Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 2/28 Back, Biceps, Core
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:46.333Z
Duration: 75 min
Description: 2/28 Back, Biceps, Core

Loved straight arm pulldown kneeling. Full body exercise

Vanessa

Was sick and dying last week and so happy to lift today. This was just what I needed to get my blood moving and I finally hit heavy deadlifts with no knee pain

Megan

Biceps are absolutely smoked 🥵 loved it!

Kody Young

Between the pull-down variations and motorcycle rows, this workout was Lat Central, and I loved every second of it!! Saving this one to do again for sure 💪🥰

Eduardo

Humberto

Biceps felt like they were about to explode! 💪🏻💪🏻

Stephanie

Megan Laudick

yangBAE

Mike

Kimmy

It burns in the right places and did modifications on certain ones. Overall great workout! 🔥

Dominique

chins up starting to feel a bit smoother 💪

Libby

The only other thing for which I could beg would be activators 😍🤙🏻

Ange

Great workout yesterday! I’m super sore 😫 I loved starting out with deadlifts.

Danielle

Maria

Sneaky core work in those rotating straight arm pulldowns. Loooooved this one! Deadlifts getting heavier!!!

Audry

Viviana Kolb

Rebecca

This one was a favorite. I loved how it targeted middle back, a weakness for me

Julie

Love the motorcycle rows and incline supported lats! 🔥🔥

Heather

Dedra

Great workout. Was able to go back to my PR weight with deadlifts 🥲

Deja

Abs on 🔥 after that ending! Also, my back feels so strong!!

Kelsey

Mayra

Shelby

Kaylin

Tiffany

Janelle

Maria Zenz

I had no energy after those deadlifts today. Whew 😰 got through it 🔥🤍

Brandi

Modifying everything due to a minor surgery but still showing up

Muriel Bouvier

Porchia

Nyakeh

Really liked all the bicep movements. Arms are the most stubborn to lean out for me!!

Alexis

Dam good day. Able to to chin up 4*8 with out assistance 🔥🔥

Lakshmi Neelesh Nimmagadda

Tasha

Chiara

Jamie

Loved the kneeling rowers and the supine motorcycle pulls. Fun fun!

Victoria

Happy Tuesday!

Week 3 of 6 in the current split

Focus of this split: perfecting skills and building strength in fundamental joint archetypes. 

Pre Training Mobility and Warm Up: listed in the workout. 

*consider tracking your primary lifts throughout this split. I would even encourage you to film your working set(s) throughout this first week [and following weeks, if possible] so you are able to visually see improvement. 

Tap the ‘start now’ button to find the training day overview.

Back, Biceps, Core:

Pre Training Mobility and Warm Up: 1X through
a. Banded Overhead Distraction: 2 mins minimum each side 
b. Overhead Distraction with External Rotation Bias: 2 mins minimum per side
c. Bilateral Shoulder Flexion- Banded: 2-3 mins
e. 3 Minutes Dumbbell Carries: 1 min farmers carry- 1 min front racked- 1 min overhead- no rest
f. Supermans: 30R
g. RKC Planks: 1 minute: 5 second contractions/5 second rest- for 1 minute

Strength Training: 
1. Conventional Deadlifts: 5S/5R 

2. [assisted/weighted] Chin Ups: 4S/8-10R

Compound Set: 
3a. Double Cable Chest Supported Lat Pulldown [neutral grip]: 3S/6-8R [3 second pause at the top] 
3b. Kneeling Side Straight Arm Pulldown: 3S/10-12R each side 

4. Straight Bar Cable Curls: 4S/25R 

Compound Set: 
5a. Supinated Grip Motorcycle Row: 3S/10-12R [3 second eccentric] 
5b. Preacher Curls: 3S/8-10R [3 second eccentric] 

6. Decline Bench Crunch: 2S/25R total

2/28 Training Day Overview

Time: 2 minutes minimum each side 

*again the band creates space in the joint to reposition the humerus in the shoulder capsule.

Set Up: 
- loop band high around the rack
- hook your wrist through the band and grab both ends
*looping the band around your wrist instead of latching onto it

Execution: 
- use your other hand to bias your arm into external rotation so your palm is facing up and your thumb is pointing towards the outside of your body 
- keep your arm locked in an externally rated position and floss/hold 
- create tension by sinking your hips back and lowering your torso towards the gorund 
- contract and relax in this position and try to distract your shoulder into new lengthened ranges

Banded Overhead Distraction

Time: 2 minutes minimum each side 

Set Up: 
- loop the band high around the rack 
- face away from the band
- loop your arm through the band and hook the band around your elbow 

Execution: 
- step away from the rack to create tension with the band
- squeeze your glutes, drive your ribs down and brace- midline engaged
- twist elbow, lower your elevation- hunt for tension 
- drive elbows towards your face and forward * use other hand to help if needed
- fight to maintain external rotation torque in your shoulder

Overhead Distraction with External Rotation Bias

Time: 2-3 minutes minimum 

*use this time as needed. I will show a couple movements I do in this position. 

**The prescription will vary based off of your needs and where you feel tightness/tenderness. Play around here.

Set Up: 
- kneel in front of a bench or box
- wrap a loop band around your elbows [3 loops] 
- bend your arms and plant your elbows on top of the bench/box 

Execution: 
- keep your elbows as close together as possible, with the help of the band 
- extend your arms and floss in and out 
- with arms bent, position palms up and externally rotate your shoulders push your hips back and drive head down through your arms to hit the soft tissue of your lats and shoulders

*Tension hunt for yourself. Find tight positions and move and hold in those positions until you feel change.

Bilateral Shoulder Flexion: Banded

Time: 3 Minutes
- 1 minute farmers carry 
- 1 minute front racked carry 
- 1 minute overhead carry 

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand
- stand with your feet together
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, drive ribs down and brace

Execution:
- contract your lats and pin dumbbells by your sides 
- hold the brace in your trunk and begin to walk forward
- after one minute, lift the dumbbells to your shoulders in a front racked position 
- elbows should be bent and pointing straight forward, in line with your shoulders 
- after 1 minute of walking in the front racked position, press the dumbbells up and overhead
- continue to walk forward with a strong brace in your core for your final minute

Dumbbell Carry [farmers, front racked, overhead]

Rep Count: 20-30R

Set Up: 
- get down on the ground in a prone position, chest down 
- extend your arms overhead and legs back
- point your toes and squeeze your glutes 
- head, neck, spine neutral 

Execution: 
- pull belly button to spine and brace your trunk as you lift your upper body/chest and legs off the ground 
- contract your glutes/core/low back- entire trunk at the top of the rep 
- release your upper and lower body back to the ground with control 
- keep head in a neutral position

Supermans

Time: 1 minute
- 5 seconds contraction/5 seconds rest for the entire minute [6 rounds]

Set Up: 
- get down on the ground in a low plank position, position your elbows IN FRONT of you shoulders- plant your palms down on the ground 
- squeeze your glutes and pull your belly button to spine to brace

Execution: 
- drive your elbows into the ground and towards your hips and contract your lats/core/glutes together and hold for 5 seconds
- drop knees to the ground and rest for 5 seconds before continuing reps 
- keep body in a straight line

RKC Planks

Pre Training Mobility and Warm Up

Rep Count: 5R 
Tempo: steady, power
Modification: trap bar or dumbbell deadlift 

*be sure to track your weight, reps, sets so you are able to refer back to this each week. 

Set Up: 
 - load the bar with an appropriate weight for the rep count. 
- stand behind the bar and position the bar so it is in line with/above “mid shoelace “
- take a hip width stance or slightly inside. (feel free to play around with stance, your mobility and biomechanics 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) 
- with a neutral spine, hinge the hips back and 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 the hips
- 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
- keep a neutral spine, and press your feet through the ground. 
- leg press the weight up until the bar is at knee level 
- as soon as the bar reaches the knees use torque snap your hips in and lift your torso as you stand the rest of the way. (think about your knees externally rotating, but don’t actually rotate, and push the hips in)
- contract the entire posterior chain and keep it tight, make sure to reach full hip extension at the top of the rep, but don’t hyperextend through the low back
- 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.

Conventional Deadlifts

Rep Range: 8-10R 
Tempo: steady
Modification: supinated grip pulldown 

**use weight for difficulty

Set Up: 
- use a bench or chair for assistance up to the bar if needed [or feel free to jump up] 
- grip the bar with a supinated grip, just outside of shoulder width
- let your body hang down from the bar, legs straight or bent
- contract the glutes to help create full body tension

Execution: 
- depress the scapula and point your chest towards the bar
- pull your chest to the bar
- pin your elbows to your sides and contract your back and biceps simultaneously
- lower your body back to the extended position. 
- arms fully extended at the bottom of the rep, before you move into the next rep

[assisted/weighted] Chin Ups

Rep Range: 6-8R 
Tempo: 3 second hold at the top of each rep 
Modification: banded neutral grip pulldown [chest supported if possible]

Set Up: 
- position a bench at ~70 degrees
- roll the bench centered behind the lat pull down seat, bench facing away with the highest point towards the cable 
- attach the single arm handles to the cable
- grip each handle with a neutral grip 
- pull the cable and step back behind the bench 
- straddle the bench with your legs, press your hips and chest into the bench 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine and brace

Execution: 
- depress your scapula and bend your arms to pull the cable 
- drive your elbows to your sides, keep wrists straight
- contract your lats and hold for 3 seconds 
- release the cable with control until your arms are fully extended towards the cable again 
- reset your scapula between reps if needed

Double Cable Chest Supported Pull Down *neutral grip

Rep Range: 10-12R each side 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: banded side straight arm pulldown 

*being in the kneeling position will take out any stability help you get from your feet when standing. Use your core to stay upright and in position

Set Up: 
- attach a straight bar to the cable and position it high 
- step in front of the cable, facing the bar
- grip the bar with a pronated grip, shoulder width or just outside
- extend your arms towards the cable
- get down into a kneeling position 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine and brace 
- keep your hips pinned in
- keep arms straight, a slight bend is ok 

Execution: 
- keep arms straight and pull the cable down towards the ground 
- twist your torso to one side and drive one end of the bar towards the ground by your side
- contract your lat
- release the bar with control until both arms are fully extended towards the cable and the bar is centered again 
- complete all reps on one side before moving to the next side

Kneeling, Side Straight Arm Pulldown

Compound Set

Rep Range: 25R 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: banded or dumbbell curls 

Set Up: 
- attach a straight bar to the cable and position it low
- step in front of the cable, facing the straight bar
- grip the straight bar with a supinated grip, shoulder width or just outside
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine and brace
- pin your shoulders down and back, and elbows by your sides

Execution: 
- bend your arms and curl the bar towards your front delts
- contract your biceps at the top of the rep 
- release the bar with control until your arms are fully extended again

Straight Bar Cable Curls

Rep Range: 10-12R 
Tempo: 3 second eccentric
Modification: banded supinated grip horizontal row

Set Up: 
- attach a straight bar to the seated cable row machine 
- face the bar and grip each end with a supinated grip 
- pull the cable and step all the way behind the bench
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine and brace
- keep a neutral spine, bend your knees and lean your chest over your quads, arms extended towards the cable
- drive your knees into the end of the bench [use a pad or mat to pad your knees if needed] 

Execution: 
- depress and retract your scapula as you bend your arms and pull the bar towards your chest
- lift chest slightly and drive your elbows close to your sides and contract your mid back/lats
- release the bar with control until your arms are fully extended towards the cable again

Supinated Grip Motorcycle Row

Rep Range: 8-10R
Tempo: 3 second eccentric 
Modification: dumbbell concentration curls

Set Up: 
- load the preacher curl with appropriate weight 
- step behind the seat and sit or stand and lean your chest into the pad
- hook your arms over the pad, connect your arms from elbows to armpits
- grip the handles with a slightly supinated grip 
- pull your shoulders back, pin them down 

Execution: 
- dig your triceps into the pad and pull the handle
- curl the handle towards your chest
- contract your biceps at the top of the rep 
- use a 3 second eccentric to lower the weight with control 
- make sure your arms are fully extended at the bottom of the rep

Preacher Curls

Rep Count: 25R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: no decline bench, flat bench or on floor

*if you do not have a decline bench, slide a plate or two under one end of a flat bench to create a slight decline 

Set Up: 
- position yourself on the decline bench 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine and brace 
- bend your arms and interlock your palms behind your head
- tuck your chin and look towards the ceiling 

Execution: 
- use your core to lift your upper back off the bench
- lift your chest straight towards the ceiling
- contract your core
- lower your back to the bench again

Decline Bench Crunch

2/28 Back, Biceps, Core

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

Jennifer

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

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

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

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!!!

2/28 Back, Biceps, Core

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