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.

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 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.

Across-body hammer curls

Target: Biceps (biceps brachii) and brachialis

Modification – Dumbbell hammer curls:

• You can simplify the movement with regular hammer curls.

Dumbbell alternating overhead tricep extension

Target: Triceps, shoulders

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.

Standing dumbbell curl

Target: Biceps

Modification – Dumbbell concentrated curls:

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

Dumbbell wide bicep curl

Target: Biceps, forearms

Zottman curls

Target: Biceps

Modification – Dumbbell hammer curls:

• If the rotational movement is tough on your wrists, swap in a standard hammer curl.

Dumbbell kickbacks

Target: Triceps

Modification – Dumbbell skull crushers:

• If you're not feeling a strong triceps contraction, switch to skull crushers with a greater range of motion.

Dumbbell skull crushers

Target: Triceps, lats

Modification – Dumbbell kickbacks:

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

Bench dips

Target: Triceps, chest, shoulders

Modification – Elevated close-grip push-up:

• If dips don't agree with your shoulders, opt for a close-grip push-up to target your triceps and chest.

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

Jump rope

Target: Full body

Modification – Jump rope steps:

• Take out the impact and step it out.

Side steps + jabs

Target: Full body

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.