Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 8/28 Back, Chest, Biceps
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:41.822Z
Duration: 75 min
Description: 8/28 Back, Chest, Biceps

Enjoyed this as always! Loved the standing dumbbell incline, chest presses

Michelle 

Jude

I know I’ve said this so many times this split, but I love the side plank rows so much!! My strength and stability has gone next level, beyond any expectations I could have anticipated 🥰🥰🥰

Megan

Alexandra

Audry

Shelby

Love these splits! Hoping the next is as amazing

Andrea

My arms look awesome on this split. Im LOVING IT.

Elaine Rondon

Deja

JulieAnn

❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥amazing

Lorena

Marta

Justin Copeland

I’m so sad this split is ending😩😩😩😩😩

Tiffany

Loved the standing incline single arm bench

Jennifer

Regina

Barbi

Kimmy

Katie

Happy Thursday!

Week 5 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. Neutral Grip Barbell Pendlay Row: 3S/4-6R w/ pause at top + 6-8R steady tempo

5. Single Arm Standing Incline Chest Press: 3S/6-10R each side [3 second slow eccentric] 

6a. Standing Neutral Grip Barbell Curls: 4S/6-8R [2 second eccentric]
6b. Single Arm Dumbbell Curls: 4S/8-12R each side [2 second pause at the top]

7. Back Extension Crescent Row : 2S/Failure [choose a weight you know you are able to complete at least 10 good reps with]

8/28 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: 4-6R w/ pause at top + 6-8R steady
Tempo: 2 second pause at the top of first 4-6 reps, steady tempo on final 6-8 reps
Modification: standard barbell pendlay row, or neutral grip dumbbell bent over row

Target muscle group: mid back, lats

Set Up: 
- load the bar with rubber plates [this will allow you to tap the plates to the ground between reps]
- step behind the bar, squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- push your hips back, slight bend in your knees, and bend your torso forward so your chest faces the bar
- extend your arms down to grip the bar with a neutral grip
- depress your scapula, keep a flat back

Execution: 
- retract your scapula
- lift the barbell off of the ground, bend your arms and drive your elbows to your sides
- contract your mid back, lats
- extend your arms and lower the bar to tap the ground between reps 
- keep chest facing the ground

Neutral Grip Barbell Pendlay Row

Rep Range: 6-10R each side
Tempo: 3 second eccentric each rep 
Modification: sit on incline bench 

Target muscle groups: chest

Set Up: 
- set your bench to a high incline, ~70-80 degrees
- grip a dumbbell in one hand, pronated grip
- straddle the seat of the bench and stay standing, press your pack and glutes into the bench 
- keep feet planted on the ground
- extend your arm and lift the dumbbell over your chest on one side
- tuck your pinky forward slightly 
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- tuck your ribs down 

Execution: 
- bend your arm so your elbow travels ~45 degrees from your torso 
- lower the dumbbell to one side of your chest, at least a 90 degree bend in your arm
- extend your arm and press the dumbbell over your chest again 
- contract your chest at the top of the rep
- keep glutes and back glued to the bench

Single Arm Standing Incline Chest Press

Rep Range: 6-8R
Tempo: 2 second eccentric
Modification: standing dumbbell hammer curls

Target muscle group: biceps

Set Up: 
- grip the bar with a close, neutral grip 
- extend your arms down and hold the bar in front of your torso
- get into a hip width stance, toes forward
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- pin your elbows by your sides
- keep traps down, shoulders back 

Execution: 
- bend your arms, squeeze your elbows to your sides
- curl the bar towards your chest
- contract your biceps at the top of the rep
- extend your arms and lower the bar in front of your torso again 
- do not swing or sway as you curl the bar

Standing Close Neutral Grip Barbell Curls

Rep Count: 8-12R each side 
Tempo: 2 second pause at the top 

Target muscle group: biceps

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in one hand, supinated grip
- extend your arm down by your side, pin your elbow by your side
- get into a hip width stance, toes forward
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- keep a tall torso, traps down and shoulders back

Execution: 
- bend your arm, dig your elbow into your side
- curl the dumbbell towards your delt on one side
- contract your bicep
- keep elbow in place, extend your arm and lower the dumbbell towards the ground again 
- keep wrist pinned straight
- do not swing or sway as you curl the dumbbell

Single Arm Standing Dumbbell 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: bent over dumbbell reverse fly 

Target muscle group: mid/high back, rear delts 

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in each hand, neutral grip 
- place your feet on the platform of the back extension machine, hip width stance
- press your hips into the pad 
- squeeze your glutes, set a neutral pelvis position, and brace
- raise your torso, keeping a neutral head, neck, and spine, torso in line with your lower body 
- keep tension in your trunk
- extend your arms down, dumbbells under your delts, palms facing in
- pin a slight bend in your elbows

Execution: 
- retract your scapula and raise your torso 
- row the dumbbells to either side in a swinging motion, ~45 degrees from your torso
- contract your mid back, lats
- lower your torso and bring arms back down towards the ground 
- hold a tight brace in your core

Back Extension Dumbbell Crescent Row

8/28 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

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

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!!

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!!

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!

8/28 Back, Chest, Biceps

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