THE PATH TO strength, stamina, and physique goals doesn’t always require barbells and dumbbells and kettlebells. How? Master your bodyweight, military-style, which is exactly what you’ll do in the Military Muscle at Home program from trainer and Army veteran Erik Bartell, NASM. This no-frills four-week workout plan, available for MH MVP Premium members, will push you in multiple ways, challenging you to improve your cardio, hone your speed, and build serious bodyweight strength. And every single session also pushes you to incinerate calories, which will leave you trimmer and more chiseled by the end of the month.
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What the Military Muscle at Home Program Looks Like
EACH STAGE OF this four-week workout plan consists of five exercise days, alternating between cardio and strength training, and two rest days. Here’s what you can expect from your first week doing the Military Muscle at Home program:
MONDAY: ENDURANCE RUN
TUESDAY: UPPER BODY STRENGTH
WEDNESDAY: ANAEROBIC CAPACITY
THURSDAY: LOWER BODY STRENGTH
FRIDAY: RUCK DAY
SATURDAY: REST DAY
SUNDAY: REST DAY
On strength days, you'll perform bodyweight exercises like pushups, pullups, squats, and lunges, while running and rucking days focus on your cardiovascular endurance.
Every workout is detailed in an easy-to-download PDF, which includes:
- What you need to know before starting the program
- Exercise descriptions and reference images to keep your form on point
- Editable tables to track your progress
Here's what the table looks like on a Strength-based day:
Just pull up the file on your phone, tablet, or computer (you can print it out if you're old school, too) and you'll be ready to take on your workouts.
The 3 Key Components of the Military Muscle at Home Program
BARTELL CREATED THE Military Muscle at Home program based around three key components:
Cardio Capacity Work
These workouts are a whole lots more than reps, rest, and repeat. Instead, two days a week, you’ll run or ruck, building your cardiovascular endurance (and incinerating calories in the process). This will carry over to your strength training, letting you push deeper into sets and rounds of circuits without needing to rest.
Strength Circuits
One obvious challenge for bodyweight-only workouts? Leveling up the challenge from session to session. Rather than using external loads, Bartell ratchets up intensity. On strength days, you’ll work through vicious circuits that give your muscles little time to rest.
Assessments
You aren't just aimlessly performing exercises in this program. You'll measure your progress through self-assessments, which will allow you to challenge yourself to perform at your peak. There's a Week 1 assessment test in every single workout, which gives you an instant gauge of your fitness level. And three weeks later, it’ll let you gauge how far you’ve come with this training program, too.
What You Need for the Military Muscle at Home Program
THE BIGGEST WAY this program differs from others you might have taken on is the lack of gear needed. You can do the workouts just about anywhere—but you will need a pullup bar on strength days. When you ruck, you'll need a 25-pound weighted vest or a rucking backpack with about 25 pounds inside (that can also be a regular backpack filled with books).
We’d also advise investing in a pair of cross-training shoes that you can wear in both cardio and strength workouts. But if you already have running sneakers and weightlifting shoes, you can just wear what you normally would for each workout type.
And if you’re not sure which gear to get, here are a few of our recs:
Nike Free Metcon 6 Training Shoes
Other than that, all you’ll need is space to run (or a treadmill).
What to Eat on the Military Muscle at Home Program
YOU ALREADY KNOW that protein is key when you’re trying to build muscle, but you also need quality carbohydrates—specifically, fiber—to fuel your workouts and help you stay full between meals. Plus, healthy fats will help your heart stay strong, and antioxidants can even fend off illness so you’ll stay at the top of your game.
Sounds great, but where do you start? Our Best Meals for Muscle eating plan takes the guesswork out of making gains in the kitchen. Designed by Jim White, RD, longtime owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios, this nutrition program PDF offers 3+ weeks of guided meal prep and over 140 recipes designed to help fuel you through your workouts, build muscle after, and fine-tune your body for optimum performance.
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How to Recover on Rest Days
YOU HAVE TWO rest days on this program. Use them. Overtraining won’t help your gains. You’ll want to be fresh for your running days so you can push the pace within the workout plan, and that requires solid weekend recovery. That doesn’t mean you must sit completely still on recovery days, though. Don’t be afraid to do an extended stretching session, go for a walk, or play with the kids.
Ready to take on the challenge? Get access to the plan here.
