Hi all,

Welcome to week ONE of this NEW cycle! And welcome to December. This is going to be a quick 5-week cycle to round out 2025. I have some stuff in the works for 2026 that I’m not quite ready to reveal yet, but get EXCITED. Regarding this cycle’s focus, we’re taking the “Grunt Work” mentality to heart. We all know resistance training is the best type of exercise for injury prevention and longevity, BUT - fun fact - it is also amazing at increasing metabolism via lean muscle mass production. That’s the focus for this quick 5-week program - increase the proportion of lean muscle mass via high-impact programming. OK - that’s enough chit chat.

Let’s get it!

Day 1 

• Mobility / Range of Motion Development

  • Banded Thoracic Activation on Wall

  • Banded Pec Opener

  • Thread the Needle

  • Cat/Cow

• Warm-up - 5 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 10 Plank Shoulder Taps (Left + Right = 1)

  • 4 Up Dog / Down Dog + Push-up

  • 8 Ring Rows or Towel Rows

  • :30 Jumping Jacks

• Strength

  • In 18 minutes, 4-5 rounds

    • Bodyweight Only

      • 10 Pause Push-ups (3-sec hover) (sub. with incline push-ups)

      • :30 Inverted Plank Hold

      • :20 Bear Pose Hold

    • DB Only

      • 10 Alternating Double DB Bench Press (10 per side)

      • 10 Single DB Bent-over Rows (5 per side)

      • :20 Double DB Front Rack Hold

    • Full Equipment

      • 8 Barbell Bench Press

      • 10 Ring Rows (feet elevated optional)

      • :20 Double KB Overhead Static Hold

  • Log a checkmark if you completed 4+ rounds, adding weights and variations chosen in the notes.

• Metcon

  • AMRAP10 (As Many Rounds and Reps as Possible in 10 Minutes)

    • Bodyweight Only

      • 10 Incline Push-ups

      • 16 Reverse Jackknives (Left + Right = 1)

      • :30 Mountain Climbers

    • DB Only

      • 8 Push-ups

      • 8 Single DB Pull Throughs (4 per side)

      • :30 Hollow Rocks

    • Full Equipment

      • 8 Hand Release Push-ups

      • 10 Kipping Pull-ups

      • 10 Burpee Box Jump overs

  • Log total rounds and reps completed in allotted time, adding weights and variations chosen in the notes.

• Recovery

  • Doorway Chest Stretch - 1.5 min. per side

  • Banded Lat Stretch on Rig - 1.5 min. per side

  • Supine Twist - 1 min. per side

  • Child’s Pose - 1 min. per side

Day 2

• Mobility / Range of Motion Development

  • Foam Roll Hamstrings

  • 90/90 Shinboxes (assisted or unassisted)

  • Banded Good Morning

  • Pigeon Stretch on Box

• Warm-up - 5 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 10 Double Leg Glute Bridges

  • 5 Jefferson Curls

  • 8 Banded Active Straight Leg Raise (4 per side)

  • :30 Jump Rope

• Strength

  • E2:30OM15 (Every 2.5 Minutes for 15 Minutes, 6 rounds total):

    • Bodyweight Only

      • 10 Single-Leg Glute Bridges (5 per side) (3-sec hold at top)

      • :20 Crab Pose Hold

    • DB Only

      • 10 Tempo Single DB Single Leg Romanian Deadlifts (5 per side) (3-sec descent)

        :20 Double DB Overhead Static Hold

    • Full Equipment

      • 8 Barbell 1 ¾ Conventional Deadlifts (build each round)

      • :30 Double KB Front Rack Stationary March

    • Log the heaviest weight used for the deadlifts, adding weights and variations chosen for other movements in the notes.

• Metcon

  • 4RFT (Four Rounds for Time)

    • Bodyweight Only

      • 10 PVC Good Mornings + 10 PVC Wide Legged Good Mornings

      • 150’ Reverse Walking

      • :30 (Accumulated) Hollow Rocks

    • DB Only

      • 6 Single DB Half Turkish Get-ups (3 per side)

      • 150’ Double DB Farmer’s Carry

      • :30 Single DB Push + Pull (switch arms halfway)

    • Full Equipment

      • 10 Double KB Suitcase Deadlifts

      • 20 Double DB Suitcase Box Step-ups (10 per side)

      • :30 Unbroken Strict Hanging Knee Raises

  • Log time it took to complete all rounds and reps, adding weights and variations chosen in the notes.

• Recovery

  • Seated Forward Fold - 1.5 min. per side

  • Banded Straight Legged Cross Body Stretch - 1.5 min. per side

  • Banded Quad Stretch - 1 min. per side

  • Supine Ankle to Chest Stretch - 1 min. per side

Day 3

Rest Day

• Try and fit in two to three walks of 1.0-1.5 miles apiece.

• Another good option is a light jog / stand-up paddle board / hike / slow bike / ruck / etc.

• Mobility and/or restorative yoga are other great options on rest days.

• Some is better than none.

• Getting outside in any capacity is encouraged!

Day 4

• Mobility / Range of Motion Development

  • Banded Ankle Distractions

  • World’s Greatest Stretch

  • Samson Stretch

  • Scorpions

• Warm-up - 5 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 8 Unweighted Split Squats (4 per side)

  • 8 Lateral Lunges (4 per side)

  • 8 Bird Dogs (4 per side)

  • 40 Lateral Hops over a Line (Left + Right = 1)

• Metcon

  • 30 Minutes for Quality

    • Bodyweight Only

      • 20 Air Squats

      • 10 Burpee Broad Jumps

      • :30 Bear Crawl + :30 Reverse Bear Crawl

      • 12 Unweighted Russian Twists (Left + Right = 1)

    • DB Only

      • 100’ Double DB Front Rack Carry

      • 10 Single DB Goblet Reverse Lunge + Weighted Box Step-up (5 per side)

      • 16 Single DB Chops (8 per side)

      • :30 Plank Shoulder Taps (Left + Right = 1)

    • Full Equipment

      • 100’ Sandbag Bear Hug Carry

      • 10 Double DB Renegade Rows + Push-up

      • 8 Barbell Half Kneeling Landmine Press (4 per side)

      • 16 Ball Slams

  • Log a checkmark if you worked for 30 minutes, adding weights and variations chosen in the notes.

• Recovery

  • T-spine Smash with LAX Ball - 1 min. per side

  • Standing Calf Stretch - 1 min. per side

  • Pigeon Stretch - 1 min. per side

  • Wide Legged Seated Forward Fold - 4 min.

Day 5

• Mobility / Range of Motion Development

  • Couch Stretch

  • ATG Split Squats

  • Seated Shoulder Rolls

  • Ankle Dorsiflexion Wall Stretch

• Warm-up - 5 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 10 Air Squats

  • 20 Unweighted Reverse Lunges (10 per side)

  • 5 Pause Push-ups

  • :30 Jumping Jacks

• Strength

  • In 20 minutes, 4-5 rounds

    • Bodyweight Only

      • 12 Tempo Split Squats (6 per side)

      • :20 Pike Hold

      • :60 Wall Sit Hold

    • DB Only

      • 8 Double DB Front Squats

      • 8 Single DB Half-Kneeling Strict Press (4 per side)

      • :30 Double DB Front Rack Hold

    • Full Equipment

      • 8 Barbell Pause Front Squats (2-sec pause at bottom)

      • 8 Barbell Push Press

      • 6-8 Strict Ring Dips

  • Log the weight of the heaviest successful, unbroken set of squats, adding weights and variations chosen for other movements in the notes.

• Metcon

  • 3RFT (Three Rounds for Time)

    • Bodyweight Only

      • 12-18 Jumping Squats

      • 6 Partial Wall Walks

      • :30 Side Elbow Plank Hold (switch halfway)

    • DB Only

      • 12 Double DB Thrusters

      • 10 Single DB Goblet Reverse Lunges (5 per side)

      • 12 Plank-ups (Left + Right = 1)

    • Full Equipment

      • 10 Barbell Thrusters

      • 50’ Sandbag Walking Lunges

      • 10 Sit-ups with weight overhead

  • Log time it took to complete all rounds and reps, adding weights and variations chosen in the notes.

• Recovery

  • Foam Roll Quads and IT Band - 1 min. per side

  • Banded Quad Stretch - 1.5 min. per side

  • Shoulder Extension Stretch - 1.5 min. per side

  • Hamstring Stretch - 1 min. per side

Day 6

• Mobility / Range of Motion Development

  • Foam Roll Lats

  • Thread the Needle

  • Cat / Cow

  • Scorpions

• Warm-up - 5 minutes, continue to cycle through…

  • 10 Scapular Push-ups

  • 8 Bird Dogs (Left + Right = 1)

  • 5 SLOW Reverse Snow Angels

  • :30 Jump Rope 

• Strength

  • In 12 Minutes, 4-5 Rounds

    • Bodyweight Only

      • 6 Banded Pull-ups

      • 8 Tuck-Ups

      • Optional if time - :20 Tuck Hold

    • DB Only

      • 6 Pull-up Eccentrics

      • 10 V-ups

      • Optional if time - :30 Hollow Hold

    • Full Equipment

      • 4-6 Weighted Strict Pull-ups

      • 16 V-ups

      • Optional if time - :20 L-Sit Hold

  • Log total count of pull-ups completed in allotted time, adding weights (if any used for the pull-ups) and variations chosen in the notes.

• Metcon

  • In 18 Minutes - complete work in order, then repeat if time allows

    • Bodyweight Only

      • 60 Half Burpees

      • 40 Hollow Rocks

      • 20 Jumping Squats

      • 20 Jumping Pull-ups

      • :60 Hand Plank Hold

    • DB Only

      • 80 Single DB Swings

      • 60 Hanging Knee Raises

      • 40 Single DB Push Press (20 per side)

      • 20 Heavy Single DB Tripod Rows (10 per side)

      • :60 Forearm Plank

    • Full Equipment

      • 80 American KB Swings

      • 60 Toes-to-Bar

      • 40 Barbell Hang Clean and Jerks

      • 20 Pull-ups

      • :60 Unbroken Active Bar Hang (option to add Strict Pull-ups)

  • Log total reps completed in allotted time - plus any time added for static holds, adding weights and variations chosen in the notes.

• Recovery

  • Foam Roll Upper Back - 2 min.

  • Banded Lat Stretch - 1.5 min. per side

  • Feet Elevated Figure Four Stretch - 1.5 min. per side

  • Up Dog Hold - 1 min. per side

Day 7

Rest Day

• Try and fit in two to three walks of 1.0-1.5 miles apiece.

• Another good option is a light jog / stand-up paddle board / hike / slow bike / ruck / etc.

• Mobility and/or restorative yoga are other great options on rest days.

• Some is better than none.

• Getting outside in any capacity is encouraged!