Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 9/2 Upper Body Hypertrophy [chest, back, shoulders]
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:47.165Z
Duration: 65 min
Description: 9/2 Upper Body Hypertrophy [chest, back, shoulders]

The gains over these pasta weeks have been phenomenal!!! 👌🤌💪🤯

Kody Young

Those last supersets. I can't say what hurts more, but DAMN that was good

Katie

Lats, flys, reverse flys, all perfect way to pump up my Friday 💪

Megan

3 strict pull ups. No bands. And a half. Definitely seeing good progress. Very happy.

I love the way I feel after everyone of your workouts!! Thanks for always pushing me to my limits 👊🏼💪🏼

Terra Brown

Didn’t feel very strong today, but great as always

Kathryn Whitten

Struggled with the pull ups and push ups today but pushed through 😤

Great chest and shoulder workout. Didn't care for the back portion.

Brittney

Stephanie

Britney

Yikes! That was challenging big time! 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻💕

Donalee

Anna Lombari

Briane

Fantastic burn 🔥Shoulders are pump💪🏼
Great Sunday overall! Thanks Sam!

Mia Arrowsmith

I always love me an upper body day💪🏽💪🏽

Kimmy

This pump tho. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Corinne Wickline

Emiliano

Nyakeh

Dedra

Veronica

That last set was a burner 😮‍💨🔥

Deja

Those iso holds getting miiiiiiiighty long. What a great challenge. Also loved the extra stability of the KB OHP! 🔥

Audry

Michelle

Lakshmi Neelesh Nimmagadda

Kelsey

A little extra tired today but got it done anyways!!

Kaitlin

Tiffany

Humberto

NATASHA

Kyle Laas

Anne

Laney

And my upper body is a limp noodle 🤪🔥💪🏻

Jennifer

Kenia

😳😳😳😳💣💣💣🔥🔥🔥this was everything. Good way to start friday.

Stacey

I really loved this workout! Today I felt strong and unstoppable! So excited to see how far I’ll continue to progress with this programming. 🥳🥹

Mary

Good workout! Starting to add in more back focused exercises on top of the workouts

Loved this workout. Feeling incredibly strong and determined by the week. The detailed descriptions have allowed me to progress in both form and weights at such a fast pace. 🤯🥹💪🏼. If something doesn’t feel right I can quickly find the solution by reviewing the cues; no guesswork or extra research required. 🙏🏼 💕

Paula

Elizabeth

Leslie

Erin Alvear

Megan Laudick

Kelly

Mike

Jamie

[Challenge Week 7/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 Overhead Press iso hold] today! 

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

Upper Body Hypertrophy [chest, back, shoulders]:

1. Pull Ups: 4S/3-5R [weighted/assisted]

2. Push Ups: 4S/8-10R [weighted/modified] 

3. Dumbbell Overhead Press Iso Hold: 3S/45 seconds 

Superset: 
4A. Seated Cable Alternating Lat Row: 4S/16-20R total [8-10R each side]
4B. Flat Bench Neutral Grip Chest Press: 4S/5R drop 15R [20R total-drop set, every set]

Compound Set: 
5A. Seated Alternating Kettlebell Overhead Press: 3S/12-16R [6-8R each side]
5B. Standing Lateral Raise: 3S/5R drop 15R [20R total, drop set every set]

Superset: 
6A. Back Extension Hold 3 Way Reverse Fly: 2S/6-8 rounds [18-24R total, pronated-neutral- low reverse fly=1 round]
6B. Pronated Grip Machine Chest Fly: 2S/5R drop 5R drop 10R [30R total

9/2 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 6 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 6 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: 45 seconds 
Tempo: iso hold

*look back at your numbers from week 5 to know your starting weight

*track the weight you use for your iso hold. 

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip 
- stand with your feet together
- curl and press or clean and press the dumbbells to your shoulders and then up into the overhead position 
- palms should face in at the top, dumbbells should stay pinned in line with your shoulders. 
- drive your ribs down and brace your core
- squeeze your glutes and create a stable trunk. 

Execution: 
- hold this position as steady as you are able to for the entire 30 seconds
- the goal is to allow your core to keep you in position and use your lats to support your shoulders and arms as they hold the dumbbells in the overhead position. 
- this is a bracing movement, meant to highlight both shoulder stability and core bracing and control.

Standing Dumbbell Overhead Press Iso Hold

Rep Range: 16-20R total [8-10R each side] 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: bent over or chest supported neutral grip alternating dumbbell row

Set Up: 
- sit on the seated double cable bench [make sure the single handle attachments are connected] 
- plant your feet up on each platform 
- grip each handle with a neutral grip 
- sit upright, keep a neutral spine, drive your ribs down and brace

Execution: 
- keep one arm extended, holding the handle 
- bend the other arm and drive your elbow towards your hip on one side 
- lean into the row as you pull the cable, but try not to twist your torso as you row
- when your elbow is in line with your torso, squeeze it in tight to your side and contract your lat
- release the cable with control until your arm is extended towards the cable again
- alternate which arm you row with each rep 
- keep your chest upright and facing forward

Seated Cable Alternating Lat Row

Rep Range: 5R drop 15R [20R total]
*drop set, every set
**drop the weight by 20-50% 
Tempo: steady 

Set Up: 
- position two pairs of dumbbells on the ground in front of your flat bench, one heavier- one lighter
- grip the heavier pair of dumbbells in each hand, neutral grip 
- sit on the flat bench and rest your dumbbells on your knees
- rock your torso back until your back is against the flat bench
- as you rock back extend your arms and position your dumbbells over your chest, palms facing in 

Execution: 
- bend both elbows below your shoulders, keep them close to your torso 
- lower the dumbbells to either side of your chest
- lower the dumbbells until your arms are bent at ~90 or slightly below
- drive your feet through the ground and press the dumbbells up and over your chest
- contract your chest at the top of the rep 
- complete 5 reps with appropriately heavy weight before dropping the dumbbells and immediately picking up your lighter pair and continuing with 15R more

Flat Bench Neutral Grip Chest Press

Superset

Rep Range: 12-16R total [6-8R each side] 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: dumbbell alternating overhead press

Set Up: 
- sit on a bench with back support 
- plant your feet firmly on the ground 
- grip a kettlebell in each hand- pronated grip 
- rotate your palms forward and press the kettlebells overhead, arms extended and kettlebells in line with your shoulders 
- keep your scapula pinned to help support your shoulders
- press your back into the back of the bench 
- drive your ribs down and brace your core

Execution: 
- keep one arm extended overhead 
- bend the other arm so the elbow is slightly in front of your shoulder
- lower the kettlebell until your arm is bent at ~90 or slightly below
- extend your arm and press the kettlebell back up and overhead
- alternate each arm as you move through all reps 
- keep the kettlebells slightly in front of your torso as you lower each rep

Seated Alternating Kettlebell Overhead Press

Rep Range: 5R drop 15R [20R total]
*drop set, every set
*20-50% drop on your drop set
Tempo: steady 

Set Up: 
- position two pairs of dumbbells on the ground in front of you, one heavier and one lighter
- grip the heavier pair of dumbbells in each hand, palms facing in 
- stand with your feet hip width apart
- squeeze your glutes and drive your ribs down to brace and create a stable base
- lock in a slight bend in your arms 

Execution: 
- extend both arms out to your sides, keep the weight slightly in front of your torso as you raise 
- when your dumbbells are in line with your shoulders, palms down, contract your lateral delts 
- lower the weight back down by your sides with control 
- complete 5R with the heavier pair of dumbbells before dropping the weight and immediately completing 15R more

Standing Lateral Raise

Compound Set

Rep Range: 18-24R total [6-8 rounds, pronated-neutral-low reverse fly= 1 round]
Tempo: steady 
Modification: incline bench supported 3 way reverse fly 

Set Up: 
- grip a pair of light dumbbells in each hand
- position yourself on the hyperextension machine so the pad is at or just below your hips 
- squeeze your glutes and drive your ribs down to create a stable trunk to hold you in this position 
- extend your arms down towards the ground so the dumbbells are in line with your front delts 
- lock in a slight bend in your elbows

Execution: 
- start with a pronated grip on the dumbbells 
- retract your scapula and raise the dumbbells out to your sides, leading with your pinkies
- when your pinkies are in line with your rear deals, contract your rear delts/high back 
- lower the dumbbells back down towards the ground 
- rotate your grip to neutral 
- retract your scapula and raise the dumbbells out to each side
- when your hands are in line with your torso, contract your high/mid back 
- lower the dumbbells back down towards the ground until the dumbbells are in line with your front delts again 
- rotate the dumbbells back to neutral 
- retract your scapula and drive your arms out and low towards your hips, lead with your pinkies again 
- when your dumbbells are in line with and ~45 degrees from your torso contract your mid back/lats
- lower the dumbbells back towards the ground with control 
*this= 1 round

Back Extension Hold 3 Way Reverse Fly

Rep Range: 5R drop 5R drop 10R [20R total] 
*drop set, every set
**drop weight by 20-50% each drop set
Tempo: steady 
Modification: dumbbell pronated grip chest fly 

Set Up: 
- position the bench of chest fly machine so you are able to grip the handles in line with your shoulders
- sit on the bench, press your back into the bench and plant your feet firmly on the ground
- grip the pronated grip handles of the chest fly machine with each hand 
- lock in a slight bend in your arms 
- pin your scap to the bench and brace 

Execution: 
- fly the handles towards the center, so they are in line with your chest
- when your thumbs are together, handles in line with the center of your chest, contract your high pecs
- keep the bend in your elbows and release the weight with control until your arms are extended out to your sides again 
- complete 5R with appropriately heavy weight before dropping the weight for another 5R
- finally drop the weight one last time and complete 10R to finish the set

Pronated Grip Machine Chest Fly

9/2 Upper Body Hypertrophy [chest, back, shoulders]

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

Porchia

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 ♾️

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

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!!

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!!!

9/2 Upper Body Hypertrophy [chest, back, shoulders]

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