December 2025 Lifting Club

What's up everybody!

It's a new month, and that means a new lifting club update.

Below, you'll find the "HQ Program of the Month," along with the "Lightning WOD Squad" program of the month for our 15 minute hoisters out there. 

Let's get right to it and finish out the year, powerfully!

Garage Gym Bro HQ Program of the Month (December 2025 Lifting Club)

EMOM PPL 4X

In each session, we will be doing 1 – only 1 – exercise in EMOM fashion.

The sessions are pull, push, legs. Follow those sessions in succession for at least 3 – and no more than 6 – sessions per week. 

These workouts should all take around 30 minutes.

Warm up with 1-3 rounds of: glute bridges or clam shells; ab exercise of choice; something for the shoulders (haloes, club swings, rear delt flyes, face pulls, or band pull aparts)

Pull

Ex 1: EMOM Pullups-10x3-5 (10 sets, 3-5 reps per set, every minute on the minute)

Ex 2: single arm rows-2-3x8-15

Ex 3: incline dumbbell curls or concentration curls-2-3x6-12

Ex 4: incline hammer curls-2-3x6-12

Push

Ex 1: single arm overhead press or see saw overhead presses-2x5-10

Ex 2: EMOM Pushups-10x6-12 (10 sets, 6-12 reps per set, every minute on the minute)

Ex 3: tricep isolation (close grip pushups, skull crushers, tricep pushdowns, DB kick backs, rolling tricep extensions)-2-3x10-15

Ex 4: lateral raise variation-2-3x10-15

Legs

Ex 1: EMOM Bulgarian split squats or standard split squats or alternating reverse lunges-10x3-5 each leg (10 sets, 3-5 reps each leg every minute on the minute)

Ex 2: single leg RDL or single leg glute bridges-2-3x8-15

Ex 3: box step ups, box jump squats (sitting to box), or reverse lunges-2-3x8-12

Ex 4: calf raise-2x12-20

On EMOM split squats or EMOM Bulgarian split squats, every minute do: 3-5 reps right leg, immediately switch legs, 3-5 reps left leg, then rest the remainder of the minute. Each set should take around 12-30 seconds total, or about 6-15 seconds per leg. If doing alternating reverse lunges, alternate legs every rep like: 1 left, 1 right, repeat for 3-5 reps each leg/6-10 reps total, then rest the remainder of the minute.

*Don't underestimate those EMOM sets. I recommend beginning with the lowest end of the rep range for the first couple sessions, then begin adding a couple reps here and there across the sets. But if you start out too fast doing too many reps in the first few sets/minutes, you risk finding yourself without the juice to do the lowest recommended number of reps in the rep range by the later sets. 

As always, take advantage of these lower rep EMOM sets to make every rep perfect — slow and controlled tempo, pause at the top and bottom, momentarily, each and every rep. 

I recommend hanging from a pullup bar for 30-60 seconds at the end of every session. Not only is this great for back and shoulder health, it's also an awesome way to build up grip strength. Feel free to do multiple sets – or longer duration – of hangs to decompress the back and shoulders.

Lightning WOD Squad (15 Minute Program)

In each session, we will be doing 1 – only 1 – exercise in EMOM fashion.

The sessions are pull, push, legs. Follow those sessions in succession for at least 3 – and no more than 6 – sessions per week. 

These workouts should all take around 15 minutes.

Warm up with 1 round of: glute bridges or clam shells; ab exercise of choice; something for the shoulders (haloes, club swings, rear delt flyes, face pulls, or band pull aparts)

Pull

Ex 1: EMOM Pullups OR EMOM single arm rows-8x3-5 (8 sets, 3-5 reps per set, every minute on the minute. If doing single arm rows, that's 3-5 reps per arm every minute)

Ex 2: single arm rows or pullups or lat pulldowns-2x8-15 (2 x amrap if pullups)

Ex 3: any bicep curls-2x6-12

Push

Ex 1: single arm overhead press OR lateral raises-2x5-10 reps each arm (if doing lateral raises, do 2x10-15 reps and do them as exercise 2, doing pushups first!)

Ex 2: EMOM Pushups-8x6-12 (8 sets, 6-12 reps per set, every minute on the minute)

Ex 3: tricep isolation (close grip pushups, skull crushers, tricep pushdowns, DB kick backs, rolling tricep extensions)-2x10-15

Legs

Ex 1: EMOM Bulgarian split squats or standard split squats or goblet squats or alternating reverse lunges-8x3-5 each leg (8 sets, 3-5 reps each leg every minute on the minute)

Ex 2: single leg RDL, RDL, or single leg glute bridges, or kettlebell swings-2-3x8-15

Ex 3: calf raise-2x12-20

Each of those workouts should take right around 15 minutes! No excuses! Get after it and train at least 3 days per week. If doing the 15 minute sessions, make it a goal to train 5-6 days per week.

No matter how many days you train per week, always follow the sessions IN ORDER!

Pull

Rest

Push

Rest

Legs

Rest

Pull

Push

Legs

Rest

Pull

Rest

Push

Legs

Rest 

Rest

Legs

Pull

Push

Legs

Rest

Etc

^That's not my recommended schedule or anything. That's just a real world example of what your sessions may or may not look like. The pattern I want you to focus on is that no matter what days you train and where you insert your rest days (which, in the example above changes, seemingly without pattern – which is fine so long as you maintain at least 3 workouts per week!), we always maintain the successive nature of the plan.

Pull is followed by Push which is followed by Legs which is then followed by Pull, and we continue on and on like that, taking rest days where needed based on your preferences, your schedule, your needs, and your recovery. 

EMOM Progressions

If the EMOM pushups for 6-12 reps seems easy – that is, if you're doing 12 reps with perfect technique every set/minute and it's not challenging – make the exercise harder by:

1. Elevating your feet on a box, bench, or chair

2. Wearing a weighted vest or backpack filled with extra weight

3. 1.5 rep pushups (all the way down, halfway up, all the way down, full way up = 1 rep)

If EMOM Pullups for 3-5 reps seems easy for you – that is, if you're doing 5 reps with perfect technique every set/minute and it's not challenging – make the exercise harder by:

1. Doing more reps per set/minute (bump to 5-8 reps per set/minute)

2. Add weight via weighted vest, backpack, or weights attached to a dipping belt

3. Switch to a wide grip pullup

If EMOM squats, lunges, or split squats for 3-5 reps seems easy for you – that is, if you're doing 5 reps PER LEG EACH minute with perfect technique every set/minute and it's not challenging – make the exercise harder by:

1. Increasing the weight you're using (this is the BEST option here)

2. Switching the exercise variation (if doing goblet squats, switch to split squats. If doing split squats, switch too Bulgarian split squats)

If the exercises are too hard, use a resistance band for assisted pullups (or do lat pulldowns), do kneeling pushups or elevate your hands on a box or chair keeping your feet on the ground (you could also do dumbbell bench presses or floor presses), and for legs, start with bodyweight only.

For more specific questions, leave a comment below and I'll respond as soon as possible.

Go Forth and Lift!

Enjoy December. I know it's a busy month for many of you, but be sure to make time to train and exercise! With the 15 Minute Lightning WOD Squad option, you have NO EXCUSES to avoid training. Everyone has time and energy for 15 minutes, at least 3 days per week. 

Enjoy the final month of the year and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or just need a little pep talk or coaching perspective. I love this stuff and I love talking to people and helping you all with this lifestyle and journey!