Name: Playbook - Sam Sweeney - 12/23 Shoulders and Core
Uploaded: 2026-06-17T00:04:46.671Z
Duration: 65 min
Description: 12/23 Shoulders and Core

Anjali

yangBAE

Sarah

Kody Young

Finished the first half and was like, yeah my shoulders are on fire 🔥 then I get through the second half and am like, oh everything is on fire 🔥😅 Exactly what I needed today!

Megan

Denise

Nick

Shoulders on 🔥 during the first half.  Great ab workout as well!

Jennifer

Audry

Man…. Heck those 40sec sets 😒🤣🫠

Cori

Frank

Corrine

Kimmy

Katie Schultz

JulieAnn

Brandi

April

LOVED this workout!! Was humbled by movements that I had to drop weight and also ones that I increased weight 💪🏼🔥

Amie

Humberto

Kate

After 3 weeks, I’m back!!! Just what I needed! 🔥🔥💪

Jane

Gloria

Audi

Loved today!!! Burned so good!  Merry Christmas Eve Eve!!!! 🎄

Ashley Laas

Went with light weight and high reps shoulders are on 🔥🔥

Lakshmi Neelesh Nimmagadda

Shoulders were on fire!!! V-ups were too hard for me but I just modified and did some of my postpartum abs instead!!!

Allie

Victoria

Such a great 🪨 builder. The entire workout was 🔥. This program delivers on progress and gains, no doubt!

Paula

Loved the core work today! I laughed when I saw the 1/2 Turkish get-ups! I’m like ok let’s see if I remember this move, was not as smooth as before but I still gave it my best and got it done !

Porchia

Core exercises are always too advanced, but still a great workout!

Becky

Happy Friday!

*Focus of this split: strength building and mobility. 

Warm Up: foam roll, upper body warm up and activation routine A from app, + 10 mins steady state cardio to warm up the CNS [optional]

Click the ‘start now’ button to find the training day overview

Shoulders and Core: 

Compound Set: 
1A. Seated Cable Dumbbell Y Raise [pronated grip]: 4S/8-10R
1B. Standing Military Press: 4S/2-4R, 2-4R, 2-4R, 8-10R 

2. Kettlebell Z Press: 5S/20R 

Compound Set: 
3A. Single arm Dumbbell T Raise: 4S/6-8R each side [3 second eccentric]
3B. Cable Rope Face Pull: 4S/10R + 20 sec pause on the contraction of the last rep, each set 

Compound Set: 
4A. Kettlebell Half Turkish: 3S/8-10R
4B. Hanging Oblique Crunch: 3S/10-12R total

5. Vups [+hollow hold]: 5S/40 seconds [20 seconds reps + 20 seconds hold]

12/23 Training Day Overview

Rep Range: 8-10R 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: dumbbell Y raise 

Set Up: 
- sit on the double cable machine
- plant your feet up on the stabilizing platforms 
- grip the handles with each hand, pronated grip 
- sit upright, chest forward, drive your ribs down and brace
- keep your head/neck/spine neutral 
- pin your traps down

Execution: 
- keep your arms straight and raise your arms overhead into a Y shape 
- use your rear delts to control the movement 
- lower your arms back down in front of you again, arms extended forward

Seated Double Cable Y Raise [pronated grip]

Rep Range: 2-4R, 2-4R, 2-4R, 8-10R 
Tempo: steady
Modification: Standing dumbbell overhead press

Set Up: 
- set up the barbell on the rack at about chest height [so you can easily grip the barbell in a standing position.]
- stand in front of the barbell, in the center
- step under the barbell and bend your knees while keeping your torso upright and position the bar across your chest/front delts
- grip the barbell with a pronated grip [a thumbs distance in from the knurling on each side is a good starting point. Adjust grip based on your mobility and bio mechanics.]
- un rack the barbell and step back, away from the rack 2-3 steps
- keep your elbows slightly in front of the bar, knuckles facing up
- plant your feet flat on the ground in a hip width stance
- squeeze your glutes and  tuck your ribs to lock in a tight brace in your trunk 

Execution: 
- drive your feet through the ground and extend your arms
-  press the barbell up and into an overhead position
- bring your head under the bar at the top of the rep 
- bend your elbows and lower the barbell to a 90 degree bend in your arms [or just below] at the bottom of the rep
- elbows should be in line with wrists and wrists should stay straight

Standing Military Press

Compound Set

Rep Count: 20R
Tempo: steady 
Modification: dumbbell Z press, or seated kettlebell overhead press

Set Up: 
- grip a kettlebell in each hand 
- sit on the ground, spread your legs or bend and criss cross them in a seated position 
- keep your chest tall, pull your belly button in towards your spine, drive your ribs down and brace 
- lift the kettlebells to your shoulders, palms facing in 

*sitting on the ground in this position will force you to use your core to stay upright. If you feel too much strain, consider the modifications as you work your way up to this. 

Execution: 
- keep your spine neutral and straight as you extend your arms and press the kettlebell overhead 
- rotate your grip to pronated at the top of the rep, contract your core 
- think about facing your armpits forward at the top of the rep 
- bend your elbows, keep them facing forward, as you lower the kettlebells back to your shoulders

Kettlebell Z Press

Rep Range: 6-8R each side 
Tempo: 3 second eccentric 
Modification: dumbbell single arm T raise

Set Up: 
- grip a dumbbell in one hand
- step to the side of a cable or rack, facing 90 degrees 
- grip the rack with the hand closest (opposite of hand holding the dumbbell)
- extend your arm holding the dumbbell down by your side 
- squeeze your glutes, drive your ribs down and brace
- keep hips square and facing forward
- keep your working arm straight, slight bend is ok

Execution: 
- raise the dumbbell out to your side, i until it is in line with your shoulder
- contract your lateral delt 
- keep tension in your shoulder and rotate the dumbbell forward into a front raise position, palm down in line with your shoulder 
- rotate the dumbbell back out to your side again and then return back down by your side 
- use a 3 second eccentric as you lower  
- complete all reps on one side before moving to the other side

Single Arm Dumbbell T Raise

Rep Range: 10R 
Tempo: 20 second hold at the top of the final rep, each set
Modification: banded pull aparts, banded face pull

Set Ups: 
- attach the rope to one side of the cable 
- position the cable high
- step in front of the cable, so you are facing the rope
- grip each end of the rope with a neutral grip 
- step back away from the cable 2-3 steps  
- lift your chest slightly and extend your arms towards the direction the cable 
- squeeze your glutes, drive your ribs down and brace 

Execution: 
- bend your arms, lead with your thumbs, and pull the rope back towards your face
- think about ripping the rope apart as you pull 
- when your elbows are in line with your rear delts contract your rear delts/high back [elbows should be at the same height or slightly below your shoulders at the top of the rep] 
- release the rope and extend your arms back towards the cable again
- your scap should stay pinned, they will help you stabilize so you can appropriately target your rear delts over your mid back

Cable Rope Facepull

Rep Range: 8-10R each side 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: single arm Otis up

Set Up: 
- grip a kettlebell in one hand 
- lie on the ground in a supine position 
- extend your arm and lift the kettlebell over your chest 
- bend your leg on the same side and plant your foot on the ground
- keep your other leg straight 
- extend your other arm out to the side, plant your palm on the ground 

Execution: 
- press through the palm on the ground, use your core to lift your torso off the ground 
- keep your arm holding the kettlebell pinned over your chest in line with your shoulder as you sit up
- lift your hips off the ground and into full extension
- squeeze your glutes, contract your core
- bring your glutes back to the ground first before lowering your back to the ground again 
- arm should stay extended
- complete all reps on one side before moving to the other side

Kettlebell Half Turkish Get Up

Rep Range: 10-12R total 
Tempo: steady 
Modification: forearm supported oblique crunch, or bicycles

Set Up: 
- grip the pull up bar with a pronated grip, shoulder width apart [thumbs wrapped] 
- point your armpits forward and contract your lats [think about breaking the bar in half] 
- draw your belly button in, brace
- bend your knees and point your toes
- keep a neutral head/neck/spine 

Execution: 
- use your core to to lift your legs, twist at you torso and crunch your knees to one side of your toros 
- contract your obliques 
- lower your legs
- keep tension in your core
- lift your legs and drive your knees to the other side to crunch 
- alternate each side as you move through each rep

Hanging Oblique Crunch

Time: 40 seconds total 
*20 seconds reps + 20 seconds hold 
Tempo: steady, hold 
Modification: cocoons, or straight leg lifts

Set Up: 
- lie on the ground in a supine position 
- hold a plate in your hands and extend your arms over your chest 
- keep your legs straight, point your toes, squeeze your glutes, draw your belly button to your spine, and brace

Execution: 
- use your core to lift your upper body off the ground
- lift your legs off the ground and reach the plate towards your toes 
- contract your core in a V shape
- lower your legs and upper back back to the ground, keep arms extended 
- after 20 seconds hold in a hollow position for 20 seconds more
- keep tension in your core, belly “flat”

Weighted V ups [+hollow hold]

12/23 Shoulders and Core

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 ♾️

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

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

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!!

Lorena

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!

12/23 Shoulders and Core

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