Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 8/21 Back, Chest, Biceps
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:42.061Z
Duration: 75 min
Description: 8/21 Back, Chest, Biceps

Kody Young

Graziella

Mary

Becky

Feeling really strong, aligned, and centered today 💪🥰

Megan

Audry

Morgan

Brittanie

Molly

I love this split and hope it gets repeated down the line

Steph

Justin Copeland

Jennifer

Sara

Lorena

Ralph John Roy

Deja

We did it GYM bestie Tanja 
🔥🔥🔥🔥

JulieAnn

Marta

Bradley

Mia Arrowsmith

Regina

Nyakeh

Biceps are burnt out 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

Katie

Happy Thursday!

Week 4 of 6 (week 6 deload)

Pre Training Mobility and Warm Up: Please use the core compound set listed and/or choose appropriate warm up from the “Warm Up and Activation” bubble in the app. [previous warm ups can all be found here]. I also recommend adding 1-2 warm up sets to the primary compound movements to serve as a warm up to the training day. 

Tap the ‘start now’ button to find the training day overview.

Back, Chest, Biceps: 

Core Compound Set: (can be done before or after each training session): 
1a.  Anti Lateral Flexion Banded Side Plank Row: 2-3S/10-12R each side 
1b. Bear Hug March in Place: 2-3S/45-60 seconds

Strength Training: 
2. [Assisted] Pull Ups: 4S/8R 

3. Barbell Bench Press: 4S/12R 

4. Feet Elevated Supinated Grip Inverted Row: 3S/5-8R [4 second eccentric] 

5. Single Arm Decline Chest Press: 3S/6-10R each side [2 second pause at the bottom of each rep] 

6a. Standing EZ Bar Curls: 4S/15-20R
6b. Single Arm Reverse Grip Cable Curls: 4S/8-12R each side [3 second eccentric]

7. Machine Reverse Fly: 2S/Failure [choose a weight you know you are able to complete at least 10 good reps with]

8/21 Training Day Overview

Rep Count: 10-12R each side 
Tempo: slow, steady 
Modification: use cable or simply hold side plank position for 30 second each side, drop to knees if needed

Target muscle group: core

Set Up: 
- loop a band low around a rack 
- step in front of the rack, get down into a low side plank position facing the band 
- stack legs or stagger for a more stable base
- plant forearm on the ground, elbow positioned directly under your delt
- squeeze your glutes, keep hips fully extended, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- extend your top arm forward to grip the band with a neutral grip

Execution: 
- hold the brace in your core
- retract your scapula, bend your arm, and row your elbow towards your top hip
- squeeze your elbow in close to your side
- contract your back
- extend your arm forward again with control

Banded Side Plank Row

Rep Range: 30-60 seconds
Tempo: steady

Target muscle group: core

Set Up: 
- hug a plate or weight to your chest
- stand with feet hip width apart, toes forward
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- keep a tall torso, and a neutral head, neck, and spine 
- tuck your ribs down

Execution: 
- lift one foot off of the ground, bend your leg and drive your knee towards your chest
- extend your leg and plant your foot on the ground again 
- alternate each leg, each rep in a marching motion
- try not to shift side to side as you march

Bear Hug March in Place

Core Compound Set

Rep Count: 8R 
Tempo: steady
Modification: band or machine assisted, or sub for lat pulldowns

Target Muscle Groups: back [lats] 

*band or machine assisted, bodyweight, or weighted- be consistent and progress as appropriate from week to week 

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, shoulder width apart [thumbs wrapped under the bar] 
* [step each foot into the band (if you are using the band)]
- extend your legs and arms and allow your body to hang from the bar in a hollow position, feet slightly in front of your torso, or bend your legs and cross your feet behind you
- think about pointing your armpits forward- break the bar with your hands and contract your lats
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine and brace your core [‘brace for a punch’ and create a “hollow” position]
- keep a neutral head, neck, and spine
- control the movement through your lats

Execution: 
- depress your scapula 
- bend your elbows and think about driving them down into the ground
- pull your chest to meet the bar 
- as you pull yourself up, keep your elbows in front of your shoulders, think about breaking the pull up bar in half and use your lats to initiate the pull
- contract your lats/back when your chin is above the bar
- extend your arms and lower your body away from the bar with control
- be sure to fully extend your arms between reps, reset scapula 
- keep your wrists straight

[Assisted] Pull Ups

Rep Count: 12R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: flat bench dumbbell chest press

Target muscle group: chest  
Set Up: 
- set the bar at a reasonable height so you are able to safely un-rack the barbell when you are lying supine on the bench. 
- to get into position, retract and depress your scapula and pin your mid/upper back to the bench. 
- grip the bar with a pronated grip, wider than shoulder width (grip placement will depend on your body mechanics and mobility)
- lock in the natural arch in your low back by contracting your lats (keep the scapula retracted and depressed), lift your chest towards the bar, squeeze your glutes, and position your toes in line with or slightly behind your knees. 
*the arch will keep your shoulders safe during heavy pressing. (No need to accentuate it if uncomfortable, just utilize the natural arch)*
- plant your feet on the ground so your toes are in line with or slightly behind your knees 
- brace and create full body tension [death grip on the bar- grip the ground with your feet]

Execution: 
- keep full body tension (break the bar- spread the ground with your feet) and un-rack the barbell, position it just above your chest in the starting position. 
- bend your elbows below your shoulders as you lower the barbell to mid chest or just under your chest [think about rowing the bar into your chest and squeeze your scap as you do, this will help keep tension in your posterior chain to support the press]
- keep your knuckles facing the ceiling 
- drive your feet through the floor and exhale as you press the bar up and slightly “back” to the start position.
- reset your brace and breath between reps

Barbell Bench Press

Rep Range: 5-8R
Tempo: 4 second eccentric 
Modification: feet on the ground and legs bent with feet planted on the ground, or sub for dumbbell supinated grip bent over rows

Target muscle group: mid back, lats

Set Up: 
- set your bar on the rack at an appropriate height for you to lie underneath on the ground and grip the bar from below
- place a flat bench in front of your bar, about body length distance again, adjust to fit you [choose a lower platform for less tension]
- lie under the bar with feet pointing towards the bench 
- extend your arms towards the bar and grip the bar with a supinated grip, shoulder width apart
- extend each leg and position each foot up to the top of the flat bench, drive heels into the bench 
- lift hips off of the ground, squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- keep your body traveling in one straight line, do not let your hips sink
- keep glutes off of the ground

Execution: 
- retract your scapula
- bend your arms and pull your chest to the bar
- contract your mid back/lats
- extend your arms and lower your chest from the bar
- keep tension the entire set

Feet Elevated Supinated Grip Inverted Row

Rep Range: 6-10R each side
Tempo: 2 second pause at the bottom of each rep

Target muscle groups: chest

Set Up: 
*if you do not have a decline bench you can slide a plate under one end of the bench to create a slight decline
- grip a dumbbell in one hand, pronated grip 
- lie in a supine position on the decline bench 
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- extend your arm and position the dumbbell over your chest on one side
- tuck your pinky forward slightly 
- keep both scapula pinned to the bench 

Execution: 
- bend your arm so your elbow travels ~45 degrees from your torso
- lower the dumbbell on one side to at least a 90 degree bend
- extend your arm and press the dumbbell over your chest again 
- contract your chest
- keep knuckles facing the ceiling

Single Arm Decline Chest Press

Rep Range: 15-20R
Tempo: steady
Modification: standing dumbbell curls

Target muscle group: biceps

Set Up: 
- grip the ez bar with both hands, supinated grip, shoulder width apart
- stand with feet hip width apart, toes forward
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis, and brace
- pin your traps down, shoulders back 
- extend your arms down on either side, hold the bar in front of your torso

Execution: 
- keep elbows squeeze by your side and bend your arms 
- curl the bar towards your chest
- contract your biceps
- extend your arms and lower the bar back to the start position 
- be sure to fully extend your arms between each rep

Standing EZ Bar Curls

Rep Count: 8-12R each side 
Tempo: 3 second eccentric 
Modification: single arm reverse grip dumbbell curls

Target muscle group: biceps

Set Up: 
- attach a single arm handle to one side of the cable and position it low
- step in front of the cable, facing the handle 
- grip the handle with one hand, reverse/pronated grip 
- extend your arm down on one side, keep your wrist pinned straight
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis, and brace
- pin your traps down, shoulders back
- keep your elbow pinned by your side

Execution: 
- drive your elbow into into your side
- bend your arm and curl the handle towards your delt
- contract your bicep
- keep elbow in place and extend your arm as you lower the cable with control 

-

Single Arm Reverse Grip Cable Curls

Bicep Compound Set

Rep Count: Failure [as many reps as you can with good form]
*choose a weight you know you are able to complete at least 10 good reps with*
Tempo: slow, steady
Modification: chest supported dumbbell reverse fly 

Target muscle group: mid/high back, rear delts 

Set Up: 
- sit on the bench of the reverse fly machine, press your chest into the pad, plant feet on the ground 
- extend your arms forward to grip the handles with a neutral grip 
- handles should be in line with your delts
- keep wrists pinned straight
- pin a slight bend in your elbows
- keep traps down, shoulders back 

Execution: 
- drive your chest into the pad
- retract your scapula and pull the handles out to either side
- contract your mid/high back/rear delts
- bring the handles forward again with control

Machine Reverse Fly

8/21 Back, Chest, Biceps

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

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

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!

8/21 Back, Chest, Biceps

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