Welcome to your first 5X5 workout of the year. The 5X5 concept is one that I love when your short on time. This workout consists of 5 exercises that will be completed for a total of 5 sets in a circuit format (complete all exercises one after another and then return to the top for the second, third, fourth and fifth sets). Reps are indicated below for each exercise. Don’t let this workout fool you…it may be short, but I wouldn’t consider this 5X5 structure sweet!
Goblet Squat (12 Reps)
Taking a dumbbell or kettlebell in your hands, hold it close to your chest and reach your hips backwards like you are reaching your butt back towards an imaginary chair behind you. Keep your weight evenly distributed throughout your feet. Aim to get your thighs parallel with the floor or a 90 degree bend at the knee (not everyone will be able to get this initially and that’s okay, if you don’t have it yet just ensure you are focusing on range of motion when you practice your squatting movements). Ensure that you keep your chest high as you drop down into position. At the bottom of the movement, drive through your feet evenly and stand back up to your start position.
Dumbbell Chest Press (12 Reps)
Lying on a bench or the floor, take a dumbbell in each hand. Bend at the elbow keeping your elbows closer to the body and avoid flaring them to the side (they don’t need to be glued to your side, just avoid having chicken wings straight out to the side). Ensure that you lower the dumbbells at the same pace keeping your hands together. At the bottom of the movement push the dumbbells away from your chest to the start position with full extension of the elbows (you don’t need to lock your elbows out at the top).
No Jump Burpees (10 Reps)
Begin standing up tall with your feet hip to shoulder width apart and your hands at your sides. Start the movement by bringing your hands to the floor in front of you by folding at the waist. Once your hands are one the floor jump both feet out behind you to land in a plank position and lower your chest to the floor. From here push yourself back up and jump your feet back in so you are back in a forward fold again and then stand straight up. As the name suggests there is no jump at the top of these burpees. Once you have stood up tall, repeat the motion for the required number of reps.
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift (12 Reps)
Take a dumbbell in each hand to the front of your body. With your feet about hip width apart, stand tall with a slight bend in the knee. Drive your hips backwards keeping your leg straight. Keep your spine neutral as you push your hips backwards and avoid rounding the spine or in the shoulders. The bottom range of motion will vary for everyone, but most people will want to stop just below their knees (if you have perfect form and want to go further go for it). At the bottom of the movement squeeze the glutes and drive the hips forward to stand back up and return to the start position.
Banded Lat Pulldown (12 Reps)
Anchoring the band securing above your head come to a seated position with the bar in your hand and the band wrapped around the middle of the bar (if you don’t have a bar here and sort of sturdy broom handle or dowel can work here, just make sure it’s pretty sturdy). Seated on the floor (or on a bench/chair) pull the band down towards your collar bone keeping your shoulders away from your ears and squeezing in the lat muscles. At the end range of motion ensure that you return to the start position in a controlled manner.
If you need to see videos of these exercises don’t forget to follow me on Instagram as I share these exercise demos there each week!
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