How To Fit A Workout In On Xmas Day

For many, the thought of doing a workout on Christmas day is worse than eating left over cold brussel sprouts.

At Christmas, its less “how many press ups can you do in a minute” and more “how many chocolate selection boxes can I eat in an hour”.

But for some, Christmas day is still a day to get sweaty, and not just from running about after the whole family all day.

Whether you work out on Xmas to keep to your structured training programme, to set you up for the busy day ahead or just to buffer the incoming tsunami of calories, the same problem is faced…how do you fit it in to an already jam packed day.

Below we have our top four tips on how to squeeze in an effective workout on the busiest day of the year.

#1 – Do your workout first thing in the morning

When it comes to working out the general rule is the longer you put it off, the less likely it is to happen and this is never more true than on Christmas day.

Your best chance of getting a xmas day workout in is to get it done first thing in the morning, ideally before the rest of the household has risen (*may be impossible with excited young kids*).

Set your alarm for the early hours, have all your workout gear set out ready to go and you’ll have smashed out a workout before the day has even begun…which will be a little Christmas miracle in and of itself.

#2 – Get your friends and family in on the action

Motivation to train on Christmas day may not be at its highest, but you can increase the likelihood of sticking to your planned workout  by exercising with friends or family, so you know you won’t be tackling a gruelling set of burpees all on your own.

It’s all too easy to let the day get away from you and skip out on your Xmas day workout, but if you know there’s other people waiting on you to show up, then it makes lacing up your training shoes that little but easier.

Why not arrange to meet friend for a winter morning power walk or run,  or make it a family affair and get the whole household involved with some festive fitness challenges – Christmas is a time for competitive family fun after all.

#3 – Get fitness related gifts

When writing out your Christmas wish list this year, make sure to add a few fitness related items, whether it be a new pair of running shoes, resistance bands or a box of TPW new Ridiculous protein bars . Not only will these be the gifts that keep on giving throughout 2021, but nothing sparks the motivation to train like getting a shiny new piece of fitness gear or a fresh re-stock of supplements

#4 – Keep it short

Workouts don’t need to last an hour to be have effective fat loss or muscle building benefits and when your to do list is as long as Santa’s delivery list, the shorter your work out can be, whilst still ticking all the boxes, the better.

Using training styles such as TABATAS, EMOM or AMRAPS are a great way to burn through calories when time is in short supply – set a clock for 20 minutes and you’ll have smashed through a workout before the brussel sprouts have boiled.

Below we have our top three Xmas day workouts that will give you a full body blast and all within 20 minutes

Give this TABATA a go for a quick, metabolism boost:

5 sets – 4 minutes per set (20 seconds work/10 seconds rest)

Set 1 – Plyo press ups

Set 2 – Squat jumps

Set 3 – Lying reverse crunch

Set 4-  Press ups

Set 5-  Bodyweight squats

Try this EMOM for a full body Christmas cardio sweat session:

Set clock for 20 minutes and perform

Even minutes – 15 burpees

Odd minutes – 20 reverse lunges (10 each leg)

Want an upper body pump for Xmas? Then take on this 20 minute AMRAP

In 20 minutes complete as Many rounds as possible of:

• 15 pike press
• 8 plank walk outs
• 15 press ups
• 8 sit throughs