Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 4/8 Back and Core
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:47.809Z
Duration: 65 min
Description: 4/8 Back and Core

Cassie Gallo

Nice to be back at it after dental surgery…light but something.🙌🏼

Carmen

Great workout. Finalllyyy was able to do most of my pull-ups unassisted. That shit takes a lot of hard work and commitment.

Denise Hofer

Christina

That’s was the best back and core session I’ve done!!

Sammi

First time I ever understood how to do a rack pull (with your expert videos and cues 💗) and I loved them! Also, those plank rows and seated pulls were amazing variations that worked my muscles in a new way!

Megan

Lisa

I never like back day but I actually enjoyed this workout!

Caroline

Whitney Carrington

Love the lower reps at the start for higher weight count 💯

Joyce

Donalee

Kristy Conger

Today was just one of those days everything felt bad. Still, I appreciate these days because they remind me to be thankful for my good days and for my ability to exercise at all. Onto the next 💪🏼

Cara

Kate Wolf

Great Wod. Appreciate your cues and demos as a nice refresher as I get back into it ❤️

Veronica

Heather

Lakshmi Neelesh Nimmagadda

Jillian

Emily

Jimmy

Audi

Anne

Jenn

JulieAnn

Jane

Mia Arrowsmith

My goal was to do unassisted pull ups and I was finally able to do them once again!

Jessica Ramos

Tammy Quenneville

The rolls at the end made me dizzy 🤮🤪

Corrine

Graduated to a thinner band today!! Pull ups and chin ups I’m coming for you👊🏼👊🏼👊🏼

Kirsten

Wow. That was a tough one. No AC in my gym. And I live in Florida.🥵 I could feel the fat dripping off me. Haha! Now getting my gallon of water in to replace the gallon I lost on the gym floor.

Laurie

Loved this one! Especially the core set!  👊🏻

Gloria

Back day on Friday - can’t beat it 🙌🏽🔥

Rikki Meilleur

Susanne Buie

Any core circuit that allows me to roll around on the floor.. km here for it 😂🙌🏼🔥

Megan Laudick

Steve

Stacey

Alli

Great way to end the week!! 💪🏻🙌🏻🔥

Amber

Jamie

Happy Friday!

Hit the ‘start now’ button, and check out ‘exercise 1’ for the 4/8 written training day overview. [there is no video]

Warm Up: foam roll, upper body warm up and activation routine B from, and/or 10-15 mins steady state cardio.

Back and Core: 

1. Deadlift: 5S/3R

2. Pull Ups: 4S/6R

Compound Set: 
3A. Weighted Supinated Inverted Row: 4S/8-10R [10 second eccentric on the last rep of each set] 
3B. Single Arm Elevated Plank Dumbbell. Row: 4S/10-12R each side 

Compound Set: 
4A. Rack Pulls: 3S/8-10R [10 second eccentric on last rep of each set]
4B. Seated Single Arm Cable [or banded] Straight Arm Pulldown: 3S/10-12R each side 

Compound Set: 
5A. Hover Bird Dog: 2-3S/60 seconds
5B. Hollow Hold Roll: 2-3S/60 seconds

4/8 Training Day Overview

Warm Up Sets: 1-2
Rep Count: 3R
Tempo: steady, power
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
- lower the bar with control, keep the bar as close to your body as possible. 
- Reset your breath in between each rep.

Deadlift

Rep Range: 6R 
Tempo: steady, power
Modification: assisted or banded pull ups, or inverted rows. 

*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. 
- lower with control until arms are fully extended. 
- keep the wrists straight.

Pull Ups

Rep Range: 8-10R
Tempo: 10 second eccentric on the last rep of each set
Modification: no weight and/or bend the knees.

Set Up: 
- position the barbell on a rack so you are able to grip the barbell with straight arms, from underneath the bar, with your back resting lightly on the ground. 
- slide yourself under the bar, chest facing the barbell
- rest a plate or weight on your hips
- grip the barbell with a supinated grip (slightly wider than shoulder width grip)
- extend your legs and raise your hips
- contract your glutes and keep your ribs tucked to pin your body in a straight line

Execution: 
- retract your scapula and pull your chest to the bar, do not let the hips drop as you do
- as you row, elbows should be tucked below the shoulders at the top of the rep and at a 45 degree angle to the torso. 
- contract the mid/high back at the top of each rep
- lower your body with control, holding the straight positioning in your body, until your back rests lightly on the ground. 
- on your final rep of each set use a 10 second slow eccentric to lower to the ground.

Weighted Inverted Row

Rep Range: 10-12R each side 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: single arm bent over row, supported on flat bench

Set Up: 
- position yourself in a high plank position with hands elevated on a bench or a barbell positioned on a rack. [pronated grip] 
- squeeze your glutes and contract your quads and push your mid back through your scapula to lock in a strong brace. 
- take one hand off of the rack and pick up a dumbbell with a neutral grip. 
- arm extended down, dumbbell in line with the front delt. 
- lock the non working arm straight to support your hold. 

Execution: 
- drive your elbow back towards your hip as you row the dumbbell towards your chest. 
- squeeze your arm in close to your side
- row until your elbow is in line with your torso. 
- contract your lat
- lower the dumbbell back towards the ground with control
- keep your hips square to the ground, try to avoid shifting in your hips or feet. 
- complete all reps on one side before moving to the other side.

Single Arm Elevated Plank Dumbbell Row

Compound Set

Rep Range: 8-10R
Tempo: 10 second eccentric on the last rep of each set
Modification: supermans

Set Up: 
- set your rack height to knee level or just below [use the pins of the rack to set the height] 
- position yourself behind the barbell
- get into a hip width stance [normal deadlift stance] 
- lean forward with a neutral spine and grip the barbell with a pronated grip [outside of hip width, find the grip most comfortable for you]
- pull the bar close to your body by depressing the scapula and contracting your lats

Execution: 
- drive your feet through the ground, think about externally rotating the feet 
- push your hips forward and pull the barbell from the rack to hip height, standing position
- hips should be fully locked out at the top of the rep, think about having a “proud chest” and contracting your entire posterior chain. [from high back to low back to glutes] 
- hinge at your hips and lower the bar back to the pins with control.

Rack Pulls

Rep Range: 10-12R each side 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: banded pulldown seated or standing, or single arm dumbbell pullover

Set Up: 
- position the cable high, attach a rope or single arm attachment. [or use a band and attach it high]
- sit on the ground in front of one side of the cable, facing the cable.  
- position yourself about an arms distance away from the cable. 
- grip the rope or neutral attachment with one hand, neutral grip. 
- keep your torso upright with a neutral head, neck, spine. 

Execution: 
- keep your arm mostly straight, and depress the scapula on the working side
- pull the cable straight down, in between your legs. 
- contract your lat 
- release the cable with control until your hand is in line with your front delt or just above. 
- complete all reps on one side before moving to the other side.

Seated Single Arm Cable (Banded) Straight Arm Pulldown

Set Range: 2-3S
Time: 60 seconds 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: knees on the ground.

Set Up: 
- begin on all fours in table top position, chest facing the ground, legs bent at 90 degrees. 
- position your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders. 
- keep a neutral spine
- raise your knees off the ground 2-3”

Execution: 
- inhale as you raise your left arm and right leg and extend them out to the front and back. 
- as you extend your limbs, keep your hips square to the ground and keep your chin tucked to maintain a neutral position. 
- hold slightly in the extended position 
- exhale and contract your core as you bring the hand and foot back to the ground in the start position
- continue with the opposite arm and leg. 
- knees should continue to hover throughout the set.

Hover Bird Dog

Set Range: 2-3S
Time: 60 seconds 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: hollow hold pulses

Set Up: 
- get down on the ground in the supine position, chest up
- extend your arms and legs out 
- squeeze your glutes and fill the space between your low back and the ground by raising your legs and upper body off the ground 
- hold this position 

Execution: 
- use your trunk to initiate the roll 
- roll over into a superman position and then roll again so you end the rep in the same position you begin [hollow hold] 
- then roll the opposite direction, to a superman and then back to a hollow position. 
- continue alternating which direction your roll each time. 
- keep your arms and legs off the ground the entire time if possible.

Hollow Hold Roll

4/8 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 ♾️

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!

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!!

4/8 Back and Core

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