Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 8/27 Back, Shoulders, Biceps
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:43.610Z
Duration: 75 min
Description: 8/27 Back, Shoulders, Biceps

Alexis

Emily

Becky

Lamia

Bicep burn on a whole nother level! 💪 🔥

Kody Young

Holy smokes the super set killed me 🔥🔥

Marta

Loved the rear delt work! And those 1.25 rep recline curls provided a most-excellent bicep burn 💪😍❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Megan

Kristin

Stephanie

Hannah Marks

Audry

Beth

Smoke 🔥🥵 that bicep superset was brutal

Morgan

15 lb weights felt like 50 at the end of the bicep set 🥴

Corrine

Kimmy

Loved back day today! Was able to squeeze in some pull ups 🔥 
That last set had my biceps shaking 🫨

Deja

Janelle

Porchia

Perfect way to celebrate turning 38! 🎉🎉

Lorena

Loved this workout and the doable modifications.

Renata

Michelle

Carly

Madison

Dam the bicep work wow arms are spent 💪🏼

Joanne Nichols

Mike

Happy Tuesday!

Week 7 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: 5S/3R
*180 seconds rest*

2. Barbell Behind the Neck Push Press: 3S/6-10R [3 second eccentric]
*90 seconds rest*

3. Single + Single + Double Lat Pulldown: 4S/6-8R total [3 second hold at the top]
*90 seconds rest*

4. Single Arm Cable Rear Delt Lateral Extension: 3S/10-12R each side
*75 seconds rest*

4a. Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls: 4S/6-10R [hold at the top for same amount of seconds as rep count. Rep 1= 1 sec hold, rep 2= 2 sec hold, rep 3= 3 sec hold, etc… up to rep 10= 10 sec hold]
4b. 1 1/4 Dumbbell Recline Curl: 4S/8-12R 
*75 seconds rest*

8/27 Training Day Overview

Rep Count: 3R 
Tempo: power
Modification: kettlebell pendlay row or dumbbell bent over row

*working up to ~%90-95 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 Range: 6-10R
Tempo: 3 second eccentric 
Modification: barbell push press [standard], or dumbbell push press

*this is an advanced form of the push press movement. If you do not have the mobility/strength for this one, please consider the modifications. If this is your first time trying, go with only the bar weight to begin.

Set Up: 
- grip the barbell with a pronated grip, slightly wider than shoulder width apart
- squeeze your scapula together and pull yourself under the bar
- step both feet under the bar
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- position the bar on your high traps
- contract your lats and drive your elbows down and forward, think about breaking the bar around your head to keep tension 
- lift the bar from the rack and step 1-3 steps back 
- get into a hip width stance or slightly wider
- keep your gaze forward 

Execution: 
- bend your knees
- extend your legs and press up onto your toes
- use the momentum from your lower body to extend your arms and press the bar off of your traps and directly into the overhead position 
- knuckles should face the ceiling at the top of the rep, arms fully extended, armpits pointing forward, heels down
- squeeze your scapula together
- bend your arms, driving them forward, keeping tension in your lats
- lower the bar behind your neck to your high traps
- “catch” the bar on your back with soft knees, bend them slightly 
- extend your legs and move directly into the next rep 
- do not let your elbows flare

Behind the Neck Barbell Push Press

Rep Range: 6-8R
*single arm + single arm + both arms together= 1 full rep 
Tempo: 3 second hold at the top 
Modification: banded lat pulldown 

Set Up: 
- grip the double cable pulldown attachments with a pronated grip 
- extend your arms and sit on the edge of the seat
- lift your heels and drive your knees into the pads
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- keep a neutral head, neck, and spine position 
- lean your torso back slightly 

Execution: 
- keep one arm extended
- tuck your pinky forward, depress your scapula, and bend your other arm
- drive your elbow towards the ground, and pull the cable straight down to your side 
- squeeze your elbow in by your side and contract your lat
- extend your arm and lower the cable with control 
- complete the same on the other side
- to finish the rep complete reps with both arms
- keep traps down
- be sure to depress your scapula before each rep

Single + Single + Double Lat Pulldown

Rep Range: 10-12R each side
Tempo: steady 
Modification: single arm banded, or bent over dumbbell single arm rear delt fly 

Set Up: 
- use no handle attachment
- position one side of the cable just above chest height
- step in front of the cable, facing 90 degrees from the cable 
- step back 1 step to the side of the cable
- extend your arm closest out to your side to lightly grip the rack of the cable
- take a hip width stance, squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- reach across with your furthest arm and grip the knob of the cable with a pronated grip
- pin a slight bend in your elbow
- begin with arm across your chest
- keep chest and hips facing 90 degrees from the cable
- keep a neutral head, neck, and spine

Execution: 
- lead with your pinky, retract your scapula
- pull the cable across your chest and out to your side
- contract your rear delt/mid back 
- the knob of the cable should be in line with or slightly below rear delt out to your side at the top of the rep 
- lower the cable and reach your arm across your chest again 
- keep your traps down, shoulders back 
- control the movement through your rear delt

Single Arm Cable Rear Delt Lateral Extensions

Rep Range: 6-10R
Tempo: hold at the top for the same amount of seconds as rep count
*ex. Rep 1= 1 sec hold, rep 2= 2 sec hold, rep 3= 3 second hold, etc… up to rep 10= 10 sec hold

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand, hammer grip 
- sit on a bench, plant your feet on the ground, press your back into the pad of the seat
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- extend your arms down by your sides
- pin your elbows in line with your torso 
- keep a tall torso and a neutral head, neck, and spine

Execution: 
- dig your elbows into your sides
- bend your arms and curl the dumbbells towards your front delts
- contract your biceps
- keep elbows by your sides and extend your arms as you lower the dumbbells towards the ground again with control 
- keep traps down

Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls

Rep Range: 8-12R
Tempo: steady 

Set Up: 
- position your bench to 75 degrees
- grip a dumbbell in each hand, supinated grip 
- sit on the bench, plant your feet on the ground, drive your mid back into the bench 
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- extend your arms down by your sides so the dumbbells are positioned behind your torso 
- pin your elbows to the sides of the bench
- tuck your chin forward
- keep your traps down, shoulders back 

Execution: 
- dig your elbows into the sides of the bench 
- bend your arms only 1/4R
- extend your arms fully again 
- keep elbows behind your torso and bend your arms 
- curl the dumbbells towards your chest on either side
- contract your biceps
- extend your arms back down by your sides, behind your torso again with control 
- be sure to fully extend your arms at the bottom of each rep

1 1/4R Dumbbell Recline Curls

Compound Set

8/27 Back, Shoulders, Biceps

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

Jennifer

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 ♾️

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

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

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)

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!

8/27 Back, Shoulders, Biceps

Community

More workouts from Sam Sweeney