Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 8/13 Back, Shoulders, Biceps
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:43.668Z
Duration: 75 min
Description: 8/13 Back, Shoulders, Biceps

Christina

Jessie

Good day!! Thanks for creative workout🙂

Karen Arce

Nyakeh

What a bicep killer at the end! 💥 💪

Kody Young

Marta

Back& biceps has already been my favorite day of this split, but today’s workout was the best of the best!! Every part of this left my upper back and biceps feeling beyond phenomenal 💪🤩💕💕💕

Megan

Biceps annihilated in the finishing superset! 💪

Kristin

Good one! Loved the behind the shoulder military press!

Lamia

Diana

80% max was hard (definitely more weight than I would have normally done) and my lats and biceps are toast 🔥

Katie

Jennifer

Kristy Conger

Kelly

Loved the way TRX Facepull hit my rear delts 😍 awesome & thank you 🧡

Erisa

Caroline

Steve

Deja

Lexi

Loved the behind the head military presses!

Beth

Love this just missing some daily core with the workouts

Chané

Been so long since I’ve been able to do a dedicated back & bicep day. Loved it 💪🏼💪🏼

Amie

Under the weather but I took my time and got it done

Porchia

Kimmy

Lauren

Just what I needed…. thank you  🙏🏼

Lorena

💪🏽💪🏽 biceps jacked after that last superset 🔥🔥

Tonya 

Too good 🙌🏼 that bicep superset was a killer

Morgan

Mia Arrowsmith

Few things can beat a Sweeney back day 😍😍😍

Audry

Alexandra VanHook

Tasha

Happy Tuesday!

Week 5 of 8 week split [week 9 deload]

Goal of Split: To build absolute strength [1RM strength] with a focus on legs and glutes.

Pre Training Mobility and Warm Up: please 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.

Strength Training: Back, Shoulders, Biceps: 

1. Supinated Grip Pendlay Row: 3S/7R
*120 seconds rest*

2. Standing Behind the Head Military Pin Press: 5S/5R [5 second hold at the top of each rep]
*90 seconds rest*

3. 1 1/4R Single Arm Tall Kneeling Straight Arm Pulldown: 4S/6-8R each side 
*75 seconds rest*

4. TRX Facepull: 3S/10-12R 
*90 seconds rest*

4a. Kettlebell Spider Curls: 3S/6-8R [3 second hold at the top] 
4b. Single Kettlebell Hammer Grip Preacher Curls: 3S/8-10R [3 second slow eccentric] 
*75 seconds rest*

8/13 Training Day Overview

Rep Count: 7R 
Tempo: power
Modification: kettlebell pendlay row or dumbbell bent over row

*working up to ~%80 of your 1rm. Reference your numbers from week 4 of this split*

*using rubber plates will put you at an appropriate start point. Feel free to use blocks to raise the bar and lessen the range of motion. 

Set Up: 
- load the barbell with appropriate weight
- stand behind the barbell, hip width stance, toes forward
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- push your hips back, keep only a slight bend in your knees [do not hyperextend] 
- lean your torso forward so your chest is facing the ground 
- extend your arms to grip the barbell under your chest
- grip the bar with a supinated grip, shoulder width apart
- roll the bar over your toes, directly under your front delts 
- depress your scapula, contract your lats 
- tuck your chin, keep a neutral head, neck and spine 

Execution: 
- pull the barbell off of the ground
- retract your scapula
- bend your arms and drive your elbows towards your waist on each side
- squeeze your elbows in close by your sides and row the bar to your chest
- contract your mid back and lats
- extend your arms and lower the bar to the ground again with control 
- come to a dead stop between reps

Supinated Grip Pendlay Row

Rep Count: 5R
Tempo: 5 second hold at the top of each rep
Modification: standing military pin press [in front of head], standing banded behind the head overhead press, or standing dumbbell overhead press

*please note: this movement requires a high amount of upper body mobility and strength. Start very light or and/or consider the modifications. 

*pin height will depend on how tall you are, set pins to appropriate height for you [just above shoulder height- adjust ROM to fit you based on pin height]

Set Up: 
- set the pins/safety bars of your rack at an appropriate height for you
- rack your barbell across your pins/safety bars
- step in front of the bar, the bar should be behind your head to begin 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- bend your arms, squeeze your scapula together, grip the bar behind your head with a pronated grip, shoulder width apart
- drive your elbows forward, contract your lats, think about breaking the bar around your head [create tension]
- keep a neutral head, neck, and spine
- keep a tall torso

Execution: 
- extend your arms and press the barbell off of the pins and into the overhead position 
- contract your delts at the top of the rep, bar directly overhead
- bend your arms, keep driving your elbows forward
- lower the bar to lightly tap the pins between reps- come to a full stop but do not lose tension
- keep knuckles facing the ceiling 
- keep wrists straight
- do not hyperextend in your low back at the top of the rep, stay neutral with a tight brace

Standing Behind the Head Military Press

Rep Range: 6-8R each side
Tempo: steady 
Modification: banded single arm straight arm pulldown 

Set Up: 
- use no attachment and position one side of the cable high 
- step in front of the cable, facing the knob of the cable 
- grip the knob of the cable with a neutral grip 
- step 2-3 steps away from the cable
- get down into a tall kneeling position, knees down 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- extend your arm towards the cable and lean your torso forward just slightly 
- tuck your chin, keep a neutral head, neck, and spine

Execution: 
- depress your scapula
- keep a straight arm and pull the cable straight down towards the ground and to your side
- lean slightly into the pull
- contract your lat
- release the cable only 1/4 rep before pulling it down again to a full contraction 
- release the cable and extend your arm all the way overhead again with control 
- feel a stretch in your lat at the top of the rep 
- keep your trap down, shoulders back

1 1/4R Single Arm Tall Kneeling Straight Arm Pulldown

Rep Range: 10-12R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: banded facepull or cable facepull 

Set Up: 
- grip each handle of the trx band with a neutral grip 
- extend your arms and step back until that band is tight
- step your feet 1-2 steps in and lean you torso back ~45-60 degrees
- keep a narrow stance, drive your heels into the ground
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- keep a neutral head, neck, and spine

Execution: 
- retract your scapula 
- bend your arms and pull your torso towards the band
- drive your elbows wide and in line with or slightly below your delts at the top of the rep 
- think about pulling the handles apart at the top of the rep 
- contract your rear delts, high and mid back 
- extend your arms and lower your torso away from the band again 
- keep your traps down
- control the movement through your rear delts

TRX Facepull

Rep Range: 6-8R
Tempo: 3 second hold at the top of each rep 
Modification: dumbbell spider curls

Set Up: 
- set your bench to a ~60 degree incline
- grip a kettlebell in each hand, supinated grip on the handles
- straddle the seat of the bench, facing the back pad
- press your chest and hips into the back pad of the bench
- hook your arms over the end of the bench, extend your arms down so the kettlebells are below your delts
- pin your elbows under your delts
- tuck your chin
- pull your shoulders back and pin your traps down 
- squeeze your glutes, drive your hips into the pad, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace

Execution: 
- keep your elbows pinned under your delts
- bend your arms and curl the kettlebells towards your delts
- contract your biceps
- extend your arms and lower the kettlebells towards the ground again with control 
- be sure to fully extend your arms between reps

Kettlebell Spider Curls

Rep Range: 8-10R
Tempo: 3 second eccentric
Modification: single dumbbell [holding onto to ends of dumbbell]

Set Up: 
- grip a single kettlebell in both hands, hammer grip on each side of the handle
- step behind the preacher curl pad
- sit or stand and lean your chest into the pad
- hook your arms over the pad, connecting your arms to the pad from armpit to elbows
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- keep a neutral head, neck, and spine
- pull your shoulders back and pin your traps down

Execution: 
- drive your elbows/triceps into the pad
- bend your arms and curl the kettlebell towards your chest
- contract your biceps at the top of the rep 
- keep your arms glued to the pad from armpit to elbows 
- extend your arms and lower the kettlebell away from you again 
- be sure to fully extend your arms between reps

Single Kettlebell Hammer Grip Preacher Curls

Compound Set

8/13 Back, Shoulders, Biceps

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

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

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

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)

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)

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!

8/13 Back, Shoulders, Biceps

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