Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 12/20 Shoulders, Core/Abs
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:43.165Z
Duration: 60 min
Description: 12/20 Shoulders, Core/Abs

didn’t like the seated face pulls…felt too awkward

LaQuanda Jones

Serena

Audry

Kelsey

I struggled with the decline crunch out of all the burnouts this week 😂☠️

Tiffany

Marta

Michelle 

Ok … the abs at the end … humbling!!!

Marla

Kimmy

April

Becky

This wrecked my shoulders and core 🙏🏻

Janelle

Good one!! Reverse crunches about killed me.  And I was in the floor.  😬

Marsha Ross

Katie Kruckeberg

Mia Arrowsmith

JulieAnn

Nyakeh

Porchia

Lorena

Those t raises and reverse crunches at the finisher had me 💀

Deja

Regina

Megan Laudick

McKayla

Love the dedicated shoulder day this split

Bree

Vesna

Happy Friday!

Week 4 of 6 week split [week 6 will be a programmed deload week] 

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.

Shoulders, Core/Abs:

OPTIONAL Ab Work [feel free to apply this at the start or end of each training day]: Cable or Banded Kneeling Crunch: 2 mins [take short rests as needed, work up to the full 2 mins]

Pre Exhaust Compound Set: 
1a. Banded Y Raise: 3S/12-15R 
*no rest between a and b*
1b. Banded Y Raise Hold:  3S/30 seconds 
*60 seconds rest between sets*

2. Primary Movement: Barbell Z Press: 4S/6-8R [2 second eccentric each rep] 
*90 seconds rest between sets*

3a. Single Arm Dumbbell T Raise: 4S/6-8R each side [3 second eccentric each rep] 
3b. Seated Cable Rope Facepull: 4S/8R, 10R, 12R, 20R [adjust load to fit rep count]
*75 seconds rest between sets*

4. Single Arm Standing Cable Overhead Press: 3S/8-12R each side 
*90 seconds rest*

5. Decline Bench Reverse Crunch: 5S/20R 
*every 30 seconds*

DAILY STEP GOAL: 8-10K

12/20 Training Day Overview

Time: 2 minutes total 
*take short rests as needed, work up to the entire 2 minutes
Tempo: hold, steady
Modification: standard crunch

Target Muscle Group: abs, core 

Set Up: 
- loop a band high or attach the cable rope and position it high 
- step in front and grip the band or rope with each hand
- get down on the ground in a tall kneeling position
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- tuck your chin and slightly round your upper back 
- bend your arms and hold the band at the top of your head
- keep your knees driven into the ground

Execution: 
- use your core to pull the band or cable 
- bend at the hips and drive your head towards the ground 
- slightly round your back and contract your core 
- keep your knees anchored to the ground and lift your head again from the ground and upright again 
- stretch through your core

Optional Ab Work: Cable or Banded Kneeling Crunch

Rep Range: 12-15R 
Tempo: steady 
Modifications: bent forward or chest supported dumbbell Y raise

Target Muscle Groups: delts, rear delts

Set Up: 
- loop a band around a rack or machine at about chest height
- step in front of the rack, facing the band
- grip the band with a pronated grip, slightly wider than shoulder width apart
- extend your arms straight forward, hold the band out in front of your chest
- step away from the rack until you can feel the tension of the band pull you forward
- glue your feet to the ground, hip width stance
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- pin your scapula and traps down, shoulders back 
- keep a tall torso and a neutral head, neck, and spine 

Execution: 
- keep your arms straight and pull the band apart and into the "Y" position overhead
- contract your delts, rear delts, high back 
- with straight arms, lower the band in front of you again with control

Banded Y Raise

Time: 30 seconds 
Tempo: hold
Modification: bent forward or chest supported dumbbell Y raise holds

Target Muscle Groups: delts, rear delts

Set Up: 
Set Up: 
- loop a band around a rack or machine at about chest height
- step in front of the rack, facing the band
- grip the band with a pronated grip, slightly wider than shoulder width apart
- extend your arms straight forward, hold the band out in front of your chest
- step away from the rack until you can feel the tension of the band pull you forward
- glue your feet to the ground, hip width stance
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- pin your scapula and traps down, shoulders back 
- keep a tall torso and a neutral head, neck, and spine 

Execution: 
- keep your arms straight and pull the band apart and into the "Y" position overhead
- contract your delts, rear delts, high back 
- hold tension in this position, take short rests if needed 
- keep the tension in your delts/rear delts

Banded Y Raise Holds

Pre Exhaust Compound Set

Rep Range: 6-8R 
Tempo: 2 second eccentric each rep 
Modification: dumbbell z press 

Target Muscle Groups: shoulders, core

Set Up: 
- rack the barbell at a height so you are able to sit on the ground underneath and grip the bar overhead
- sit on the ground just slightly in front of the bar
- extend your legs forward or out wide
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine and set your brace
- extend your arms overhead and slightly behind you to grip the bar with a pronated grip, shoulder width or slightly wider apart
- drive your ribs down 
- lift the bar from the rack and position the bar directly over your head
- keep a tall torso and a neutral head, neck, and spine
*sitting on the ground will make this movement more dependent on your core to stay upright, start with light weight 

Execution: 
- bend your arms so your elbows travel slightly in front of your torso
- lower the bar in front of your face to at least a 90 degree bend in your arms 
- extend your arms and press the bar up and directly overhead again 
- contract your delts
- hold tension in your core throughout

Barbell Z Press

Rep Range: 6-8R each side 
Tempo: 3 second eccentric each rep

Target Muscle Group: lateral, front, and rear delts

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in one hand, neutral grip 
- extend your arm down by your side
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- keep a tall and upright torso
- keep your traps down, shoulders back 

Execution: 
- keep your arm straight and raise the dumbbell out to your side
- when your dumbbell is in line with your lateral delt, hold tension in your delt and rotate your arm forward into a front raise position 
- rotate your arm back out to your side, in a lateral raise position 
- lower your arm back down by your side again 
- hold tension in your rear, lateral, and front delt throughout

Single Arm Dumbbell T Raise

Rep Range: 8R, 10R, 12R, 20R
*adjust load to fit rep count*
Tempo: steady
Modification: bent forward dumbbell or kettlebell facepull 

Target Muscle Group: rear delts 

Set Up:
- attach a cable rope to the seated cable machine 
- sit on the bench, facing the rope
- bend your legs slightly and plant your feet on the platforms in front of you
- pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- extend your arms forward and grip the rope with each hand
- sit with a tall and upright torso

Execution: 
- bend your arms, drive your elbows wide
- pull the rope apart on either side of your head
- drive your thumbs backwards
- contract your rear delts, elbows in line with or slightly below your rear delts
- extend your arms forward again with control 
- do not swing or sway in your torso as you pull the rope

Seated Cable Rope Facepull

Compound Set

Rep Count: 8-12R
Tempo: steady
Modification: single arm standing dumbbell overhead press

Target Muscle Groups: delts

Set Up: 
- attach a single arm handle to one side of the cable and position it just below shoulder height
- stand in front of the cable, facing 90 degrees from the cable
- grip the handle with a pronated grip
- bend your arm out to your side at 90 degrees
- tuck your pinky forward and position your elbow slightly in front of your torso out to the side
- keep knuckles facing the ceiling
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace
- keep a tall and upright torso 

Execution: 
- extend your arm and press the cable overhead 
- with the handle over your delt, contract and hold tension in your delt
- bend your arm and lower to a 90 degree bend out to your side again

Single Arm Standing Cable Overhead Press

Rep Count: 20R
Tempo: steady, quick 
Modification: lie on the ground

Target Muscle Group: abs

Set Up:
- lie in a supine position, facing the opposite way on a decline bench, feet at the low end of the bench 
- bend your arms and reach them behind you
- grip each side of the bench on either side of your head
- contract your lats and pull yourself into the bench 
- bend your legs and pin them at 90 degrees
- squeeze your glutes, pull belly button to spine, and set your brace

Execution:
- drive your upper back into the bench 
- use your core to lift your hips off of the bench 
- lift your knees towards the ceiling 
- contract your abs
- lower your hips to the bench again 
- keep the movement controlled, try not to swing your legs as you crunch

Decline Bench Reverse Crunch

12/20 Shoulders, Core/Abs

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 ❤️‍🔥

Megan

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!

Emily

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

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

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!

12/20 Shoulders, Core/Abs

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