Welcome Mr Mystery Guest to our Die Hard Christmas Workout. A gruelling circuit workout paying tribute to one of the greatest action (Christmas) movies ever. 40 Exercises. 12 cardio Stations. 1 Man/Woman.
Click the link below to skip the introduction and go straight to the workout!
Welcome to the Party Pal
Welcome to our Die Hard Christmas Workout — 40 stations of terror. No backup, no breathers, no easy way out. Just movement, grit, and stubborn momentum.
You’ll battle through a 40-exercise circuit that hits hypertrophy, endurance, and metabolic fire — the training equivalent of fighting your way up the tower one floor at a time. To make matters worse, you’ve also got 12 cardio stations to throw in whenever you choose… just to keep the chaos honest.
Finish strong and you’ll face the Final Confrontation — your own showdown with Gruber.
Complete the workout in the time allotted, or at least die trying.
John McClane (right) playing guerilla fighter against the Nakatomi terrorists hunting him (Right).
About the Film
Released in 1988, Die Hard redefined modern action cinema with its tight location, sharp direction, and unforgettable characters. Bruce Willis became a household name as John McClane, the New York cop in the wrong place at the wrong time, and Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber set the standard for the smooth, calculating villain.
Set during a Christmas Eve party at Nakatomi Plaza, the story follows McClane as he tries to reconnect with his wife — only to find himself the lone obstacle between a group of armed terrorists and their master plan. Outgunned, barefoot, and completely on his own, McClane launches a one-man guerrilla campaign through the tower.
Die Hard is littered with double crosses, gunfights, fist fights, explosions, rooftop jumps and of course smart ass one liners. As McClane tries to foil Gruber’s Christmas plans. Hans just wants his detonators back!
Decades later, the film remains a pop-culture staple. Its lines, moments, and characters still echo through TV, film, and memes. Is it a Christmas film? The debate continues — but it’s festive enough to earn its place in the season for most fans.
"Come Out To The Coast, We'll Get Together, Have A Few Laughs..."
John McClane - (Die Hard)
🏢 Nakatomi Plaza Circuit
🏢 Programme Overview
🛠️ Equipment Required
The Die Hard Workout blends bodyweight drills with classic iron: dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, sandbags, and a medicine ball.
If you’re missing something, improvise —
John McClane didn’t have a fully equipped gym in Nakatomi Plaza either.
See our section on improvised gym gear for DIY replacements.
🔧 Workout Breakdown
This is one long, continuous 40-station circuit.
Your mission: work through every exercise, in order, with as little rest as possible.
The transition between exercises is your rest — McClane doesn’t get breaks, and neither do you.
- Intensity sits in the hypertrophy/endurance range (60–70% 1RM for weighted movements).
- Each station lasts:
45 seconds (intermediate/advanced)
30 seconds (beginners / hungover after the office Christmas party)
Stay steady. Keep form sharp. Try not to die. (Bonus points if you bleed on the carpet.)
🎄💣 The “Terrorist” Cardio Stations (Hans’ Crew)
Alongside the main circuit, you must complete 12 cardio stations — each representing one of Hans Gruber’s henchmen.
- You can complete them whenever you like, in any order.
- BUT: All 12 MUST be finished before the final exercise of the main circuit.
- Have a notepad handy and cross off each terrorist as you ‘take them out.’
Karl
Shadow Boxing x 1minute.
Eddie
KB swings x 1minute.
Tony
Star jumps x 1minute.
Franco
Kneel to stand ups x 1minute
Fritz
Oblique mountain climbers x 1minute
Uli
Medicine ball slams x 1minute.
Heinrich
Step ups x 1 minute.
Marco
20 x Box jumps.
Kristoff
Burpees x 1minute.
- Karl – Shadow boxing 1 minute.
- Theo – Reverse burpees x 1 minute.
- Eddie – KB swings x 1 minute.
- Tony – Star jumps x 1 minute.
- Franco – Kneel to stand ups – 1 minute.
- Fritz – Oblique mountain climbers x 1 minute.
- Uli – Medicine ball slams x 1 minute.
- Heinrich – Step ups x 1 minute.
- Marco – 20x box jumps.
- Alexander –Spiderman push ups – 1 minute.
- James – MMA Kick throughs – 1 minute.
- Kristoff – Burpees – 1 minute.
Think of it like Die Hard bingo — except instead of shouting “HOUSE!” you’re wheezing into a puddle of your own sweat.
🚨 Execution
- Work station by station, keeping your pace relentless.
- Don’t forget the terrorist cardio stations — leave them too late and you’ll regret it.
- Keep pushing through.
- No excuses.
- No extended breaks.
- No “but it’s Christmas” whining.
Nakatomi Circuit Stations
- Weighted Calf Raises.
- Goblet Squats
- Dumbbell Chest press.
- Double Clean and press.
- Bent over rows (10 each side).
- KB Windmills (right side).
- Seated shoulder press.
- Push ups.
- Leg raises.
- Dumbbell curls.
Don’t let Karl catch you slacking off from the circuit.
- KB/DB weighted crunches.
- Weighted hip raises.
- KB windmill left side.
- Triceps dips.
- Reverse Lunges (alternate).
- High plank.
- Deadlifts.
- Reverse biceps curls.
- Side plank (left side).
- Side plank (right side).
- Shoulder push-ups.
- Ankle toucher’s (alternate).
- Weighted side lunges (alternate).
- Incline push-ups x 10 reps. Decline push-ups x 10 reps.
- KB around the world.
- Bicycle crunches.
- KB swing.
- Romanian deadlifts.
- Triceps extensions.
- Bodyweight forward lunges (alternate).
- Hammer curls.
- BB/SB good mornings.
- High knees.
- DB lateral raises.
- Judo/Yoga pushups.
- Russian twists.
- Dragon squats.
- Low plank.
- Medicine ball wall ball throws.
- KB/DB snatch (alternate).
If you completed all 40 exercises above and all 12 cardio stations. Proceed to the final confrontation below!
🧨 🔥 Final Confrontation
When you’ve survived the entire circuit and eliminated all of Hans’ men, you finish with one last showdown:
Pick ONE of the following finishers below (either A, B or C) to close out the Die Hard Workout.
Each is a 2-minute all-out effort.
Once you’ve chosen the finisher, select your difficulty level:
🔥 Choose Your Difficulty
- Die Hard: 1 × 2-minute finisher round.
- Die Harder: 2 × 2-minute finisher rounds.
- Die Hard With a Vengeance: 3 × 2-minute finisher rounds.
Now is not the time to give up, it’s time to be a fly in the ointment, a pain in the ass. Final round Mr Cowboy, go get em!
A) 🚚 Tire Push & Flip Gauntlet
Duration: 2 minutes.
- Tire Push: 25 metres.
- 2 × Tire Flips.
- Repeat the sequence continuously until time expires.
B) 💥 DB/KB Manmakers
Duration: 2 minutes.
Sequence per rep:
- Plank.
- Push-Up.
- Renegade Row (left).
- Renegade Row (right).
- Jump to feet.
- Squat Thruster x 2 reps.
Duration: 2 minutes.
C) 🏋️♂️ Barbell/Sandbag Complex
Duration: 2 minutes.
Perform 2 reps of each movement before cycling back to the start:
Repeat the full sequence continuously until time expires.
- Deadlift × 2 reps.
- Romanian Deadlift × 2 reps.
- Bent-Over Row × 2 reps.
- High Pull × 2 reps.
- Front Squat × 2 reps.
- Military Press × 2 reps.
- Back Squat × 2 reps.
- Good Mornings × 2 reps.
Finish your selected number of finisher rounds and it’s happy trails — you’re done… barefoot, bleeding, filthy, victorious.
Whichever workout you undertake Remember to cool down, stretch and drink water!
Workout Complete!!
Yipee Kiyay Motherf**ker!!
Happy Christmas to you and yours!!
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