Phase 1 Intermediate: Day 5 Phase 1 Intermediate: Day 5

This tutorial covers every exercise you'll be doing on day 5 across the three weeks of phase 1. It is split into Key lifts – compound movements that repeat each week – and Supporting exercises that will change each week.

Key lifts

Nail the big compound lifts that will be repeated on day 5 each week.

Dumbbell seated shoulder press

Target: Shoulders, chest

Modification – Dumbbell single-arm shoulder press:

• If one side is lagging, use single-arm presses to level up your weaker side.

Underhand-grip lat pulldown

Target: Lats, shoulders, back, biceps

Modification – Seated banded lat pulldown:

• If you can't access a machine, work the same muscle groups using a band.

Dumbbell lateral raise

Target: Shoulders, chest

Modification – Dumbbell incline lateral raise:

• If you tend to start using momentum, switch to an incline raise.

Dumbbell rear raise

Target: Shoulders, chest

Modification – Dumbbell seated rear flys:

• Try flys if you struggle to hold position or keep control of the rear raise.

Supporting exercises

Get the most out of these moves designed to target more muscle groups while supporting your key lifts. They'll rotate to keep your day 5 workouts feeling fresh.

Dumbbell hammer curls

Target: Biceps

Modification – Dumbbell tension hammer curls:

• If you have trouble feeling the bicep contraction, try a tension curl and zoom in on the squeeze.

Standing tricep extension

Target: Triceps, shoulders, core

Modification – Dumbbell kickbacks:

• If you can't bring the dumbbell overhead, use the kickbacks to hit the triceps.

Standing dumbbell curl

Target: Biceps

Modification – Dumbbell concentrated curls:

• If you're not feeling the bicep contraction, zoom in with a concentrated curl.

Dumbbell skull crushers

Target: Triceps, lats

Modification – Dumbbell kickbacks:

• If skull crushers aggravate your elbows, switch to kickbacks to work your triceps.

Dumbbell thrusters

Target: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, shoulders, triceps

Modification – Dumbbell back squat:

• First, try reducing the weight or dropping down to a single-dumbbell.
• Otherwise, dumbbell back squats will continue to power your legs.

Dumbbell swings

Target: Hamstrings, quads, pecs and chest, traps, shoulders, abs

Modification – Weighted hip thrust:

• Regress by coming down to the floor.
• Weighted hip thrusts will also power your posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, lower back).
• Try to keep the movement short and powerful for maximum effect.

Jumping jacks

Target: Full body

Dumbbell pyramid plank switch

Target: Core, shoulders, chest, triceps

Dumbbell single-arm overhead carry

Target: Full body, core

Dumbbell sit-up + punches

Target: Abdominals, shoulders, chest

Flutter kicks

Target: Lower abs, hip flexors, quads

Modification – Bent-knee v-sit:

• Take pressure off the hip flexors with bent-knee v-sits.

Dumbbell squat + alternating pivot press

Target: Full body

Dumbbell curl + Arnold press

Target: Biceps, shoulders, triceps

Plank shoulder taps

Target: Core, shoulders

Modification – Plank:

• To regress, try this movement on your knees.
• Otherwise, continue engaging similar muscle groups by holding a plank.

Bicycles

Target: Core, hip flexors, quads, glutes

Modification – Russian twist:

• Russian twists will work the same muscles but are a simpler movement.