Big Shoulders Day
Single-session shoulder specialization. OHP, seated DB press, lateral raise, reverse flye, cable rear delt fly, BB shrugs. ~17 shoulder + 3 trap sets, ~75 min.
Estimated session
- Movements 6
- Loads Coach-filled
- Progresses Every session
Every movement, in order
Each lift with its working sets and target, in the order you run them. The coach sets the loads from your training and moves them up as the work gets easier.
| Order | Exercise | Sets | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Standing Military Press Brace core, vertical line. 2 warm-up sets first 4 × 6 · rest 3 min | 4 | 6 | 3 min |
| 02 | Seated Dumbbell Press Press straight up. 3 × 10 · rest 2 min | 3 | 10 | 2 min |
| 03 | Side Lateral Raise Lead with elbows, high volume. 4 × 15 · rest 1 min | 4 | 15 | 1 min |
| 04 | Reverse Flyes Soft elbows, rear delt squeeze. 3 × 12 · rest 1 min | 3 | 12 | 1 min |
| 05 | Cable Rear Delt Fly Different angle than DB reverse. 2 × 15 · rest 1 min | 2 | 15 | 1 min |
| 06 | Barbell Shrug Straight up, no rolling. 3 × 12 · rest 1:15 | 3 | 12 | 1:15 |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Sequence is press-first by design: load OHP top set near RPE9 from prior e1RM with no leg drive; if final set drops below 6 reps at RPE9, hold load next session. DB press follows the same RPE ladder. Pick raise/flye loads light enough to keep elbows leading through full ROM at the listed 15s/12s — if reps fail before the RPE, drop ~10%. Rear-delt work targets posterior delt, not traps. OK swaps at matched RPE: machine shoulder press for OHP, cable laterals for DB; keep all three delt heads in.
Every workout
The coach reads your log, tunes the loads and volume to where you are today, and tells you when to add weight.
Common questions
The facts most people check before they drop this session into a week.
01When should I use the Big Shoulders Day template?
Sequence is press-first by design: load OHP top set near RPE9 from prior e1RM with no leg drive; if final set drops below 6 reps at RPE9, hold load next session. Add it to your week in Squatly and the coach schedules it, sets the loads from your training, and tells you when to move up.
02How many working sets is Big Shoulders Day, and how long does it take?
Big Shoulders Day runs 6 movements and about 19 working sets, roughly 75 minutes once warm-ups are in. The full per-exercise scheme — sets, reps or RPE, and rest — is in the session table above.
Built on the Squatly method
Every set count, rep target, and rest period here comes from how the coach weighs volume, intensity, and fatigue. See where the numbers come from.
Read the methodVolume, intensity, and fatigue — read per lift, every session.
Last updated: June 2026
Keep moving forward.
Add this template to your week. The coach reads your training, sets the loads, and tells you when to push.
iOS · Works offline
Aleks · Coach
Proposal — add weight