If you were like most people, you'd use the time between Thanksgiving and the dawn of the New Year to create a whole new month: Cheatober. Each day of this flabby page on the calendar would be a gauntlet of cookies, pies, and fruitcakes, washed down with eggnog and pumpkin-spiced lattes. Mmm ... sugar, spice, and chafing thighs.

But you're not like most people. You crave a January 1 "before" picture that looks better than everybody else's "after." You want to give yourself the gift that keeps on giving this holiday season: your very own ass-kicking machine! No assembly required.

If you leap into the Twinlab Muscle Militia's end-of-year program, you'll leap into 2015 looking lean and very, very mean.

Put more mass in Christmas

Speaking of mean ... Powerlifter Jason Wheat, competitive bodybuilder Ronnie Milo, and executive physique freak Chris Thompson must have had an extra scoop of Pro-Series MVP before they designed this program. There you are, still reeling from their three hardest workouts of the year, and now here they are again with another serving of winter cruelty that is Grinch-grade through and through. That's just how they roll.

Meet the Muscle Militia

"You only have a few weeks left before January 1. Make them a springboard into the best year of your life," shouts Thompson from his preacher-bench pulpit. "Dream big, and then do the hard work to make it happen."

Luckily, the work required here won't cut into your precious holiday family reunions, bad-sweater work parties, and other scheduled encounters with the non-swole. Just find a way to carve out between 45 minutes and an hour, five days a week—no more, they promise—and you'll become the goal everyone else writes in their journal a month from now.

You'll lift five days a week. The first three days stimulate strength and muscle gains in all the major muscle groups. You'll rest one day, and then on Day 5, you'll tackle the now-legendary 30-minute Muscle Militia whole-body circuit, an all-out assault that snuffs out fat reserves, pushes mental limits, and leaves your entire body screaming.

Day 6 is a single-limb onslaught like the Militia brought you in the article "Unilateral Armament." It'll help develop symmetry, core strength, and hit your muscles with a novel stimulus that keeps you growing through Three Kings Day.

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Your Training Orders

For Days 1, 2, 3, and 6
  1. Warm up with 5-7 minutes of light cardio.
  2. Begin each movement with a light warm-up set.
  3. Perform your first working set of 6-8 reps, starting with a weight that is very challenging on the last rep.
  4. Rest as much as is needed to attack the weight, while still keeping your heart rate up.
  5. Drop the weight by 10 percent, rest again, and drop by another 10 percent for the third set.

If you leap into the Twinlab Muscle Militia's end-of-year program, you'll leap into 2015 looking lean and very, very mean.

For unweighted bodyweight movements like push-ups and diamond push-ups, you have a few options. You could weight them, using a weighted vest, chains, elastic bands, plates, or whatever else gets you close to the rep range.

Alternately, if Ronnie Milo or Jason Wheat happens to be standing nearby, you could have them stand on your spine (not recommended). If neither of those options work for you, just rep out to failure on all three sets.

For Day 5
  1. Warm up with one light set.
  2. Pick a weight you would normally be able to lift for 8-12 reps, but which would be very challenging for the last rep. Then try to reach 15 reps in a single set, using forced reps if necessary.
  3. Move to the next exercise, resting as little as possible between movements.

Week 1

Week 1, Day 1: Chest/Back/Calves
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 5 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Week 1, Day 2: Legs and Abs
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Barbell Squat
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 5 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Week 1, Day 3: Shoulders and Arms
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Standing dumbbell shoulder press
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 6 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Brutality

Perform the 30-minute Muscle Militia Workout (see video above).

Week 1, Day 6: Unilateral Armament
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 10 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 7: Rest

Week 2

Week 2, Day 1: Chest/Back/Calves
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
1 set, to failure
+ 5 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Week 2, Day 2: Legs and Abs
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Barbell Squat
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 6 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Week 2, Day 3: Shoulders and Arms
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Side Lateral Raise
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 6 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Brutality

Perform the 30-minute Muscle Militia Workout (see video above).

Week 2, Day 6: Unilateral Armament
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Kettlebell One-Legged Deadlift
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 11 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 7: Rest

Week 3

Week 3, Day 1: Chest/Back/Calves
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 5 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Week 3, Day 2: Legs and Abs
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Barbell Squat
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 6 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Week 3, Day 3: Shoulders and Abs
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Incline dumbbell bench press
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 6 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 4: Rest

Day 5: Brutality

Perform the 30-minute Muscle Militia Workout (see video above).

Week 3, Day 6: Unilateral Armament
Note: Drop weight by 10% each set
1
Kettlebell One-Legged Deadlift
3 sets, 6-8 reps
+ 11 more exercises

BodyFit

$6.99/month
  • 2,500+ expert-created single workouts
  • 3,500+ how-to exercise videos
  • Detailed workout instruction
  • Step-by-step workout tips
  • Training at gym or at home
  • Access to Workout Plans
  • Access to Bodyfit App
  • Store Discounts

What comes with BodyFit?

  • Instructional Videos

    • Don't risk doing a workout improperly! Avoid injury and keep your form in check with in-depth instructional videos.

  • How-to Images

    • View our enormous library of workout photos and see exactly how each exercise should be done before you give it a shot.

  • Step-by-Step Instructions

    • Quickly read through our step-by-step directions to ensure you're doing each workout correctly the first time, every time.

Day 7: Rest

About the Author

Contributing Writer

Contributing Writer

Bodybuilding.com’s authors consist of accredited coaches, doctors, dietitians and athletes across the world.

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