Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 1/11 Back and Biceps [Challenge Wk2/Day2]
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:48.218Z
Duration: 60 min
Description: 1/11 Back and Biceps [Challenge Wk2/Day2]

Loved this one! One of my all time favs!!!

Katie

Alexandra VanHook

Really felt that pump today and rear delts keep feeling stronger by the week! Also surprised myself how far I could go with that fail set at my normal hammer curl weight 🤩

Megan

Amazing workout as always, feeling the pump! 🔥🔥🔥

Victoria

Rowena

Meghan

This is the first workout I have done on the app, and I LOVED IT!!!

Larissa

💪🏻 😅
That’s all I can say!!! 
Merci

Annie Allard

Kayleigh

Allie Green

Great!! Challenging in all the right ways!

Jodi

I started out with the Hybrid program last year, after following your Instagram workouts for about a year. Just downloaded the app. As always- never disappoints!

Brittan

I did my own reps and sets due the numbers feeling too much for my level

Misha SWB

Keara

Susan

5 stars from me! My back felt strong this workout!

DeAnna

Boone

Love the tempos and eccentrics. Thank you for writing detailed notes! Super helpful even for an experienced lifter

Veronica

Kyliegh

The best workout I’ve had in a long time!

Krystal

Can barely type this because my biceps are on fire. Too good.

Christina

Sharon Otasowie

Melissa

Caitlin Sparks

Annnndd I’m done for the day 😤🥴☠️

Alison

shoulders and back 🔥killer workout - thank u Sam!

Sharon Dent

Marthine

Savanah

Jessica

Paris

Morgan

Chris

That rack race KILLED ME second to last weight was like WOWZA

Emily

Holy back and bis! Love the tempo and drop set work.

Amanda

I love back and bis. Thank you for such fun workouts!!

Amanda Howell

I think that was my favorite back and biceps day!! That burner at the end 10/10 🔥🔥

Francesca

Caroline Kuc

Shelly

Awesome workout! The run rack burner at the end surprised me and I thought it was going to be easier than it was!

Kelly Beam

Wow I can’t lift my arms!! Such a good pump though. 💪

Kody Young

Jane

Natalie

Taylor

Maggie Peressini

Karissa

My biceps felt like fluffy marshmallow arms at the end! 💪🏼 Fantastic programming as per usual Sam! 👊🏼

[Challenge week 2/day 2]

Happy Tuesday!

1/11 Training Day Overview: 

Suggested accessory equipment: large loop band. 

Warm Up: stair stepper 10 mins, upper body warm routine. 

1. Pull ups: 3S/8-10R + drop set on the last set [1-2 warm up sets]

Compound Set: 
2. Pendlay Row: 5S/6-8R [3 second eccentric each rep]
3. Straight bar Straight arm pull downs: 5S/30 seconds 

Compound Set: 
4. Close Grip Pulldown: 4S/6-8R drop 8-10R [3 second eccentric on the first 6-8R, steady on the drop set]
5. Seated Bicep Curls: 4S/8-10R [3 second eccentric]

Compound Set: 
6. Reverse Fly Machine: 3S/15R reverse fly [neutral] + 15R rear delt fly [pronated grip]
7. Double Cable Recline Curls: 3S/6-8R + drop set 8-10R

Burnout Challenge: Rack Run: 1S/Failure at each weight [keep track of how many reps you complete at each weight.]

*video shows set 2*
Warm Up Sets: 1S with heavy assitance
Rep Range: 8-10R + dropset on the last set. 
*drop set= up the resistance from the last working set by 20-50% and perform as many reps as you can with good form. [ex. if you are using a green band for your working sets, use a black band for your drop set.] Leave ~2R in the tank.

Tempo: Steady
Modification: Use an assisted Pull up machine, or modify pull ups for inverted rows [legs bent for more assistance, legs straight for more difficulty].  You may drop from pull ups to scap raises to Failure on your last set if you prefer. 

- grip the pull up bar with a pronated grip, just outside of shoulder width. 
- extend the arms straight, hang from the bar. 
- allow legs to hang straight down or bend the legs and cross your feet
- squeeze your glutes and brace your core [“brace for a punch]
- depress the scapula as you pull your chest to the bar. 
- as you pull yourself up, keep the elbows in front of the shoulders, think about breaking the pull up bar in half and use your lats. 
- lower with control until arms are fully extended. 
- keep the wrists straight. 
- perform 8-10R for the first 2 sets, on the last set add a drop set by upper the amount of resistance used. 
* if you are using weight for your pull ups, drop the weight on your drop set. 
* if you are doing bodyweight pull-ups, use a band or assisted machine on your drop set
* if you are using a band for your pull ups, use a heavier band for your dropset.

Pull Ups

Rep Range: 6-8R
Tempo: 3 second eccentric
Modification: bent over row, dumbbell pendlay

*feel free to use plates or boxes underneath the barbell to raise the starting point, especially if going from the floor is too much extension for you. 

- set up with your barbell on the ground. 
- use rubber weights to load the barbell [rubber weights work best for a pendlay because they will raise your starting point to an appropriate height for you to be able to grip the bar while it is on the ground]
- roll the barbell over your feet so it is in line with your toes. 
- keep a neutral spine as you bend forward and grip the barbell with a pronated grip. 
- grip width will vary based on bio mechanics and mobility, play around with it. [a good place to start is a thumbs distance from the start of the knurling of the barbell [scratchy part] on each side.  
- with chest facing the ground and hands gripping the barbell, depress the scap to activate the lats and pin them down. 
- take a bracing breathe and drive the elbows back as you row the barbell to tap your mid/low chest.
- immediately control the eccentric portion of the rep by using a 3 second eccentric to lower the barbell back to tap the floor. 
- reset before each rep if needed, keep the scap pinned down and core braced.

Pendlay Row

Time: 30 seconds
Tempo: steady
Modification: banded straight arm pulldown or dumbbell pullover. 

- attach the straight bar attachment and place it high on the cable
- grip the straight bar with both hands, pronated grip. 
- keep the scap pinned down as you extend the arms towards the cable. 
- lean the chest forward just slightly and keep the head/neck/spine neutral. 
- hold the brace in your truck and try to keep the low back from hyperextending. 
- keep a slight bend in the elbows, but mostly straight arms, as you pull the straight bar towards your quads. 
- contract the low lats as the bar reaches your quads. 
- release with control until your arms are fully extended.

Cable Straight bar Straight Arm Pull downs

Compound Set

Rep Range: 6-8R drop 8-10R [drop set, every set]
Tempo: 3 second eccentric on the first 6-8R, steady tempo on the drop set. [tempo change with drop set, every set]
Modification: banded pull downs or close grip landmine row. 


- attach a close grip handle to the cable. 
- position yourself on the cable machine so your butt is at the edge of the seat, and you are actively pressing your knees into the pad of the machine. [you should feel this in your calves too]
- keep a neutral spine as you lean the torso back just slightly so your chest is facing the cable. 
- grip the handle with both hands
- start with arms extended 
- depress the scap and pin them down as you pull the bar to your chest. 
- tuck the elbows close by your sides as you pull. 
- contract the lats
- use a 3 second eccentric to release on the first 6-8R
- release until the arms are fully extended. 
- when you complete 6-8R with a slow eccentric, drop the weight by 20-50% and use a steady tempo on your last 8-10R

Close Grip Pulldown

Rep Range: 8-10R 
Tempo: 3 second eccentric

- grip a dumbbell in each hand and sit on a bench with back support. 
- pin the elbows to your sides, or slightly behind your torso. 
- begin with arms extended down, supinated grip on the dumbbells. 
- squeeze the elbows in close to your sides as you curl the dumbbells up towards your front delts. 
- contract the biceps at the top of the rep
- use a 3 second eccentric to lower the weight until your arms are fully extended down.

Seated Dumbbell Bicep Curls

Rep Range: 15R reverse fly [netural grip on handles] + 15R rear delt fly [pronated grip on handles]
Tempo: steady
Modification: bent over or chest supported reverse fly into rear delt fly [same grip positioning on dumbbells]

- position yourself on the reverse fly machine with your chest pressed against the pad of the machine. 
- grip with handles with a neutral grip to begin, hands should be slightly lower than the shoulders in the start position. 
- pin a slight bend in the elbows. 
- retract the scapula and fly the weight back until the hands are in line with the rear delts. 
- contract the mid/high back. 
- release with control, complete 15R with the neutral grip
- switch from a neutral grip to the pronated grip handles of the machine
- keep a slight bend in the elbows and lead with the pinkies as you fly the weight  back until the pinkies are in line with the rear delts. 
- contract the rear delts
- lower with control and complete 15R

Reverse Fly Machine

Rep Range: 6-8R drop 8-10R [drop set on every set]
Tempo: 3 second slow neg on the first 6-8R, steady tempo on drop set. [tempo change with drop set on every set]
Modification: recline dumbbell curls [incline bench]

- attach single arm attachments to the cable and position each side of the cable rig low. 
- grip a handle in each hand and step forward, facing away from the cable rig. 
- allow your arms to extend back, towards the cable. 
- lean the torso forward just slightly and keep the elbows pinned behind the torso
- with a supinated grip, curl the handle up and in towards your chest. 
- contract the biceps at the top of the rep.
- use a 3 second eccentric on the first 6-8R to lower and extend the arms back. 
- lower until the arms are completely extended before completing your next rep. 
- after completing 6-8R with a slow eccentric, immediately drop the weight on each side and complete 8-10R with a steady tempo.

Double Cable Recline Curls

Reps: F
Tempo: quick 

[Keep track of how many reps you are able to complete before hitting failure at each weight] 

- choose 3-4 sets of dumbbells to work with or stand close to a dumbbell rack so you are able to switch out weight quickly. [do not stand in front of the rack if there are others using the dumbbells]
- choose a weight to begin at that you know you are typically able to complete 10 reps with [this is at the end of the workout so you may not get there and thats ok]
- grip a dumbbell in each hand and pin your elbows by your sides. 
- use a hammer grip and begin to curl/swing the dumbbells, in a sprinting motion [think of how your arms would look if you were sprinting]. 
- using a quick pace, complete as many reps as you can with good form, until you are unable to complete a curl. 
- then immediately drop the weight and move down the rack to the next lowest weight repeat the same set of curls to failure. 
- repeat this down the rack for 3-4 weights, going to failure each time. 

[being that this is at the end of the workout, you may not get in many reps and thats ok!] 

[Keep track of the weights you use and the amount of reps you are able to squeeze out at each and try to beat it when we revisit this one.]

Burnout Challenge: Rack Run

1/11 Back and Biceps [Challenge Wk2/Day2]

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!

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 🔥🔥💪

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!!!

1/11 Back and Biceps [Challenge Wk2/Day2]

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