If you're looking for an excellent finisher to your lifts, look no further. Coach Myers' Crazy 5 Method is bound to give you the pump you're looking for.
Workout Summary
  • Main Goal
    Build Muscle
  • Workout Type
    Split
  • Training Level
    Intermediate
  • Program Duration6 weeks
  • Days Per Week
    3
  • Time Per Workout60-75 minutes
  • Equipment Required
    Barbell, Dumbbells
  • Target Gender Male & Female
  • Workout PDF Download Workout

Workout Description

Perhaps the most common and most popular rep scheme of all time is the tried and true 5 sets of 5 reps.

This strength training staple is simple, easy to apply to any exercise, and yields benefits for everyone from beginners to veterans.

It is typically used on big compound movements with the first set of 5 as a warm up, the second set as a heavier 5, and the last 3 sets of 5 reps as heavy as possible.

Related: Complete Database of Strength Focused Workouts

Although this rep scheme is simple and effective, if you are anything like me, it may leave you a little unsatisfied. I have consistently used 5 x 5 as a base in my training, but was always trying to find tweaks (Ex. negatives, partial reps, etc.) to get the most out of each exercise.

Some weeks I would add a drop set or pause reps to the last set of 5 x 5, providing a better pump to my standard workout. Still, I felt like I needed a more potent finisher before moving on to another exercise.

Crazy 5 Method Shoulder Press

That is when I came up with what is known as the Crazy 5 Method.

The Crazy 5 Method

The Crazy 5 Method involves taking a set of 20 reps of a particular exercise and dividing it up into 4 blocks of 5 reps that incorporate a different training variable.

1 x Crazy 5:
  5 - Plyo - super fast, but controlled
  5 - Super Slow - 5/5/5 tempo
  5 - Partial - 1/4 reps
  5 - Regular

The first 5 (of 20) reps are what I refer to as “Plyo” and are done super fast. It is important to keep the weight under control and use a normal range of motion but explode into the movement. If used on a chest press, I imagine that I’m trying to throw the weights to the ceiling.

After completing 5 Plyo speed reps, your nervous system has to put the brakes on as the second 5 reps are performed using a time under tension tempo of 5/5/5.  What that means is you will lower the weight for 5 seconds, pause at the bottom for 5 seconds, then raise the weight slowly for a full 5 seconds.

The lowering, or negative, portion of the exercise is the eccentric part of the exercise. The “pause” is actually the isometric contraction of the muscle. Make sure to keep everything tight and don’t let the weight rest at the bottom. Now for the hard part.

The concentric portion of the movement is the way “up”, and is the part of an exercise when you are used to moving the bar or dumbbells with speed. Taking a full 5 seconds to concentrically contract the muscles and raise the weight is extremely taxing.

After suffering through 5 super slow reps, the next block of 5 is performed as partial 1/4 reps. The 1/4 reps are typically performed at the “bottom” of the movement.  Using a DB shoulder press as the example, you would lower the dumbbells all the way to your shoulders, then raise them about 1/4 of the way back up before pausing briefly and going back down.

Related: The Best Shoulder Workout You've Never Tried

A good rule of thumb to follow is to use the hardest part of the exercise as the partial rep. On a chest press it would be the bottom 1/4 of the exercise where the chest is stretched. On a barbell curl, it would be the top 1/4 of the movement where the biceps are contracted fully.

Crazy 5 Method Bicep Curl

Once you have completed five 1/4 partial reps, finish up the set of 20 with 5 regular reps. You may think you would be on easy street at this point, but generally you will be so fatigued from the first three blocks of 5 that completing 5 basic reps may be the most challenging.

Get them done any way you can: squirm, yell, and tremble those weights through a full range of motion.

Now that you understand the premise behind my unorthodox Crazy 5 rep scheme, let’s circle back to the program that inspired the madness. I like to use the Crazy 5 as a 6th set on exercises where I implement the standard 5 x 5 reps. This allows me to get some standard heavy work in before I shock my muscles and nervous system with a potent finisher.

Typically, when choosing a weight for Crazy 5s, you will need to use between 50-60% of the weight you used for your last heavy set of 5. If your last heavy set of chest press was with the 100lb dumbbells, you will need a set of 50 or 55lbers in order to complete your 6th set.

Here is a great three day split that weaves the Crazy 5 Method into a standard 5/5 routine:

Day 1
Exercise Warm up Sets Work Sets Crazy 5 Method
1. Dumbbell Bench Press 1x10 5x5* 1x20 (Crazy 5)**
2. Shoulder Press - 5x5* 1x20 (Crazy 5)**
3a. Lateral Raises - 5x5* 1x20 (Crazy 5)**
3b. Dumbbell Shrugs - 5x10 -
4. Tricep Machine Press Down - 3x10 1x20 (Crazy 5)**
Day 2
Exercise Warm up Sets Work Sets Crazy 5 Method
1a. Deadlift - 4x5, 3 ,2, 1 -
1b. Pullups - 4x10 -
2. Dumbbell Row - 5x5* 1x20 (Crazy 5)**
3. Underhand Lat Pulldowns - 5x5* 1x20 (Crazy 5)**
4. Barbell Curls - 5x5* 1x20 (Crazy 5)**
Day 3
Exercise Warm up Sets Work Sets Crazy 5 Method
1. Squats 1x10 5x5* 1x20 (Crazy 5)**
2. Dumbbell Lunges - 5x5* 1x20 (Crazy 5)***
3. Weighted Crunches - 3x10 1x20 (Crazy 5)***

*Last 3 sets max effort
**1 x Crazy 5:
        5 - Plyo - super fast, but controlled
        5 - Super Slow - 5/5/5 tempo
        5 - Partial - 1/4 reps
        5 - Regular
***Complete Crazy 5 set with NO weight

Feel free to add any accessory lifts into this plan. You can take the Crazy 5 method and apply it as a finisher to any exercise. It doesn’t have to be tacked onto a 5x5. That is what is so great about this method as a finisher, it works well in any situation, after heavy singles or volume work, and can take the most mundane of routines and turn up the intensity to full blast.

I tend to use this method for about a week at a time and then put it on the shelf for a month or two. I’ve found that if you incorporate this method regularly, it loses some of its shock value as the body adapts to it. For optimal muscle growth and increased endurance, use it sparingly.

Try it on bodyweight exercises such as pull ups and pushups. You will be amazed at how it transforms an easy set of 20 into a grueling experience. Stay tuned to Muscle & Strength for more of my craziness!

5 Comments
Dan Turner
Posted on: Mon, 04/16/2018 - 13:11

I like the way you think you saddistic SOB :) I love it, can't wait to give it a go Today. Thanks

Phuc
Posted on: Sat, 04/14/2018 - 11:34

How are the 1x10 warm up sets done? With x% of working weight?

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JoshEngland
Posted on: Mon, 04/16/2018 - 09:28

Hi Phuc,

Perform warm up sets with 50-60% of your working weight.

Hope this helps!

Carl
Posted on: Thu, 04/07/2016 - 13:43

Awesome stuff here. I like explanations and the tables. Thanks coach!

Dan Turner
Posted on: Mon, 04/11/2016 - 10:50

sounds like a fun routine. I am assuming that there is no rest between the 5's