward

Execution:
- bend your elbow so it travels ~45 degrees from your torso
- lower the dumbbell to at least a 90 degree bend on one side
- extend your arm and press the dumbbell over your high chest again 
- contract your chest at the top of the rep
- keep knuckles facing the ceiling

Single Arm Incline Chest Press

Rep Range: 12-15R each side
Tempo: steady 
Modification: single arm dumbbell lateral raise 

Target muscle group: lateral delts

Set Up: 
- attach a single arm handle to one side of the cable and position it low
- stand in front of the cable facing 90 degrees
- grip the handle with a neutral grip with the hand furthest from the cable so the cable runs in front of your torso
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- pin your traps down, shoulders back 
- keep a tall torso

Execution: 
- keep your arm straight 
- pull the cable and raise your arm out to your side and slightly in front of your torso
- raise the cable to in line with your delt, contract your lateral delt
- lower your arm back down by your side

Single Arm Cable Lateral Raise

Rep Count: 6-10R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: dumbbell front raise 

Target muscle group: front delts

Set Up: 
- grip the ez bar with a wide, pronated grip 
- extend your arms down by your side and hold the bar in front of your torso 
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- pin your traps down, shoulders back 
- keep a tall torso
- try to fight from swinging or swaying as you raise the bar

Execution: 
- keep your arms straight
- raise the bar straight forward, to in line with your front delts
- contract your delts
- lower the bar back down in front of your torso again

EZ Bar Wide Grip Front Raise

Compound Set

Rep Range: 8-10R
*1 fly + 1 hex press= 1 rep 
Tempo: steady 

Target muscle group: chest

Set Up: 
- set your bench to a ~30-45 degree incline 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand, neutral grip 
- sit on the bench, plant your feet on the ground, press your back into the bench 
- extend your arms and lift the dumbbells over your chest, palms facing in 
- pin a very slight bend in your arms

Execution: 
- lower the dumbbells and extend your arms out to either side
- stretch through your entire side, lower the dumbbells to in line with your chest on either side
- lift the dumbbells over your chest again 
- contract your chest
- press the dumbbells together
- bend your arms, keep elbows squeezed by your sides
- lower the dumbbells to the center of your chest 
- extend your arms and press the dumbbells over your chest
- contract your chest
- keep your wrists pinned straight

Low Incline Dumbbell Chest Fly to Hex Press

Rep Range: 5-8R total 
*1 push up + 1 pike press= 1 rep
Tempo: steady 
Modification: no decline, drop to knees for push up + walk hands to pike position [no pike press]

Target muscle group: chest, delts

Set Up: 
- place a plate or stack two on the ground
- plant your feet on top of the plates
- walk your hands out to a high plank position
- plant your hands on the ground under your delts, just outside of your chest
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, contract your quads and set a strong brace throughout your entire body 
- keep a neutral head, neck, and spine

Execution: 
- think about screwing your hands into the ground and bend your arms
- keep elbows traveling ~45 degrees from your torso 
- lower your chest towards the ground, to at least a 90 degree bend in your arms 
- extend your arms and press your chest away from the ground
- contract your chest
- raise your hips towards the ceiling, keep your legs as straight as you are able, and walk your hands towards your feet
- plant your hands on the ground under your delts
- bend your arms, keep your elbows tucked and traveling backward
- lower your head towards the ground
- extend your arms and press your head away from the ground
- contract your delts
- walk your hands out and lower your hips back into a high plank position

Decline Push Up to Pike Press

9/16 Bench Strength + Chest + Delts

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

Jennifer

6/16 Quads, Glutes

Audry

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!

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

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

5/5 Glutes, Hamstrings (abs)

God those inverted rows get me every time 💀🫠

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!

9/16 Bench Strength + Chest + Delts

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