Day 5: Full Body

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Form Tips

• Hold dumbbells at shoulder height (front rack position)
• Perform a full squat (goblet squat position)
• As you stand up explosively from the squat…
• …use that momentum to press dumbbells overhead
• Lock out arms at the top
• Lower dumbbells back to shoulders as you descend into next squat
• This should be ONE fluid movement

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Why Thrusters?

• Legs: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings (from the squat)
• Core: Stabilization throughout
• Shoulders: Deltoids (from the press)
• Cardio: Elevates heart rate significantly

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Common Mistakes

• Pausing between the squat and press (should be fluid)
• Not squatting deep enough
• Pressing with only arms instead of using leg drive
• Letting dumbbells drift forward instead of straight up
• Using too much weight (this is a high-rep exercise)

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Pacing

• This exercise is HARD and will elevate your heart rate
• It’s okay to break 15 reps into 10+5 if needed
• Focus on smooth, rhythmic reps

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Form Tips

• Stand holding dumbbells at your sides
• Step backward with one leg
• Lower your back knee toward the ground
• Front thigh should be parallel to ground
• Keep chest up and torso upright
• Push through front heel to return to standing
• Alternate legs or complete all reps on one side first

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Reverse vs Forward Lunges

• Reverse: Easier on knees, better balance, more glute activation
• Forward: More quad emphasis, more difficult balance
• Reverse lunges are the superior choice for most people

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What You’re Working

• Primary: Quadriceps, glutes
• Secondary: Hamstrings, core (for stability)
• Benefits: Unilateral strength, balance, muscle symmetry

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Chest Up!

• This cue is critical
• If you lean forward, you shift stress to lower back
• Imagine a string pulling your chest toward the ceiling
• Eyes looking forward, not down

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Form Tips

• Get in push-up position
• Place hands close together, forming a diamond/triangle shape with thumbs and index fingers
• Keep elbows tucked close to your body (not flared out)
• Lower chest toward your hands
• Press back up to starting position
• Maintain straight body line throughout

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Diamond Shape

• Touch thumbs together and index fingers together
• This forms a diamond/triangle on the floor
• Your chest should descend toward this diamond

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What You’re Working

• Primary: Triceps (MUCH more than regular push-ups)
• Secondary: Chest (inner chest), shoulders
• This is one of the best bodyweight triceps exercises

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Modifications

• Too Hard: Do from knees, or widen hand position slightly
• Easier: Elevate hands on a bench or box
• Harder: Elevate feet, or add a pause at the bottom

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To Failure

• Push each set until you can’t complete another rep with good form
• If form breaks down (hips sagging, not going deep enough), that’s failure
• Rest, then do it again for the next set

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Form Tips

• Hold dumbbells at sides with palms facing each other (neutral grip)
• This is the “hammer” position (like holding hammers)
• Keep elbows pinned to your sides
• Curl weights up toward shoulders
• Squeeze at the top
• Lower with control
• Maintain the neutral grip throughout (don’t rotate)

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Hammer vs Regular Curls

• Hammer grip: Targets brachialis (muscle under bicep) and brachioradialis (forearm)
• Regular grip: More bicep emphasis
• Hammer curls build thicker-looking arms and stronger forearms
• You can typically use slightly more weight on hammer curls

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What You’re Working

• Primary: Brachialis, brachioradialis
• Secondary: Biceps brachii
• Benefits: Arm thickness, grip strength, forearm development

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Form Cues

• No swinging or momentum
• No moving elbows forward
• Think “elbows pinned to ribs”
• Controlled throughout - 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down