Holiday Workouts – Ways To Stay in Shape During The Holidays

One down, more to come. Happy Holidays to you so far! I really appreciate all of you that take the time to read through my articles, so to show my appreciation to you, I am going to outline a workout that you can use for the month of December. Enjoy!

Although it is impossible to design a perfect program for all of you that are reading this, I am going to do my best. I am going to assume that you are interested in how your body functions and looks. I am also going to guess that you don’t have hours of discretionary time, which means we need a program that lets us get in, get out and kicks butt in about an hour or less, a few times per week. I am also going to go out on limb and say that you only have access to the basics like dumbbells, medicine balls and your body weight to work with. Sound about right? Lets get started!

Day #1
On day one, we will focus on pushing movements, squatting variations and core. The body can push horizontally and vertically and it can perform a wide variety of level changes. The functions of the core are many (stabilization, rotation, anti-rotation, anti-extension, etc.). Since we also do not have a lot of time, we will need to perform this in a complex type of fashion. During your warm up, you will perform 4 key stretches, do 3 lying warm ups and 3 standing warm ups.

STRETCHES: Hip flexor, seated glute stretch, low back stretch and lat stretch.

TIME: Until you feel loose.

GROUND WARM UP: 15 reps each:

1. Hip poppers/glute bridges
2. Iron cross
3. Modified push-ups

STANDING WARM UP – 15 REPS EACH:

1. Jumping jacks or seal jacks
2. Face pulls-light
3. Vertical choppers with medicine ball

COMPLEX 1: 3 X 8-15 REPS

1. DB BENCH OR MEDICINE BALL PUSH-UPS
2. DB SQUATS TO LOW BOX
3. SIDE PLANK – 30 SECONDS EACH SIDE

REPEAT COMPLEX AFTER QUICK DRINK

COMPLEX 2: 3 X 8-15 REPS

1. STANDING DB PRESS
2. SPLIT SQUATS
3. SEATED MEDICINE BALL RUSSIAN TWIST

COMPLEX 3: 3 X 8-15 REPS

1. INCLINE 1 ARM DB BENCH
2. STEP UPS
3. AB WHEEL

CONDITIONING FOR FINISHER: BURPEE (10) INTO LUNGES (10 EL)

Day #2
On day two, we will focus on pulling movements, hip dominant or single legged movements and core. The body can pull horizontally and vertically and it can perform a wide variety of locomotor movements (hip dominant). The functions of the core are many (stabilization, rotation, anti-rotation, anti-extension, etc.). Since we also do not have a lot of time, we will need to perform this in a complex type of fashion. During your warm up, you will perform 4 key stretches, do 3 lying warm ups and 3 standing warm ups.

STRETCHES: Hip flexor, seated glute stretch, low back stretch and lat stretch.

TIME: Until you feel loose.

GROUND WARM UP – 15 reps each:

1. Hip poppers/glute bridges
2. Iron cross
3. Modified pushups

STANDING WARM UP – 15 REPS EACH:

1. Jumping jacks or seal jacks
2. Face pulls-light
3. Vertical choppers with medicine ball

COMPLEX 1: 3 X 8-15 REPS

1. PULL UPS OR PULLDOWNS
2. SINGLE LEGGED DEADLIFTS
3. BIRD DOGS

REPEAT COMPLEX AFTER QUICK DRINK

COMPLEX 2: 3 X 8-15 REPS

1. DB ROWS
2. REVERSE LUNGES
3. HI TO LOW CHOPPERS

COMPLEX 3: 3 X 8-15 REPS

1. INVERSE ROWS
2. GOOD MORNINGS
3. HORIZONTAL ROTATIONS

CONDITIONING FOR FINISHER: 2 X 300 YARD SHUTTLE

Day #3
On day three we will focus on the entire body. Because of this, you may find that it is the toughest day. We are also working every muscle in the body at least twice during the week. Remember, work the movements and the muscles will follow. We are really aiming for peripheral heart action during day 3.

STRETCHES: Hip flexor, seated glute stretch, low back stretch and lat stretch.

TIME: Until you feel loose.

GROUND WARM UP – 15 reps each:

1. Hip poppers/glute bridges
2. Iron cross
3. Modified pushups

STANDING WARM UP – 15 REPS EACH:

1. Jumping jacks or seal jacks
2. Face pulls-light
3. Vertical choppers with medicine ball

COMPLEX 1: 20 REPS

1. GOBLET SQUAT
2. STANDING PRESS
3. LATERAL SKI JUMPS FOR DISTANCE

COMPLEX 2: 15 REPS

1. PULL UPS
2. PUSHUPS
3. BENCH JUMPS

COMPLEX 3: 8 REPS

1. SQUATS
2. INCLINE DB BENCH
3. SQUAT JUMPS

DB COMPLEX FOR FINISHER:

1. BENT OVER ROWS X10
2. OH PRESS X10
3. SPEED CURLS X10
4. LATERALS X10
5. LUNGES X10

Try to beat the time it took you to complete each workout in the subsequent workout. I realize there are holes in this program, but once again, it can be tweaked and should work for the masses. Enjoy and keep me posted on your progress next month. Happy Holidays!