Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 5/27 Back, Rear Delts
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:42.554Z
Duration: 75 min
Description: 5/27 Back, Rear Delts

Serena

Loved it! Back day is my favorite of this split!

April

Flavia

Dedra

One of these days I’ll figure out the crescent row. Today was not that day 🤣 amazing lift regardless, thank you!

Audry

Marta

This is easily becoming one of my favorite splits we’ve ever done 🙌💯🥰

Megan

Swapped a few exercises out on that one, but loved it!!!!  I now LOVE Back day.🩷

Michelle 

Megan Laudick

Shania

Mike

Kimberly R

Brandi

Deja

Molly

Mia Arrowsmith

JulieAnn

Samantha French

Jennifer

Lorena

Thought I wasn’t gonna be able to do much but managed the hole workout!! Win win!!!

Aimee

Feeling stronger this week! That's for such a well balanced workout Sam!

Tamara

Regina

Feeling strong. This one took awhile and mentally I was all over the place, but glad to get it done

Katie

Morgan

Kimmy

my forearms are always on fire by the end of these back days 😂

Rachel Ratvasky

Rachel

Bridgette

SA Crescent rows and back fly are a superior superset! 👌

Kristin

Happy Tuesday!

Week 2 of 4 (week 5 deload)

Pre Training Mobility and Warm Up: please use the programmed warm up and mobility movements below 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.

Back, Rear Delts: 

1a. Dumbbell Pullover: 4S/12-15R 
1b. Dumbbell Bent Over Row (neutral grip): 4S/8-12R 

2. Close Grip Lat Pulldowns (drop set): 3S/5R drop 5R drop 5R drop 5R

3a. Single Arm Dumbbell Crescent Row (rear delt swing): 4S/15-20R each side
3b. Chest Supported Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly: 4S/30R (10 second hold at the top of the last rep, each set)

4. Supinated Grip Barbell Bent Over Row: 8S/5R (every 30 seconds)

OPTIONAL CORE AMRAP: 5 MINUTES
5a. Snatch Grip Deadlifts: 10R 
5b. Hanging Bent Leg Raise: 10R

5/27 Training Day Overview

Rep Range: 12-15R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: cable or banded straight arm pulldown

Target muscle group: lats, mid back

Set Up: 
- sit in front of a flat bench, press your mid back into the bench (like you are setting up for a hip thrust)
- grip a single dumbbell in both hands, make a triangle with your palms up and pin the dumbbell between your hands
- bend your legs and plant your feet on the ground, heels under your knees
- press your back into the bench and raise your hips off of the ground
- keep your hips below your torso 
- squeeze your glutes, keep a neutral pelvis position and brace
- extend your arms towards the ceiling and hold the dumbbell over your chest
- keep your arms mostly straight, a slight bend in your arms is ok 
- rest your head back on the bench
- pin your scapula down 

Execution: 
- keep arms extended and lower the dumbbell over your head and towards the ground 
- feel a stretch through your lats and mid back as you lower the dumbbell
- pull the dumbbell over your chest again, contract your lats and mid back 
- focus on the stretch of the movement
- keep scapula pinned down so you are stretching through your lats and not just your shoulders

Dumbbell Lat Pullover

Rep Range: 8-12R 
Tempo: steady 

Target muscle group: mid back, lats

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand, neutral grip 
- stand with feet hip width apart, toes forward
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position 
- push your hips back, slight bend in your knees
- bend your torso forward so your chest faces the ground 
- extend your arms down towards the ground, dumbbells directly below your delts
- keep a flat back and a neutral head, neck, and spine
- brace

Execution: 
- retract your scapula 
- bend your arms and row your elbows towards your hips on each side, squeeze your elbows in close by your sides
- contract your mid back and lats
- extend your arms and lower the dumbbells towards the ground again 
- keep the movement controlled, try not to swing the dumbbells as you row

Dumbbell Bent Over Row (neutral grip)

Primary Compound Set

Rep Range: 5R drop 5R drop 5R drop 5R 
*drop the weight by 20-50%
Tempo: steady 
Modification: banded or machine pulldowns

Target muscle group; lats

Set Up: 
- grip the close grip handle with a neutral grip 
- extend your arms overhead and sit on the edge of the seat
- press your knees up into the pads
- drive your ribs down and brace
- lean your torso back slightly, chest facing the close grip handle

Execution: 
- depress your scapula
- bend your arms, drive elbows towards the ground, and pull the bar to your chest
- squeeze your elbows in close by your sides
- contract your lats
- extend your arms with control 
- be sure to reset your scapula between reps
- keep traps down, shoulders back

Close Grip Lat Pulldowns (drop set)

Rep Range: 15-20R each side
Tempo: steady

Target muscle group: rear delts, high/mid back

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in one hand, neutral grip 
- stand with feet hip width apart, toes forward
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position 
- push your hips back, bend your torso forward
- extend your arm towards the ground, dumbbell under your delt
- pin a slight bend in your elbow
- keep a flat back and a neutral head, neck, and spine

Execution: 
- retract your scapula
- lead with your elbow and drive the dumbbell back, towards your hip
- squeeze your elbow to your side and swing the dumbbell to the top of the rep, contract your rear delt, high/mid back 
- lower the dumbbell towards the ground again 
- keep momentum, use a controlled swing 
- keep chest facing the ground 
- keep bend in your elbow pinned throughout

Single Arm Chest Supported Crescent Row (rear delt swings)

Rep Range: 30R 
Tempo: 10 second hold at the top of the last rep, each set 

Target muscle groups: rear delts, mid/high back 

Set Up: 
- set your bench to a ~45-60 degree incline 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand, pronated grip 
- straddle the seat of the bench, press your chest into the bench 
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis, drive your hips into the bench 
- extend your arms down over the end of the bench, dumbbells under your delts
- pin a slight bend in your elbows
- keep a neutral head, neck, and spine position 

Execution:
- retract your scapula
- lift the dumbbells out to each side, dumbbells in line with your torso/rear delts at the top of the rep 
- contract your rear delts, high/mid back 
- lower the dumbbells towards the ground and under your delts again with control

Single Arm Chest Supported Dumbbell Rear Delt Fly

Compound Set

Rep Count: 5R
*every 30 seconds
Tempo: steady 
Modification: supinated grip dumbbell bent over

Target muscle group:  high/mid back, lats

Set Up:
- grip the barbell just outside of hip width, supinated grip 
- step your feet under the bar, lift the bar from the rack and step back 2-3 steps
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- push your hips back, slight bend in your knees
- bend your torso forward so your chest is facing the ground
- extend your arms down towards the ground, barbell directly under your chest
- keep a flat back and a neutral head, neck, and spine 

Execution: 
- retract your scapula
- bend your arms, drive your elbows towards your hips on either side, and row the bar to your chest
- contract your mid/high back, lats
- extend your arms and lower the bar towards the ground again with control

Supinated Grip Barbell Bent Over Row

Rep Count: 10R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: dumbbell or barbell standard deadlifts

Target muscle group: trunk/core, entire posterior chain

Snatch Grip Deadlifts

Rep Count: 10R
Tempo: steady
Modification: forearm supported knee raise, or reverse crunch

Target muscle group: core

Hanging Bent Leg Raise

OPTIONAL CORE AMRAP

5/27 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 ♾️

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

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

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)

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 💀🫠

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!!

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!

5/27 Back, Rear Delts

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