Adrian’s 5-Day Split Review: Is This High-Speed Strength Program Right for You?

If the idea of blowing through strength circuits with explosive, power-focused training makes you feel like this:

Then, keep reading.

And, if the idea of straying from hypertrophy makes you feel like this:

Also, keep reading.  Because, Adrian Williams’ Advanced 5-Day Split program has a little something for everyone and is anything but dull.

The Breakdown: What This Program Offers

Adrian Williams’ Advanced 5-Day Split program is frequently described as endurance strength training, but a more accurate classification would be power training. Originally launched in 2022 as one of Peloton’s first split programs, it remains, even in 2025, one of only four advanced programs on the platform—and one of just two designed as a five-day split.

The term advanced can be intimidating, so, as an experienced lifter, I took on the challenge of completing and reviewing the program to break down exactly what makes it advanced. If you’re considering giving it a try, this review will provide a peek behind the curtain to help you decide if it’s the right fit for you and your training goals.

Prepare Before You Start

Before diving into this (or any) strength program, it’s crucial to ensure your muscles are well-rested. If you’ve been consistently lifting heavy for weeks or months on end, consider taking a deload week before starting. You’ll find an easy-to-follow deload guide in my Rebecca Kennedy 5-Day Split review.

A Focus on Power Over Hypertrophy

In this advanced 5-day split, Adrian prioritizes explosive strength training rather than hypertrophy. The workouts are strategically programmed to target all major muscle groups efficiently, delivering a well-balanced approach to strength development.

How the Program Works

This split is structured as a single-week program, but like all Peloton split programs, it’s designed to be repeated for four to eight weeks for maximum results. While the program description may suggest an additional week follows, this is boiler-plate Peloton program language—there is only one structured week, and it’s up to you to repeat it as needed.

Once you start the program, you have seven days to complete it. If you don’t finish within that window, you’ll need to start over—Peloton doesn’t allow you to pick up where you left off. However, after completing the first full week, the classes remain unlocked, allowing you to revisit them at your own pace at any time thereafter.

Who Is Adrian’s Advanced 5-Day Split For?

Anyone taking this program will notice two key things:

1. The exercises themselves are not unfamiliar to intermediate lifters—Adrian doesn’t introduce anything new that hasn’t been covered in other Peloton strength classes.
2. The pacing is what makes this program advanced.

If you plan to follow Adrian’s cues and keep up with the class structure, your form needs to be flawless. The rapid transitions and progressive overload techniques require both precision and strength. While an intermediate lifter might be able to complete this program, it is not suitable for beginners or those with only a few months of lifting experience.

Programming Breakdown

The Advanced 5-Day Split follows a Monday-to-Friday structure, with rest days on Saturday and Sunday. Each class lasts 30 minutes, including a warm-up and a brief stretch at the end.

For those who collect badges, you’re in luck. The program awards badges based on completion:

• Bronze for finishing 3 days
• Silver for completing 4 days
• Gold for completing all 5 days   

The weekly split includes:

✅ Upper Body Pull Day – Back, biceps, and core
✅ Legs & Shoulders
✅ Chest & Triceps
✅ Legs & Core
✅ Shoulders & Triceps

Equipment Needed

• Light Weights
• Medium Weights
• Heavy Weights (You may need multiple sets in each range depending on the exercise.)
• Mat

Additionally, while optional, a bench can be useful for certain movements and may enhance your overall workout experience.

Adapting Adrian’s 5-Day Program to a 4-Day Split

During my first (and only) week following this program as written, I quickly realized that lifting at this intensity for five consecutive days wasn’t ideal for my body. If I were to repeat the program for multiple weeks, I’d modify it by combining days 4 and 5 into a single 60-minute full-body session on Friday, allowing for an extra active recovery day on Wednesday.

If a 5-day lifting schedule feels unsustainable for you, or if committing to five consecutive days seems daunting, this modification provides a solid alternative while maintaining the overall effectiveness of the program.  

Can You Turn Adrian’s Advanced 5-Day Split into a Hypertrophy Program?

Let’s be clear—while Adrian cues progressive overload and expects you to apply it over multiple weeks, Adrian’s Advanced 5-Day Split is not designed for hypertrophy. The fast-paced circuits don’t allow for the necessary rest between sets to maximize muscle growth.

Can you modify it for hypertrophy? Absolutely—but it requires adjustments. To do so, you’ll need to make liberal use of the pause feature between sets (not circuits) and take 30 to 90 seconds of rest before beginning the next set. This change will extend your workout beyond the programmed 30-minute class length, so be sure to factor that into your workout plans.

Additionally, instead of keeping pace with the class, you’ll need to prioritize reps over time, aiming for 6-12 reps per set or whatever brings you to failure. However, because Adrian’s Advanced 5-Day Split is built around speed, modifying it for hypertrophy may feel like more effort than it’s worth. If pure hypertrophy is your goal, you might be better served by Rebecca Kennedy’s 5-Day Split or Andy Speer’s Density Training programs (which, ironically, are found in the Collections tab).

Why Hypertrophy Lifters Should Consider Power Training

If you’re used to a slower, more controlled hypertrophy-focused approach, Adrian’s Advanced 5-Day Split might blow your hair back a little bit at first. But even if hypertrophy is your primary goal, there’s value in incorporating power training into your routine.

By integrating explosive strength training, you can:

✅ Enhance strength and power, improving performance in hypertrophy workouts.
✅ Break through plateaus by challenging your muscles in a new way.
✅ Strengthen connective tissue, potentially reducing injury risk.
✅ Improve muscle fiber recruitment, which can lead to increased muscle growth.
✅ Sharpen reaction times and functional movement, boosting athletic performance.

Even if you love hypertrophy, too much of the same training style can limit progress. Muscles thrive on variety and confusion, and power training introduces a new stimulus that enhances endurance, explosive strength, and agility. Over time, these adaptations can even shift muscle fiber composition, improving overall speed and power output.

Class Breakdown

A standalone warm-up before each class is crucial since a lot of the warm-ups in the program start with weights. There’s no easing into things here. Although the warm-ups are slower compared to the rest of the class, they aren’t the best or smartest way to prepare your body for the intensity ahead.

The program structure consists of circuits and supersets, repeated four times each before transitioning to the next circuit. There’s minimal rest between transitions, if any rest at all, before starting a circuit or superset again. You’ll get roughly 60 seconds of rest between circuits while Adrian demos the next round, though this timing isn’t exact, and on days three, four, and five, there’s a 60-second finisher at the end.

Day 1: Upper Body Pull (Biceps, Back, and Core)
Medium Weights, Heavy Weights

• Warm-up (4 minutes):
  • Renegade Row (Right/Left)
    
  • Side Plank Press (Right/Left)
    
  • Concentrated Curl (Right/Left) Time Under Tension Pace
• Circuit 1 (x4):
  • Hammer Curl
    
  • Alternating Renegade Row*
    
  • Bicycles (slow)
    
  • 30 seconds rest between rounds
    
  • 5 seconds transition time

*Adrian cues to switch to heavier weights in the second round and encourages progressive overload.

• Circuit 2 (x4):
  • Mountain Climbers (40 seconds)
    
  • Palm-up Curls (30 seconds)
    
  • Alternating Reverse Fly (20 seconds)
    
  • No rest
• Circuit 3 (x4):
  • Single Arm Row* (Right/Left) (20 seconds each)
    
  • High Plank** (30 seconds)
    
  • No rest

*For single arm rows, I opted to use my bench for a 3-point row to protect my back and lift a little heavier

**40 second plank last round

Recommended stretch to complement this class:  Selena Sameula 5 Minute Upper Body Stretch 3/20/24

Thoughts:

The pacing on Day 1 was fast. With two no-rest circuits, the entire class went by quickly, and I’d recommend avoiding drinking too much water before the second circuit unless you enjoy the sloshy-stomach feeling during mountain climbers. What made this day advanced was the pacing and the cueing for heavier weights. To go heavy at that pace and do it safely, you’ll need to lower your reps, which Adrian notes. Everything can be modified, but you’ll probably need to adjust your pace rather than the exercises themselves. This is the only back-focused day of the program, and I really wished for a bit more emphasis on that muscle group. Since I’m used to lifting heavier and slower (and for longer than 30 minutes), I left this class feeling uncertain about how much it actually challenged my muscles. It’s possible I could have gone heavier, but at that fast pace, I’m not sure it would have been the right call.

Day 2: Legs & Shoulders
Light Weights, Medium Weights, Heavy Weights

• Warm-up (4 minutes):
  • Single Leg Deadlift (Right/Left) – Medium Weights
    
  • Lateral Lunge with Knee Drive (Right/Left) – Medium Weights
    
  • Alternating Rear Fly (Light Weights)
    
  • Standing Single Dumbbell Chest Press (Light Weight)
• Circuit 1 (x4):
  • Suitcase Squat (Medium/Heavy Weights)
    
  • Alternating Overhead Press (Medium/Heavy Weights)
    
  • Alternating Bodyweight Lunge Jumps*
  • Transition time: minimal
    
  • Rest: No rest
    

*Adrian emphasizes power out of the hole in the lunges, not speed.

• Circuit 2 (7-minute EMOM):
  • 20 Deadlifts (7 rounds)
    
  • 140 Deadlifts total
    
  • Rest: up to you

Sorry, but this circuit needs a mid-review note. There’s no other way to say this: These RDLs are fast.  In fact, they might be the fastest bend-and-snaps you’ve ever done, and they are definitely the fastest circuit (craziest circuit??) of the entire program.  My notes literally just say, “OMG, WTF was that???”  And, if your math is mathin’, that’s 1 RDL every 3 seconds if you want to use the whole minute and do 7 straight minutes of deadlifts.  If you want to give yourself 20 seconds of rest, then that’s 1 RDL every 2 seconds.  OMG, WTF indeed.

This is the only circuit in the program that isn’t repeated 4 times (thank GOD). Word of advice: Do not opt for your typical RDL “heaviest” during this circuit. Your deadlift form MUST be on point for this EMOM or you will hurt your back.  Adrian will use the entire minute for the last round of the EMOM.  You should, too.

• Circuit 3 (x4):
  • Lateral Raise* (Light Weights)
    
  • Sumo Squat (Heavy Weights)
    
  • Bodyweight Squat Jumps**
    
  • Transition: 10 seconds
  • Rest: 30 seconds
    

*Adrian cues alternating rear flyes in the demo, but you will be doing lateral raises for the circuit

**If plyo is challenging, you can modify to ¾ rep squat pulses (this is my personal trainer recommendation, not Adrian’s).

Recommend stretch to complement this class: Adrian’s 5-minute lower body stretch from 2/26/25

Thoughts:

Day 2 was exceptionally fast, with form being crucial, especially during the deadlift EMOM. If there’s a warning label for any of these classes, it would go here. Those deadlifts are comin’ in hot. To put it in a more fitness focused way, the pace of the deadlift EMOM is faster than typical dumbbell swings. Anyone can do 140 sloppy deadlifts, but that’s not the goal here. The advanced nature of this program really is derived from the ability to keep perfect form at this quick pace. Like Day 1, I felt there wasn’t enough time devoted to any one muscle group, particularly shoulders. There’s another shoulder day later in the week, though, so this isn’t as big of an issue for me as the back-focused day. The class packs a lot into 30 minutes, but that timeframe doesn’t allow for deep focus on any one area. It’s like going to a restaurant for dinner and expecting a large plate, only to get tapas – just not enough. However, for those who like lifting in 30 minutes or less, this class will probably be ideal.

Day 3: Chest & Triceps
Bodyweight, Medium Weights, Heavy Weights

• Warm-up (4 minutes):
  • Chest Activation in Plank Hold
    
  • Dead-stop Push-up with Overhead Reach
    
  • Reverse Plank Hold
    
  • Reverse Plank Dips
• Circuit 1 (x4):
  • Neutral Grip Chest Press (Heavy Weights) (45 seconds)
    
  • Overhead Tricep Extension (Medium Weights) (45 seconds)
    
  • 15-second transition
  • Rest: No rest
• Circuit 2 (x4):
  • Push-ups-Chest to Ground (45 seconds)
    
  • Tricep Kickback (Medium Weights) (45 seconds)
    
  • 15-second transition
  • Rest: 15 seconds

Note: I recommend a quick child’s pose between the push-up and tricep kickback transition to give your triceps and pecs a quick stretch.

• Circuit 3 (x4):
  • Tricep Push-ups* (30 seconds)
    
  • Skull Crushers (Medium Weights) (30 seconds)
    
  • 15-second transition
  • Rest: 15 seconds

*Tricep push-up modifier tip: If you have access to booty bands, place the bands around your arms just above your elbows.  This will provide enough support for you to progress your tricep pushups to your toes from your knees. Start with the strongest resistance and move toward the lightest as you get stronger. 

• 60-second Finisher:
  • Pike Push-ups

This is not a pike TO push-up. You are in a pike, bending elbows and dropping your head between your hands to the floor then back up to pike. 

Recommended stretch to complement this class: Matty Maggiacomo’s 5 Minute Upper Body Stretch from 8/7/24

Thoughts:

Beware of the sound mixing in this class – the music is much louder than in the others and will need to be adjusted so you can hear Adrian. Also, there’s a lot of wrist work in this class, so plan accordingly if you have sensitive wrists. And, finally, I’m happy to report that the break-neck speed of the first two classes has slowed down and this class is not nearly as fast as the first two.

Day 4: Legs & Core
Medium Weights, Heavy Weights

• Warm-up (4 minutes, 30-seconds each):
  • Bodyweight Tempo Sumo Squat (3-2-1 pace)
    
  • Bodyweight Duck Walk (Forward/Back)
    
  • Single Leg Knee Drive (Right/Left)
• Circuit 1 (x4):
  • Suitcase Carry Front to Back Lunge (Medium Weights*) (40 seconds)
    
  • Repeat other side (40 seconds)
    
  • Forearm Plank (25 seconds)
  • Transition: 5 seconds
    
  • Rest: 10 seconds

*Increase to heavies after first set

• Circuit 2 (x4):
  • Bicycles with Emphasized Twist (35 seconds)
    
  • Dumbbell Squats, Suitcase Carry (Heavy Weights) (30 seconds)
    
  • High Plank (25 seconds)
    
  • Transition: 10 seconds
  • Rest: 10 seconds
• Circuit 3 (x4):
  • Deadlifts (Heavy Weights) (45 seconds)
    
  • Twisting Mountain Climbers (30 seconds)
    
  • Transition: 5 seconds
  • Rest: 10 seconds

10-second transition to finisher

• 60-second Finisher:
  • Bodyweight Squat Jumps

Recommended stretch to complement this class:  Logan Aldridge 5 Minute Lower Body Stretch from 3/26/25

Thoughts:

Just like Day 2, you can modify the squat jumps to ¾ rep squat pulses if needed. And, just like Day 2, Adrian does not cue this; this is me recommending it because squat jumps are not a strength for everyone, no matter how advanced of a lifter they are. What Adrian does mention is that he’s not great at core work, which I thought was amusing since Instagram evidence suggests otherwise. That said, I do believe him when he says he doesn’t like it. This class, though still quick, wasn’t as fast as the first two days. The key here in this particular class is to wear stable lifting shoes, not running shoes, for proper form–especially during the first circuit.

Day 5: Shoulders & Triceps
Light Weights, Medium Weights, Heavy Weights

• Warm-up (4 minutes):
  • High Plank, Plank Walk, or High Plank to Forearm Plank (30 seconds)
    
  • Dips on Lightweight Dumbbell (30 seconds)
    
  • High Plank Dumbbell Pass-Through (Right/Left) (30 seconds per side)
    
  • Dumbbell Tempo Single Arm Shoulder Press (Right/Left) (15 seconds per side)
• Circuit 1 (x4):
  • Skull Crushers (Light Weights) (30 seconds)
    
  • Alternating Overhead Press* (Light to Medium to Heavy Weights) (30 seconds)
    
  • Transition: 5 seconds
  • Rest: 30 seconds

*Progresses in weight to medium then heavy by round 3

• Circuit 2 (x4):
  • Neutral Grip Push Press* (Light to Heavy Weights) (30 seconds)
    
  • Alternating Tricep Kickbacks (Light Weights) (30 seconds)
    
  • Transition: 10 seconds
  • Rest: 30 seconds

*Progress to heavier weights for subsequent sets

• Circuit 3 (x4):
  • Overhead Tricep Extension* (Light to Heavy Weights) (30 seconds)
    
  • Alternating Lateral Raises (Light Weights) (30 seconds)
    
  • Transition: 10 seconds
  • Rest: 30 seconds

*Progress to heavier weights for subsequent sets, heaviest weight on last round

30 second transition to finisher

Note: 30 seconds is what he calls out, but it’s definitely closer to 60 seconds. Use this time wisely to stretch out your shoulders and triceps ahead of the finisher.

• 60-second Finisher:
  • Overhead Extension Static Hold

Recommended stretch to complement this class: Callie Gullickson’s 5 Minute Upper Body Stretch from 3/19/25

Thoughts:

This class felt slower than the others, though still moved along at a faster clip compared to traditional hypertrophy lifting. It wasn’t as sweaty as the other days, but it was also focused on shoulders and triceps, which aren’t as demanding in terms of energy output. Still, a solid day for shoulder and tricep work, and I felt like my shoulders got a good pump during this class.

Pros and Cons of Adrian’s Advanced 5-Day Split

Pros:

• Full Muscle Coverage – All major muscle groups are targeted at least once during this split.
• Triceps Focus – Triceps are often an afterthought in Peloton’s upper body work, but not here. Adrian dedicates two classes to them, and you’ll absolutely feel it.
• Fast-Paced & Engaging – If strength training sometimes feels like it drags on for you, that won’t be a problem here. The pacing is so fast, you won’t have time to be bored—or even think about being bored.
• Moves Are Not Overly Complex – If you’re consistently training at an intermediate level, you’re already familiar with everything in this program. (But see the con below!)

Cons:

• Pace Makes It Challenging – If your form isn’t tight, this program isn’t right (for you). A loosey-goosey form during this split could quickly and easily lead to injury.
• Limited Time to Adjust Weights – There’s little time between sets and circuits to think about your weight selection. Ideally, you would decide what you need during the intro, but the short intro doesn’t give enough time to put too much thought into it. This improves after week one, once you’re familiar with the classes, but you may feel like you’re scrambling just a bit at the start.  
• Hard to Track Weights & Reps – With the program’s fast pace, keeping track of your weights and reps can be challenging, if not impossible. Check out the Tips for Success section for strategies to stay organized.
• Short Duration, High Intensity – At times, it feels like there just wasn’t enough. The 30-minute classes fly by, but once you account for the warm-up and demos, actual strength training time is just over 25 minutes. To be fair, it’s tough to pack too much into that timeframe while still allowing for rest, but I personally would have loved an additional 15 minutes of work.

Tips for Success

• Set up your weights before class. The intro is short, and you won’t have time to grab gear before the warm-up (which may also use weights).
• Warm up before these classes. Full stop. You need to be loose to lift at this speed.
• Use the pause button. There’s no shame in pausing to catch your breath or grab water. It’s there for a reason—even advanced lifters use it.
• This is for advanced-intermediate to advanced lifters. If your form isn’t locked in, work on that first. The injury risk is high, and I want you to get benefits, not setbacks.
• Wear proper lifting shoes. No running shoes! Opt for Nike Metcons, Reebok Nanos, No Bulls—anything stable and flat.
• Adjust your weight expectations. “Light, medium, and heavy” are relative. A heavy weight for hypertrophy isn’t the same as a heavy weight here. Scaling down is smart—you’ll have time to progress over 4-8 weeks.
• Keep track of your weights. There’s no official tracker for this split. Keep your phone handy with your notes app open and use voice-to-text during breaks to quickly keep track of your weights and your reps.  Or, maybe just to write down OMG, WTF was that??? after that 7 minute EMOM.  Your feelings are valid.
• Plan what’s next. The worst thing is finishing a program and then… floundering. Stay consistent. Rebecca’s 5-Day Split or Andy’s Density Training are great follow-ups—just give yourself a deload week first.

Additional Cardio: Yes or No?

Yes, you will absolutely get cardio within these classes, especially on Days 1-3. You don’t need to add more, but if you do, avoid anything aggressive. Ideally, focus on strength training to maximize results and supplement with lower-impact cardio. Most importantly, listen to your body—if you feel fatigued, it’s a sign that you’re doing too much and you need to dial it back.

Personal Takeaways from Adrian’s Advanced 5-Day Split

Honestly, I had a love-hate relationship with this program. I love lifting with Adrian. I don’t love lifting at this pace. Power training isn’t my thing, and there were moments I wanted to scrap this whole review. But because I prefer slow, heavy hypertrophy-style lifting, that was more of a me problem than a program problem.

That said, there is value in incorporating power training into a hypertrophic program, and I’m glad I stuck it out. However, I’m just as happy to return to my comfort zone of slow, heavy lifting. Still, despite my initial resistance, I plan to revisit this split when I take another break from hypertrophy.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for an explosive strength training program, this is a great option. If you’re chasing hypertrophy, you may not love it. I didn’t at first, but by week’s end, I had a newfound appreciation for it. That said, if you’re taking a break from hypertrophy, this is a solid alternative—but expect an adjustment period if you’re used to slower-paced lifting.

I cannot stress this enough: Your form needs to be tight. Your last reps should look as clean as your first reps. If that’s not the case, work on your form before tackling this program. No matter how eager you are to try it, it’s not worth risking injury. Plus, good form should be a priority in any strength training.

The Takeaway

If you want an efficient, high-intensity split that challenges both your form and strength and you are 100% confident in your form or if you’ve been training exclusively for hypertrophy and you’re looking to shake things up with something that complements your training, Adrian’s Advanced 5-Day Split is the program you’re looking for.

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