Phase 2 Intermediate: Day 2 Phase 2 Intermediate: Day 2

This tutorial covers every exercise you'll be doing on day 2 across the three weeks of phase 2. 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 2 each week.

Barbell flat bench press

Target: Chest, shoulders, triceps

Modification – Dumbbell bench press:

• If you feel unbalanced with the bar, try the movement with dumbbells instead.

Smith bar bent-over row

Target: Upper back, arms

Modification – Cable bent-over row:

• If you don't have a smith bar, substitute it for a bent-over row using D handles.

Standing chest cable flys

Target: Chest, shoulders

Modification – Push-up:

• Cable machine taken? Hit the floor for push-ups with a wide grip to target your pecs.

Cable face pull

Target: Upper back, traps, shoulders

Modification – Dumbbell seated rear flys:

• If you experience any shoulder pain, try a seated fly to target similiar muscles with less risk of shoulder elevation.

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 2 workouts feeling fresh.

Walkouts

Target: Core muscles, rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis, shoulders, arms

Modification – Plank shoulder tap:

• Continue working your core and shoulders with plank shoulder taps.

Push-up

Target: Chest, shoulders, triceps, back, core

Modification – Elevated push-up:

• If maintaining good form is an issue, try the elevated variation.

Walkout + push-up

Target: Full body

Dumbbell standing rear flys

Target: Rear deltoids (shoulder muscles), rhomboids (upper back muscles), trapezius

Modification:

• Drop the weight down or perform these with just your bodyweight.

Bent-over wide row

Target: Back, lats, rhomboids, rear deltoids

Modification – Isometric dumbbell row:

• If you're in the early stages of building the strength in your back, you can rotate your shoulders closer to your body and take each side at a time.

Dumbbell rear delt rows

Target: Rear deltoids, rhomboids, trapezius, biceps

Modification:

• Drop the weight down or perform these with just your bodyweight.

Cable tricep pushdown

Target: Triceps

Modification – Dumbbell kickbacks:

• A cable-free alternative to work your triceps.

Standing cable curl

Target: Biceps

Modification – Standing dumbbell curl:

• If the machine is pulling you in on the downward movement, switch to dumbbells and a lighter weight to work on getting stronger with slow, controlled curls.

Cable tricep rope pushdown

Target: Triceps

Modification – Dumbbell skull crushers:

• If you can't access a cable machine, skull crushers will work your muscles through a similar range of motion.

Cable bicep curl (rope)

Target: Biceps, forearms

Cable overhead tricep extension

Target: Triceps

Modification – Dumbbell kickbacks:

• A cable-free alternative to work your triceps..

Cable high bicep curl

Target: Biceps

Modification – Isometric bicep curl:

• Swap the cable machine for a pair of dumbbells.

Dumbbell V-sit pass-under

Target: Abdominals, obliques, hip flexors

Dumbbell pyramid plank switch

Target: Core, shoulders, chest, triceps

Dumbbell sit-up + punches

Target: Abdominals, shoulders, chest