Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 5/23 Back, Light Chest
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:47.612Z
Duration: 60 min
Description: 5/23 Back, Light Chest

Always a good back day with the Sweeney’s 💪🏼

Cara

First session for the week! Best session to start with

Sammi

Surprised myself and was able to do weighted push ups with 25lbs! 🤩 loved this one.

kimandkairi

Those supinated rows always get me especially pumped 💪💪💪 Today’s workout was challenging and really fun, all at the same time!!

Megan

Donalee

I wish the workouts would stay on here longer, like a full month, before disappearing and replacing every two weeks.

Priscilla

Katie

Kody Young

Anna Lombari

i think I sweat as much as legs whenever I do your back workouts lol

Marla Sagatelian

Codie

Killer back pump after a few days off 🔥🔥🔥

Megan Laudick

DeAnna

April

Kate

Catherine

Stacey

Amanda

Erika

Janelle

Lacey

Fantastic way to start the week. 💥🔥💥🔥

Mia Arrowsmith

Wow👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾.  This was good!

Kimmy

Gloria

Steve

Rosa

Nani

Love back day! Loving the 6 sets in between to break things up and get you extra sweaty!

Brandi

Kirsten

Audi

Had to adjust the workout with only dumbbells/bands in a parking lot while waiting for my son to have a procedure. Worked great!

Anne

Yvette

Happy Monday!! What a way to start the week!  The weighted push-ups were my fav!!!

So psyched that I got my push up strength back from this programming.  Pull ups I'm coming for you next!

Cindy Smith

Trusting the process! I felt really strong today with the back when before I could tell I was using helping muscles before…well today, I didn’t need no stinking help!!

Victoria

Kenia

Crushed my back and it’s so good to pump it

Lakshmi Neelesh Nimmagadda

Great workout to start off the week! 😊

Caroline

Those deadlift pauses had me sweating 🥵🔥

Channing

JulieAnn

Happy Monday!

The training day overview is listed at the top of the page after you hit ‘start now’.

Warm Up: foam roll, upper body warm up and activation routine B from app.

Back, Light Chest: 

Pre Exhaust Set: 
1A. Cable Rope Straight Arm Pulldowns: 4S/10R [3 second hold at the top of each rep] 
1B. Barbell Bent Over Row: 4S/8-10R 

2. Paused Barbell Deadlifts: 6S/6R [every 30 seconds] 

Compound Set: 
3A. Weighted Push Ups: 3S/5R drop 10R [drop set, every set] 
3B. Single Arm Pronated Machine Chest Fly: 3S/8-10R each side [3 second hold at the top of each rep] 

Triset: 
4A. Close Grip Lat Pulldown: 3S/5R drop 10R [drop set, every set] 
4B. Single Arm Supinated Grip Dumbbell Row: 3S/8-10R each side [3 second hold at the top of each rep] 
4C. Chin Up Iso Hold: 3S/F

5/23 Training Day Overview

Rep Range: 10R 
Tempo: 3 second iso hold at the top of each rep 
Modification: Banded straight arm pulldown. 

Set Up: 
- attach the cable rope and position it high
- face the cable and grip the ends of the rope attachment. 
- step away from the cable 2-3 steps. 
- keep a neutral spine and lean your torso forward towards the cable. 

Execution: 
- lock in a slight bend in your elbows. 
- depress your scapula and pull the rope down, towards your quads. 
- squeeze your elbows to your sides and contract your lats. 
- contract your lats and hold for 3 seconds
- release the rope with control until your arms are fully extended towards the cable again.

Cable Rope Straight Arm Pulldowns

Rep Range: 8-10R 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: Dumbbell bent over row 

Set Up: 
- set a barbell on a rack at just below knee height. 
- grip the barbell with a pronated grip, equal distance from the knurling on each side [a thumbs distance in from the knurling on each side is a good starting place, adjust to fit you] 
- lift the barbell off the rack and take 2-3 steps back, take a hip width stance. 
- lock in a slight bend in your knees. 
- keep a neutral spine, hinge at your hips, and bend your torso forward so your chest is facing the ground [the further bent over you are, the more core support you will need] 

Execution: 
- retract your scapula and drive your elbows back towards your hips. 
- row the barbell to your mid chest, elbows should flare about 45 degrees from your torso. 
- contract your mid back 
- lower the barbell with control until your arms are extended. 
- keep control of each set, fight to keep the torso from swaying or swinging.

Barbell Bent Over Row

Pre Exhaust Set

Rep Count: 6R 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: paused dumbbell, kettlebell, or trap bar deadlifts.

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 or just below and pause there for 1-2 seconds [keep the bar close to your body during the pause, lats in control]
- snap your hips in and stand the rest of the way upright. (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.

Paused Barbell Deadlift

Rep Count: 5R weighted drop 10R no weight [drop set, every set]
Tempo: steady 
Modification: use no weight, drop from toes to knees/incline

Set Up: 
- position a plate on your mid back. 
- get down on the ground in a high plank/push up position, hands just outside of your chest. 
- squeeze your glutes and quads simultaneously and push your mid back through your scapula. 
- hold the “hollow hold” position to secure the brace. 

Execution:
- bend your elbows below the shoulders [~45 degree angle from the torso]
- lower the chest towards the ground
- tap chest to the ground [or lower as far as you are able]
- drive palms and toes through the ground and press yourself up into the high plank position. 
- your body should lower and rise in a straight line [watch for “worming”, the hips rising faster than the chest or vice versa.] 
- complete 5R with the plate on your back before dropping the plate for 10 more bodyweight push ups.

Weighted Push Up [drop set, every set]

Rep Count: 8-10R each side 
Tempo: 3 second hold at the top of each rep
Modification: banded or cable single arm pronated grip chest fly

Set Up: 
- position yourself on the chest fly machine so the handles line up just below shoulder level. 
- plant your feet on the ground and grip one handle of the machine with one hand, pronated grip 
- lock in a slight bend in your elbow

Execution: 
- pull the handle forward until the handle of the machine is in line with the chest of your chest
- contract your pec and hold for 3 seconds in this position
- release the weight with control until your arm is extended and the handle of the machine is just below your shoulder. 
- repeat on the other side.

Single Arm Pronated Grip Machine Chest Fly

Compound Set

Rep Count: 5R drop 10R [drop set, every set]
*drop the weight by 20-50%
Tempo: steady
Modification: landmine close grip row, neutral grip pull ups/assisted pull-ups

Set Up: 
- position yourself on the lat pulldown bench so you are seated at the edge of the bench
- press your knees up into the pad of the bench- driving the balls of your feet through the ground and flexing your calves [this will help your hold the brace]
- grip the close grip attachment and lean your torso back so your chest is facing the cable. 

Execution: 
- depress your scapula as you pull the cable, driving your elbows straight down and squeezing them in tight to your sides. 
- release the cable with control until your arms are fully extended back towards the cable. [make sure to depress the scapula and pin them down again as you move into your next rep]
- complete 5 reps before dropping the weight by 20-50% and complete 10 reps more.

Close Grip Lat Pulldown

Rep Range: 8-10R each side
Tempo: 3 second hold at the top of each rep

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in one hand and position it on the ground in front of your
- get into a wide stance and bend your torso forward so your chest is facing the ground
- stabilize this position by resting one hand on a bench 
- grip the dumbbell with the other hand, use a supinated grip 

Execution: 
- depress and retract your scapula and drive your elbow towards your hip
- squeeze your elbow in tight and contract your lat/mid back and hold for 3 seconds. 
- lower the dumbbell back towards the ground with control until your arm is fully extended.

Single Arm Supinated Grip Dumbbell Row

Time: Failure
Tempo: iso hold
Modification: assisted/banded chip up hold, or supinated grip inverted row

** feel free to use assistance on this**

Set Up: 
- use a bench to position yourself on a pull up bar. 
- grip the bar with a supinated grip, just outside shoulder width. 

Execution: 
- jump yourself up to the bar, get your chest to the bar
- depress your scapula and tuck your elbows to your sides, contract your lats. 
- squeeze your glutes and brace your core
- hold this position as long as you can, drop until your arms are extended, count entire hold.

Chin Up Iso Hold

Triset

5/23 Back, Light Chest

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

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

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

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!!

5/23 Back, Light Chest

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