Cari Fit

Fitness Advice, Workout Tips, and Inspiration

Holiday Workout

Holiday Hustle Workout

I don’t know about you – but this holiday season seems to be going by so fast! Maybe I’m just in a rush more with holiday parties, kids’ school events, work, etc. but I feel like I don’t have much time for me. But – I know that it’s super important to fit in those holiday workouts to avoid the dreaded holiday weight gain! I think they say that the average person gains between 5-7lb – YIKES. So, my plan this month has been to fit in a small workout 5x week, even if I can’t make it to the gym.

When I do go to the gym – I love to use the bag and do a boxing workout mixed with jumprope and some strength training. Or, I’ll do a treadmill cardio warmup and then hit the weight machines (since I don’t have these at home) and combine upper and lower body. For instance, when I’m resting my quads from the leg extension machine – I’ll do overhead tricep extensions or shoulder presses with a kettlebell. I grab a kettlebell (or resistance band) before I start moving from machine to machine so it’s with me and I can do exercises during my “rest”.

If I’m at home or at the park – I like to do this mini Holiday Hustle Workout! Give it a try and let me know what you think!

HOLIDAY HUSTLE WORKOUT

Tips: To make these exercises harder, you can add 1-2 weights (for squats, elevated lunges, etc). Also, perform the # of reps listed on each leg – except for the jump lunges – just do 20 total. If jumping is too much, just do reverse lunges. You can also repeat the entire circuit if you have time! Comment below if you have any questions!

Holiday HIIT Workouts For Home and Gym

Over the holidays we typically don’t have much free time and are extra busy with shopping, parties and family/friends. But, this is actually the BEST time to keep up with your workouts. Working out over the holidays will not only keep you looking your best, but it will relieve stress, counteract extra holiday treats and also give you a jump start on those New Years resolutions and fitness goals. Try these workout below – they only take 30 minutes each.

At Home HIIT Workout (30 minutes):

Equipment: 1 set of medium dumbbells and a mat, towel or carpet for cushion

Warmup by doing 10 squats, 10 jumping jacks and 10 sets of high knees x 4 sets (about 3 minutes)

Perform all 5 exercises in a row and aim for 15-20 reps of each. Then, do the whole workout 3-4 times.

  1. Squat with Hip Abduction. Perform a squat, then kick your right leg out to the side, squat again and then do left leg. Hold 1-2 weights to make it harder.
  2. Pushup to Ankle Reach. Perform 1 pushup, then press yourself up and back (like downward dog) and reach your right hand under your body and touch your left ankle or shin. Repeat pushup and then touch left hand to right leg.
  3. Double Crunch. Place hands behind head and crunch your knees towards chest, as you bring your shoulder blades up off the floor.
  4. Plie Squat With Alternating Upright Row. Stand with toes pointing slightly out and 1 weight in your right hand. Perform 1 upright row with right arm, then squat down and set weight on the floor. As you stand back up from squat position, pick up weight with left hand and perform upright row on left arm. Alternate quickly and perform 20 reps.
  5. Burpee With Bent Over Row. Perform a regular burpee with your hands on your weights. Squat down, place weights on the ground, jump back to plank, jump feet back in, stand up (be careful not to round your back as you stand up) and perform a bent-over row with your knees bent. Repeat.

 

HIIT Workout At The Gym (30 minutes):

Equipment: Gym machines and 1 kettlebell

  1. warmup on a cardio machine for 5 minutes
  2. Grab a kettlebell (10-15lb for beginners, 15-20lb for intermediate and 25+lb for advanced or guys) and find the seated leg extension machine (for quads). Perform 1 set of quad extension on the machine (make sure the machine is set up correctly for your body and height). Aim for a weight that’s heavy enough where reps 12-15 are almost impossible to complete but you can with good form. Then, stand up by the machine and do 15-20 squat to shoulder presses holding the kettlebell (by the ball and not handle). Alternate the machine with squat to KB shoulder press 3-4 times.
  3. Find either a seated hamstring curl machine or a face-down hamstring curl machine (lie face-down and curl heels to glutes). Perform 12-15 reps, then stand up and perform 1-arm kettlebell rows (hold kettlebell by the handle). Bend knees and step back with your right leg so you are in a semi-lunge position. Place left hand on knee, bend over (keep back flat) and row the kettlebell up and back with your right arm. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. Perform 12-15 reps then switch arms. Repeat both exercises 3-4 times.
  4. Find a seated hip abduction machine. This is the one where the pads go on the outside of your knees and you are pressing them outward to work glutes and outer thighs/hip abductors. Perform 15-20 reps and be sure not to let the weights crash together – so that means you have to constantly keep tension in the machine and never let your knees touch together. After 1 set, stand (or you can do these seated) and grab the kettlebell and do 12-15 overhead tricep extensions. Repeat both so you do 3-4 sets.
  5. Finish with some extra cardio and core. Do a standing high-knee run for 45 seconds and then hold a plank for 45 seconds. Repeat both 3-4 times.

 

Holiday HIIT Workout

I did this workout last night at my bootcamp and it’s super challenging. I had the girls mix in some stair running about halfway through just to mix in some steady cardio. If you don’t have access to stairs – go for a 5 minute jog around your block, jump rope or do some other (medium level) cardio at home. This is a shortened version and should take you about 30 minutes. If you have more time…do the whole thing twice!

The workout incorporates intervals of High, Medium and Low intensities. Do not rest in between. Once you are done with the whole set you can rest 60 seconds (or longer if you need it) before moving on to the next set.

Do each exercise for 1 minute each. You will need 1 set of medium weights for most of the exercises. 

Set 1

High: Weighted burpee with squat jump at the end – Do a regular burpee but with hands on weights, then when you jump feet back in finish with a weighted squat jump.

Med: Single leg plyo squat jump (1 min each leg) – Start in squat position but then do your jump balancing on 1 leg. Don’t lean forward – keep chest and shoulders back just like in a squat.

Low: Plie squat with upright row

 

Set 2

High: Lateral high knees over your mat (think 1-2-3, 1-2-3) pulling your knees up high each time and travel left then right.

Med: Squat to shoulder press (we did narrow press with palms facing each other and dropped our elbows to touch knees during squat)

Low: Reverse lunge with bicep curls (alternate legs)

 

*Do 5 minutes of steady cardio (see above for suggestions)

 

Set 3

High: Double butt kick jumps (start in squat then jump up and kick both heels up to your butt behind you, land softly back into squat)

Med: Alternating side lunges with overhead tricep extension (alternate side lunges left and right)

Low: Bent over row + fly (row/fly, row/fly, etc)

 

Set 4

High: Weighted v-ups – hold weight in your hands and reach to toes.

Med: Around the world plank tucks – start in high plank and alternate tucking right knee to right elbow, left knee to left elbow then right knee underneath core to left elbow and then left knee underneath to right elbow – repeat all 4

Low: Weighted Russian twists – alternate twisting elbows towards the ground while leaning back.