HORIZON STRENGTH | Week 4: Shoulders of Iron

Amy Petersen headshot
Amy Petersen
ACE-CPT, Sports Performance, PN-1, PATHFINDER Founder & Director of Programming
October 31, 2025

The workout spotlight shifts to your shoulders and trunk endurance. Overhead and press work reinforce the ability to hold your posture late in long events. If your shoulders and mid-back burn out under a ruck, your pace will collapse. For overhead work, lift your shoulders up and out of their pockets and activate your lats to help support the hold. Be sure not to flare your ribs or arch your back to support your hold - keep shoulders over ribs, ribs over pelvis.

During the workout, also pay attention to your scapular control during your Y-T-Ws and renegade rows. You'll need the strength of your small stabilizer muscle you’ll rely on when fatigue sets in.

NOTES

  • Plan for 45min -1 hr to complete the workout.
  • You will need: Sandbag and kettlebell or dumbbells and exercise band
  • Complete the two workout blocks as a circuit.
  • You will need to complete Step Ups. Don't overthink it. Any reasonable step will do (ideally 12-16") if you don't have a box.
  • If needed, rest 1-2 minutes between rounds.
  • Always do your warm-up to help prevent injuries.
  • Some video demonstrations may depict exercise tools other than what we suggest - the same cues and form will still apply unless otherwise noted.

REMINDER:

  • Soft count: 1, 2, 3, 4 ... this is when both (or all) limbs perform the exercise at the same time.
  • Hard count: 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4...this is when only one limb does work at a time.
  • Each Side: Do all reps on one side before switching to complete all reps on the other side.

 

WARM UP

 REPS EXERCISE COUNT
10 x reps Arm Circles EACH DIRECTION
10 x reps Banded External Rotations EACH SIDE
8 x reps Hip Hinge and Reach

 

WORKOUT x 3 ROUNDS

Complete each block as a circuit.

 REPS EXERCISE COUNT
8 x reps KB Single Arm Push Press EACH SIDE
10 x reps Sandbag Bear Hug Squat
8 x reps KB Reverse Lunges
20 x reps Suitcase Carry EACH SIDE

 

 REPS EXERCISE COUNT
:30 seconds Ruck Overhead Hold*
8 x reps DB Renegade Row EACH SIDE
10 x reps Y-W-T's
12 x reps Sandbag Glute Bridge

    *The demo is for a double KB overhead hold, but the mechanics of the exercise are the exact same.