Full-Body 5-System Workout Program Overview

I recently introduced you to a training concept I created called the 5-System, which I explained in detail in this article and accompanying video .

After you read that article and watch the video, it's time to put the 5-System into action.

Below, I'm giving you five different full-body workouts using the 5-System. I recently posted these workouts on social media, but having them on JimStoppani.com will allow you to download them to your moblie device to put them into action most effectively.

Each of the five workouts focuses on a different piece of equipment: dumbbells on Day 1, cables on Day 2, barbells on Day 3, machines on Day 4, and dumbbells again on Day 5 (but with different exercises).

These are workouts that I actually did, and I did them on five consecutive days – at which point I took a couple days off from the weights to rest and recover before starting my next week of training. If you're currently in good lifting shape, feel free to do these workouts on consecutive days as well. But you can also insert rest days between the workouts if you like; for example, you can do the Day 1 and Day 2 workouts on Monday and Tuesday, then rest a day, and do Day 3 on Thursday; or you can take a day of rest between all five workouts. How you do it depends on your schedule, your current fitness level, and your ability to recover.

Okay, enough talk. It's time for action. Here's the 5-System full-body program...

5-System Workouts

As a refresher, here’s how to do each 5-System set:

• Select a weight that’s relatively light for that exercise.
• With your starting weight, do 5 reps with one arm or leg, then 5 with the other.
• Without resting, go straight to the next heavier weight and repeat the sequence: 5 reps on each side.
• Continue “running the rack” in this fashion – 5 reps per arm or leg at each 5- or 10-pound increment – until you can no longer do 5 reps per side with good form.
• At this point, work your way back down, going to failure at each of the weights you did on the way up. On these sets, just go to failure if you can’t reach 5 reps (doing 4, 3, 2 or 1 reps), then switch arms or legs and go to the next lighter weight.
• When you’re back to your starting weight, rep out to failure, whether that means 4, 5, 8 or 10 reps.
• You’re now finished with that exercise and can move to the next one in the workout.

Underneath each workout is a photo of the exercises performed.

Workout 1

Workout 2

My second 5-System workout employs unilateral cable exercises instead of dumbbells. 

Same rules apply as with dumbbells: Complete 5 reps per arm/leg and increase each set by 5 pounds until you can no longer compete 5 reps with a weight. Then, decrease each set by 5 pounds until you get to your starting weight. If the cable weight stack you're using doesn't allow 5-pound increments, change each set by 10 pounds.

Workout 3

For 5-System workout #3, I'm switching things up to bilateral work using barbells.

Similar rules apply as with single-arm exercises: Complete 5 reps and increase each set by 10 pounds (5 pounds per arm) until you can no longer compete 5 reps with a weight. Then, decrease each set by 10 pounds until you get to your starting weight.

Because you're doing both arms or legs at a time with each exercise, you'll definitely fatigue faster because neither limb is getting a break. As a result, the intensity will be higher than with one-limb exercises – but hey, at least the workout will be shorter!

Workout 4

In 5-System workout #4, I show you how to adapt the training technique to machine exercises. Here, I'm using one arm and one leg at a time on the exercises. If the machine weight stack doesn't allow for increments of five pounds, increase by the smallest increments available.

Workout 5

For the final installment of my 5-System workout article series, we go back to dumbbells – but all different exercises from the ones used in the first workout.

Finish strong with your last 5-System workout, then take a day or two off from lifting before starting into your next phase of training.

Download This Workout

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