Build strength, stamina, stability, and power with our Spartan-approved quick-hit Workout of the Day, NEW each week. Our SGX coaches share their favorite go-to exercises and workout gear to blast your bod and improve performance — without fail. Click here to view our complete workout database.

The shoulder is the most mobile, do-it-all joint in the human body. It’s also arguably the most intricate. It’s at play in every fundamental upper-body movement.

Training your shoulders is pivotal to performance, both in day-to-day life (think: getting bags into overhead compartments) and in the gym. And it’s especially important if you’re training for DEKAFIT. DEKA Zone 8: Deadball Wall Overs requires next-level shoulder strength and stability — not to mention aerobic and anaerobic conditioning.

In DEKA Zone 8, you’ll have the challenge of lowering into a squat, gathering a 40- or 60-pound dead ball, and then lifting it up and over a four-foot wall. Then, you’ll run around to the other side of the all and do it all over again.

Consider this shoulder + cardio workout mandatory training. To perform it, you’ll need a few things: a treadmill, pull-up bar, at least two kettlebells, and a medicine ball. The meat of the workout comprises sprints, shoulder-overs, push-presses, and high pulls—honing in on your shoulder strength and cardiovascular.

As tempting as it can be to dive right into it, don’t skip the included warmup; it will help ensure ultimate performance while also reducing the risk of nagging shoulder issues. You’ll also get to cool it down at the end.

Related Link: DEKAFIT ZONE 5: The Spartan Ski Erg

Warm-up

20-Meter Inchworm (2 sets)

20-Meter Walking Lunge (2 sets)

Body Squat (2 sets of 10 reps)

Push-Up (2 sets of 10 reps)

Burpees (2 sets of 10 reps)

Workout

500-Meter Run + 10 Dead Ball Shoulder Overs (10 rounds)

KB Push-Press (3 sets of 8 reps)

KB High Pull (3 set of 10 reps)

Cooldown

5-Minute Run (slow pace)

20-Meter Walking Lunge (2 sets)

Child's Pose (1 minute)

Amp up your fitness and wellness routine NOW. Click here to find a Spartan Race close to you!

K. Aleisha Fetters, C.S.C.S.

K. Aleisha Fetters, M.S., C.S.C.S., is a Chicago-based personal and online trainer. She has a graduate degree in health and science reporting from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and regularly contributes to Men's Health, Women's Health, USNews.com, TIME, and SHAPE. When she's not lifting something heavy, she's usually guzzling coffee and writing about the health benefits of doing so.