Merry Christmas from all of us at Octane Fitness! We wish you a joyous and fueled holiday season.
While the holidays can disrupt your fitness regimen, try not to get totally derailed. Even if December hasn’t been great as far as your workout consistency, it’s never too late to get going again. And although Christmas Day is indeed a busy one, why not squeeze in a sweat session? It doesn’t have to be super long – and you don’t have to leave the house – but something is better than nothing. Plus, you’ll rev up your energy, decompress a bit, burn some calories and ditch guilt about those holiday indulgences.
We’ve made it easy for you with this Christmas Circuit Workout, which you can complete at home in just 15-30 minutes. You benefit from brief cardio and strength intervals and a quick stretch. How’s that for a fabulous holiday gift?
Of course, it doesn’t have to be performed only on Christmas, but it’s a terrific option for other jam-packed days as well. Crank your favorite holiday tunes and take on this quick Christmas Circuit Workout!
Christmas Circuit Workout
Warm up for one minute by marching in place or going up and down stairs. Perform each exercise as many times as you can with good form for one minute without resting in between. Use dumbbells or resistance tubing for strength exercises.
For a 15-minute workout, finish the session with two minutes of stretching the major muscles – hamstrings, quadriceps, upper and lower back, chest, shoulders and triceps. For a 30-minute workout, repeat the circuit and spend five minutes stretching.
- Squats. With feet about hip-width apart, sit back through your glutes and hips, keeping chest up and weight in the heels; then stand up with a pelvic tilt.
- Jumping jacks. If you can’t tolerate high-impact, then simply tap alternating legs out to the side as you raise arms overhead.
- Inchworms. From a standing position, bend forward from the hips and place hands on the floor, walking out to plank and holding for two seconds. Walk hands back to feet and stand.
- Knee lifts. With or without bouncing, quickly alternate knee lifts to your chest as you pull arms down from overhead or pump arms forward and back.
- Rear lunges with bicep curls. Step right foot back and bend both knees to 90-degree angle; perform a bicep curl. Return right foot to meet left, and extend arms. Repeat with left leg, keeping chest up and core engaged.
- Side leaps. Jump side to side, bringing feet together, with torso tall and arms swinging to each side. If you can’t jump, do step-touches.
- Push-ups. On your knees or toes, with hands shoulder-width apart and core engaged, perform push-ups.
- Butt kickers. Kick your heels to glutes quickly, pressing arms overhead.
- Deadlift rows. Hinge at the hips until torso is parallel to floor, then bend elbows and row upward. Release arms straight down and stand upright for one repetition.
- Burpees. From standing, hinge forward from the hips, place hands on the floor, kick legs straight out behind you, jump the knees in and stand up for one rep. Walk the legs in if you can’t jump.
- Overhead presses with plies. With feet hip-width apart and toes turned out, drop your hips and bend knees as you press arms overhead.
- Crunches with hip thrusts. Lying on your back with hands lightly behind head and knees bent with feet hip-distance apart, crunch up, then raise hips into a bridge, lower hips down and lower torso to just shoulder blades (keep head and neck off mat).