Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 10/1 Deadlift Strength + Back + Rear Delts
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:41.582Z
Duration: 90 min
Description: 10/1 Deadlift Strength + Back + Rear Delts

Dedra

Karen Arce

Audry

Serena

First session in nearly two weeks. 
Felt burnt out and needed a rest. Good to be back though. Felt good 😊

jackie

Morgan

Becky

I hit new PRs on my deadlift this week (as well as back squat)! This program is so awesome! I am lifting weights I never thought were possible! 🔥

Megan

Jennifer

Sherry

Sara

JulieAnn

Very satisfying! Worth every sweat 💦 😅

Mia Arrowsmith

Marta

Deadlift were rough today!! But the rest of the workout was amazing. I’m smoked!!

Loving the split I feel sooo strong. Thank you 🙏🏼

Lorena

Regina

Brittanie

Bradley

Wow, so good!  I really enjoy this upper body workout 💪🏾👊🏾

Kimmy

Sarah Beth

Nyakeh

😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

Megan Laudick

Kristin

New weight for deadlift and I love back day. Great mid week workout.

Kimberly R

Happy Wednesday! 

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.

Deadlift Strength + Back + Rear Delts: 

Warm Up: 
1a. Cat Cow: 1-2S/30-60 seconds 
1b. Banded Good Mornings: 1-2S/10-20R
1c. Barbell Deadlift Press Primer Sets: 1-2S/2-3R 

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

3. Single Arm Wide Stance Dumbbell Row: 3S/6-8R each side

4a. Cable Rope 1 1/4R Straight Arm Pulldown: 4S/6-10R 
4b. Cable Rope Lat Pulldown [from floor]: 4S/8-12R

5. Seated Double Cable Y Raise to Reverse Fly: 4S/6-8R [1 Y raise + 1 reverse fly= 1 full rep]

6. Hip Banded Inverted Row: 2-3S/5R

10/1 Training Day Overview

Rep Range: 30-60 seconds 
Tempo: steady 

Set Up: 
- get on the ground in a quadruped/table top position 
- plant your hands on the ground under your delts, legs bent with knees planted on the ground under your hips
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position 

Execution: 
- inhale as you arch your back and tilt your head up to the ceiling 
- exhale as you round your back, push your mid back through your scapula
- keep a slow and steady pace

Cat Cow

Rep Count: 10-20R 
Tempo: steady  
Modification: dumbbell good mornings

Set Up: 
- grip a long loop band in both hands
- lie one end of the band on the ground, step each foot on top of the band in a slightly wider than hip width stance
- bend your torso forward and stretch the other end of the band over your head and across your traps
- keep a tight grip on the band, bend your arms and squeeze your elbows to your sides
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- keep a flat back and a neutral head, neck, and spine 

Execution: 
- keep your legs straight and push your hips straight back 
- bend your torso forward so your chest is facing the ground
- drive your hips in, raise your torso
- contract your glutes at the top of the rep

Banded Good Morning

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 Deadlift Ramp Up Sets

Warm Ups and Activation

Rep Range: 3-5R 
*rest at least 120 seconds, 180 seconds if appropriate
Tempo: steady, powerful
Modification: dumbbell or kettlebell deadlifts or sub for a bent over row or pull ups if more appropriate for you 

Target Muscle Groups: posterior chain- back, glutes, hamstrings, core [please note; this is a compound movement so you will be utilizing multiple muscle groups at once]

Set Up: 
 - load the bar with appropriate weight 
- stand behind the bar, position the bar so it is over mid foot position
- take a hip width stance or slightly inside, toes forward (feel free to play around with stance. your mobility and anatomy will play a large role in the width of your stance)
- create a tripod foot with your feet, think about connecting/pressing through the base of your big toe, little toe, and heel
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position
- pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- keep a neutral spine and hinge at your hips 
- bend forward to grip the barbell
- grip the barbell with a pronated grip (feel free to use straps), hook grip, or an under/overhand grip (Use a “death grip” on the bar)
- grip should be just outside of your hips
- sink your hips down and lift your chest so it is facing forward 
- activate your lats by depressing your scapula (shoving them down and pinning them there) and think about breaking the bar around your body to create tension
*as you do this the bar should be pulled right up to your shins
- keep head/neck/spine neutral

Execution: 
- take a bracing breath, expand your core 3D
- press your feet through the ground
- "leg press" and lift the bar from the floor up until it is at knee level 
- as the bar reaches your knees, drive your hips in and extend your legs fully
(think about your knees externally rotating as you pull the bar, and push hips in> torque)
- raise your torso upright and lift the bar into the standing position
- contract your entire posterior chain and keep tight, make sure to reach full hip extension at the top of the rep, but don’t hyperextend through the low back
- reverse the movement and lower the bar with control, keep the bar as close to your body as possible
- reset your breath in between each rep
- at the top and bottom of the rep we should always be able to ‘read the logo on your shirt’- this just means keep your chest up and facing forward

Barbell Deadlifts

Rep Range: 6-8R
Tempo: steady

Target muscle groups: mid back, lat

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in one hand, neutral grip
- get into a wider than hip width stance, facing a flat bench 
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- push your hips back, slight bend in your knees, and bend your torso forward
- extend your free arm down and plant your hand on top of the flat bench 
- extend your arm holding the dumbbell straight down towards the ground
- position dumbbell under your chest to begin 
- keep a flat back and a neutral head, neck, and spine

Execution: 
- retract your scapula
- bend your arm and row your elbow to your hip on one side
- squeeze your elbow in close by your side
- contract your lat/mid back 
- extend your arm and lower the dumbbell towards the ground again

Single Arm Wide Stance Dumbbell Row

Rep Range: 6-10R
*1R + 1/4R= 1 full rep 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: banded straight arm pulldown or dumbbell lat pullover

Target muscle group: lats

Set Up: 
- attach a cable rope to one side of the cable and position it high 
- step in front of the cable, facing the rope
- extend your arms overhead to grip the ends of the rope with a neutral grip 
- step away from the cable 2-3 steps
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- push your hips back and bend your torso forward slightly
- pin your traps down, shoulders back
- keep your arms straight

Execution: 
- depress your scapula
- pull the rope straight down towards your hips
- pull the rope apart at the bottom of the rep
- lift your chest slightly and contract your lats
- extend your arms and guide the rope overhead again 
- stretch through your lats at the top of the rep

Cable Rope 1 1/4R Straight Arm Pulldowns

Rep Count: 8-12R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: banded lat pulldown 

Target muscle group: lats

Set Up: 
- attach a rope to one side of the cable and position it high 
- step in front of the cable, facing the grip
- grip the ends of the rope with a neutral grip 
- extend your arms overhead and sit on the ground
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- bend your legs, plant your feet on the ground
- lean your torso back only slightly 
- keep a neutral head, neck, and spine

Execution: 
- depress your scapula
- bend your arms and pull the rope straight down towards your chest
- squeeze your elbows by your sides
- contract your lats
- extend your arms and guide the rope into the overhead position again

Cable Rope Lat Pulldowns [from floor]

Compound Set

Rep Range: 6-8R
*1R Y raise + 1R reverse fly= 1 full rep 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: bent over or chest supported dumbbell Y raise to reverse fly 

Target muscle group: rear delts, high/mid back 

Set Up: 
- sit on the bench of the double cable machine
- bend your legs slightly and plant your feet on the platforms
- extend your arms straight forward and grip the handles with a pronated grip
- sit tall, pin your traps down, 
- keep your arms straight

Execution: 
- pull the cables overhead and into a Y position 
- contract your rear delts, high traps
- lower your arms and bring the cables forward in front of your chest again 
- rotate your grip to neutral
- pull the cables out to either side in a fly
- contract your rear delts, high/mid back 
- bring your arms forward again, cables in line with your chest in front of you again

Seated Double Cable Y Raise to Reverse Fly

Rep Range: 5R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: no band and/or bend legs and plant feet on the ground

Target muscle group: rear delts, mid back, lats 

Set Up: 
- loop a long loop band low around each side of the smith machine
- rack the bar at just below hip height
- sit on the ground under the bar, slide your feet under the band and position the band over your hips
- lie in a supine position, chest under the bar
- extend your arms over your chest and grip the bar with a pronated grip, just outside of shoulder width apart
- lift your glutes off of the ground and hips into full extension against the tension of the band
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- keep your torso traveling in a stiff, straight line 
- hold tension in your lats, think about breaking the bar in half

Execution: 
- retract your scapula and bend your arms
- tuck your elbows at ~45 degrees from your torso and row your chest to the bar
- contract your mid/high back, and rear delts
- extend your arms and lower your torso towards the ground again 
- hold tension in your core throughout, keep hips high/in full extension

Hip Banded Inverted Row

10/1 Deadlift Strength + Back + Rear Delts

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 ♾️

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

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

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!

10/1 Deadlift Strength + Back + Rear Delts

Community

More workouts from Sam Sweeney