Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 9/30 Bench Strength + Chest + Delts
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:41.587Z
Duration: 90 min
Description: 9/30 Bench Strength + Chest + Delts

Marsha Ross

Traca

Dedra

Most perfect and complete push day! My favorite chest day of this split so far!

Megan

Didn't want to do it when I got home from my 10 hour shift. But we did and it was so good to move.

Karen Arce

Ralph John Roy

I don’t know why I’m still surprised when the last exercise is so tough 🤣

Becky

Michelle 

Kody Young

Julia Bourguignon

Rachel

Had to modify the chest fly with a flat bench and Dbs

Jennifer

JulieAnn

Jessica

Lorena

So good!! The finisher after 80 chest flyes was insane . Loved it

Marta

Finally broke through a bench plateau! 🎉

Tiffany

Loved!  Shoulders were burning during the overhead/lateral
Raise set 🤬

Brittanie

Regina

Tonya 

Love the warm up and activation in this split.

Jamie R

Kimmy

Megan Laudick

Katie

Pushing out the weakness 🔥. This was humbling but in a good way.

Kimberly R

Nyakeh

Happy Tuesday! 

Week 4 of 7 (week 7 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. Standing Smith Machine Overhead Press: 4S/6-8R 
4b. Seated 1 1/4R Lateral Raise: 4S/6-10R total 

5. Machine Chest Fly: 4S/8-10R neutral grip + 8-10R pronated grip 

6. Hip Banded Walking Plank Push Ups: 2-3S/5R

9/30 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: 6-8R 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: standing barbell or dumbbell overhead press

Target muscle group: delts

Set Up: 
- rack the bar at just below chin level 
- step behind the bar, plant your feet on the ground
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- bend your arms and grip the bar with a pronated grip, just outside of shoulder width apart 
- keep a tall torso and a neutral head, neck, and spine

Execution: 
- unlock the bar
- extend your arms and press the bar into the overhead position 
- stabilize at the top of the rep, contract delts
- bend your arms so your elbows travel slightly in front of your torso
- lower the bar back to the chin level, 90 degree bend in your arms
- keep knuckles facing the ceiling

Standing Smith Machine Overhead Press

Rep Count: 6-10R total 
*1R + 1/4R = 1 full rep
Tempo: steady 

Target muscle group: lateral delts

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand, neutral grip
- sit on a bench, plant your feet on the ground, press back into the back of the bench 
- extend your arms down and hold the dumbbells by your sides
- keep your arms straight, a slight bend in your elbows is okay
- pin your traps down, shoulders back

Execution: 
- raise your arms out to your sides so your arms travel slightly in front of your torso
- raise the dumbbells to in line with your delts
- contract your lateral delts
- lower your arms back down by your sides

Seated 1 1/4R Lateral Raise

Compound Set

Rep Range: 8-10R neutral grip + 8-10R pronated grip
Tempo: steady 
Modification: flat bench chest fly [neutral, pronated]

Target muscle group: chest

Set Up: 
- sit on the seat of the chest fly machine, plant your feet on the ground, press your back into the pad
- extend your arms out to either side to grip the handles with a neutral grip in line with your chest on each side
- pin a slight bend in your elbows 
- pin your traps down, shoulders back 

Execution: 
- pull the handles forward and to meet in the center
- contract your chest
- extend your arms out to either side again
- complete reps with neutral grip before switching to a pronated grip and repeating the movement for specified reps

Machine Chest Fly [neutral + pronated grip]

Rep Range: 5R total 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: no band and/or drop to your knees 

Target muscle group: chest, delts

Set Up: 
- loop a band low across a rack, use pins to secure the band on either side
*or use heavy dumbbells to secure the band on either side
- slight your legs under the band and position the band across your hips
- plant your hands on the ground under your delts, just outside of your chest
- step your feet back into a high plank position, wider stance for more stability
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position
- contract your quads to hold tension across your lower body and torso
- set a strong brace and keep hips in line with your torso [do not let them drop]
- tuck your chin, keep a neutral head, neck, and spine

Execution: 
- bend each arm one at a time and lower down into a low plank position on your forearms, elbows under your delts
- lift each arm off the ground one at a time 
- plant each hand on the ground and press up into the push up position again 
- bend your arms so your elbows travel back at a 45 degree angle from your torso
- lower your chest towards the ground
- lower to at least a 90 degree bend in your arms, chest to ground if you are able
- extend your arms and press your chest away from the ground
- keep your body traveling in a stiff, straight line
- contract your chest at the top of the rep

Hip Banded Walking Plank Push Ups

9/30 Bench Strength + Chest + Delts

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

Porchia

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

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!!

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 💀🫠

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)

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!

9/30 Bench Strength + Chest + Delts

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