Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 3/18 Back and Core
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:47.897Z
Duration: 65 min
Description: 3/18 Back and Core

I really liked the supinated pull down! Super fun

Cassie Gallo

Lots of grip in this one! My forearms felt it more than my back. Grip gave out before back did.

Cresta

Joyce

Karla

I workout out strictly from home and made some adjustments. I did TRX reverse flys for the back extension hold flys and stability ball back extensions with my feet placed firmly against a wall.

Amanda

Loved the see-saws and the rotating back extension 🔥👍🏼❤️‍🔥

Grace

Epic pump today! Got every muscle up and down my whole back 💪

Megan

Kody Young

Perfect pre-night shift work! Loved the rotating back extensions. It works those lateral muscles gooooood 👊🏼

McKenna

Whitney Carrington

Pro: I love back day
Con: I hate (am horrible at) inverse rows 😅

Sarah

Lisa

Solange

Reallly great workout. Feel awesome after

Misha SWB

Ana lopez

Great workout! Didn’t add bands for last exercise but still felt awesome!

Alyssa

Lower back was dragging toward the end 🤮

Christina

Amazing, had every excuse not to train today but I’m so happy I did

Sarah-Jane Perry

Heather

Dedra

I have always had a hard time with back activation... I feel like your daily training back days have been a total gamechanger for me.

Ashley

Back extensions were a bit too painful on the hammies after the prior day’s leg workout. Otherwise, loved the workout!

Erika

Caitlin Sparks

I really love this one Sam👊🏾👍🏾

Kimmy

Jean

Stacey

Taylor Pedmo

JulieAnn

Katie

Rikki Meilleur

Nicole

Mia Arrowsmith

Janelle

Shannon Smolinski 

Stephanie

Jamie R

Was a hard to get started today but I got it done 👊🏻

Lacy

Alexandra VanHook

Megan Laudick

Kelly

Happy Friday! 

3/18 Training Day Overview: 

Suggested Accessory Equipment: large loop band 

Warm Up: Foam Roll, upper body warm up and activation routine B from app. 

1. Deadlift: 5S/5R [3 second slow eccentric]

2. Pull Ups: 4S/8R [2 second pause at the top of each rep] 

Compound Set: 
3A. Supinated Grip Cable Pulldown: 4S/6-8R
3B. Single Arm, Head Supported Dumbbell Bent Over Row: 4S/8-10R each side 

Compound Set: 
4A. Plank See Saw: 3S/8-10R
4B. Back Extension Iso Hold Reverse Fly: 3S/8-10R 
4B. Back Extension Rotations: 3S/10-12R each side 

5. Banded Inverted Row: 3-5S/5R [every 10 seconds, band at hips]

Warm Up Sets: 1-2
Rep Count: 5R
Tempo: 3 second eccentric
Modification: trap bar deadlift, dumbbell deadlift

Set Up: 
 - load the bar with an appropriate weight for the rep count. 
- 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 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 (push) 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 the lats by depressing the 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 the torque snap your hips in and 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
- use a 3 second eccentric to lower the bar with control, keep the bar as close to your body as possible. 
- Reset your breath in between each rep.

Deadlifts [slow eccentric]

Rep Count: 8R
Tempo: 2 second hold at the top of each rep
Modification: banded or assisted pull ups, or inverted rows [pronated grip] 

*feel free to use bands or assisted machine here. 

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. 
- step each foot into the band (if you are using the band) and extend the legs and arms straight, hang from the bar. 
- squeeze your glutes and brace your core [“brace for a punch and create a “hollow” position]

Execution: 
- depress your scapula as you bend your arms and 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 to initiate the pull. 
- hold for 2 seconds at the top of the rep
- lower with control until arms are fully extended. 
- keep the wrists straight.

Pull Ups [assisted, isometric hold]

Rep Range: 6-8R
Tempo: steady
Modification: banded pulldown, close-  neutral grip pull-ups [assisted], or dumbbell pullovers.

Set Up: 
- attach a straight bar attachment to the lat pull down machine 
- sit on the bench with your glutes at the edge of the seat
- press your knees up into the pad and contract your calves 
- grip the straight bar with a supinated grip, shoulder width apart. 
- keep a neutral spine and lean the torso back 45-60 degrees. 

Execution: 
- think “ribs down” and depress the scapula as you pull the bar down towards your chest
- think about driving the elbows straight down through the floor. 
- contract the lats, keep the elbows in close
- release the bar with control until your arms are fully extended. 
- keep the spine neutral

Supinated Grip Cable Pulldown

Rep Range: 8-10R each side 
Tempo: steady


Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in one hand, neutral grip 
- plant one foot on the ground [the same side as the hand holding the dumbbell]
- criss cross the other leg over the planted foot, keep the hips square and hold this position. 
- keep a neutral spine as you bend the torso forward and rest your head on the back of an incline bench [use your arm to pad your forehead/for extra support]

Execution: 
- start with your arm extended down, neutral grip 
- contract the lat and drive your elbows towards your waist 
- as you row twist your grip from neutral to supinated when you reach the top of the rep
- squeeze the elbow in close and contract the lat
- lower with control until your arm is extended down from your shoulders, twist back to a neutral grip position.

Single Arm, Head Supported Dumbbell Row

Compound Set

Rep Range: 20R
Tempo: steady
Modification: drop to your knees

Set Up:
- get down on the ground in a low plank position, on your forearms
- position your elbows in front of your shoulders, forearms pressed into the ground
- squeeze your glutes, contract your quads, and push your mid back through your scapula to hold a tight brace throughout the body. 

Execution: 
- use your lats to begin shifting your body back and forward in a ‘see saw’ motion
- keep your hips in line with your torso, make sure your hips are not dropping or shifting as you move through the motion.

Plank See Saw

Rep Range: 8-10R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: bent over dumbbell reverse fly

Set Up: 
- position yourself on the hyperextension machine so that the pad is in line with your hips. 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms down so the dumbbells are in line with your front deals. 
- lift your chest so it is in line with your torso, but keep it pointing towards the ground. 
- hold a tight brace in your core and create a stiff trunk

Execution: 
- lock in a slight bend in the elbows
- fly the weight back by extending your arms out, keeping palms facing the ground. 
- retract your scapula and engage the mid/high back as you reach the top of the rep. 
- lower with control until arms are extended down towards the ground. 
- hold tension through your entire trunk as you move through the reps here. Your low back should be fully engaged to keep you from shifting or swinging throughout the reps.

Back Extension Iso Hold Reverse Fly

Rep Range: 10-12R each side 
Tempo: steady
Modification: back extension [without rotations], supermans. 

Set Up: 
- set up on the hyperextension machine so the pad is in line with your hips. 
- pin your arms behind your head, elbows out. 
- think about tucking the ribs down and bracing through your entire trunk 

Execution: 
- initiate the movement by engaging your low back
- lift the torso as you lead with one elbow and open your chest up to one side
- only twist so far you are able to feel the contraction in your low back/low lats and keep control through your trunk. 
- lower with control and alternate which side you twist towards each rep.

Back Extension Rotations

Rep Count: 5R
Tempo: steady
Modification: no band, feet flat on the ground with knees bent. 

Set Up:
- loop a large loop band around each side of your rack. [you could use heavy dumbbells or benches to loop your bands if needed]
- adjust the barbell on the rack so you are able to grip the bar from underneath, with arms extended
- grip the barbell with a pronated grip, just wider than shoulder width, and slide yourself under the band
- position the band across your hips
- raise your hips and lock them in line with your torso 
- contract your glutes and think “ribs down” to help hold the brace through your core

Execution:
- retract your scapula and row you chest up to the barbell
- tuck your elbows at a 45 degree angle and keep your wrists straight Juut. 
- contract your high/mid back
- release your chest from the bar and lower yourself back down towards the ground until your arms are fully extended.
- the band will pull your hips down, keep a stiff trunk to keep your body in one straight line.

Banded Feet Elevated Inverted Row [banded at hips]

3/18 Back and Core

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

Porchia

Jennifer

6/16 Quads, Glutes

Audry

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

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

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

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

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!!!

4/22 Chest, Triceps (sprints)

Jessi mollak

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!

3/18 Back and Core

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