The festive season has officially begun! The holidays are all about good company, family, and even better food. It’s about happy endings and new beginnings, and a possible additional kilo or two from all the partying. But what if we told you that you can still stay in shape with all the merry-making? Our good friends over at Fitness First Middle East have shared with us some easy exercises for your Christmas fitness goals that will only take 15-20 minutes of your time. The workouts promise to keep you in shape, maintain your fitness level, and still have time to enjoy your holidays.
And we bet that you are tired of having fitness goals at the top of your New year resolutions. If you follow these exercises for your Christmas fitness goals, we promise that you will start the New Year right. This is because these 12 simple and practical exercises will engage the whole body and the only equipment you need is a chair, which you can find wherever you will be spending the holidays!
12 Days of Exercise for Your Christmas Fitness Goals
Make sure to warm up and prepare your body before starting your workout routine. These two exercises will surely get your heart beating and ready to go!
Jumping Jacks
Execution: Stand with your feet together and your hands at your sides. Simultaneously raise your arms above your head and jump up just enough to spread your feet out wide. Without pausing, quickly reverse the movement and repeat.
Timing: repeat 15-20 jumping jacks at moderate speed
High Knees
Execution: Stand up straight and place your feet about hip-width apart. Place your hands’ palms down facing the floor, hovering just above your belly button. Quickly drive your right knee up to meet your right hand, bring the same leg back to the ground immediately bring the left knee coming up to meet your left hand.
Timing: 20 – 30 seconds
After the warm-up, it’s time to work on your strength targeting your entire body. You will need a chair for the following Christmas fitness goals exercises.
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Chair Squats
Execution: Stand in front of a chair with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your knees over your feet. Slowly lower your buns toward the chair without actually sitting down. Be sure to tighten your abdominals to help support your back. Keep your knees over your ankles and place your weight on your heels throughout the full range of motion. Placing your arms out in front of you may help your balance. Straighten your body upright and repeat.
Timing: Beginners can try 1 set of 8 to 10 reps. More conditioned exercisers can try 10 to 12 reps.
Chair Step-ups
Execution: To start, place your entire right foot on the chair. Press through your right heel as you step onto the chair, bringing your left foot to meet your right so you are standing on the chair. Return to the starting position by stepping down with the right foot, then the left so both feet are on the floor.
Timings: Beginners can try 6 to 8 reps. More conditioned exercisers can try 10 to 12 reps.
Chair Triceps Dips
Execution: Stand in front of a chair and face away from the seat. Sit down on the edge of the seat and place your hands behind your hips. Your hands should be on the edge of the seat and shoulder width apart. Lift your buns off of the seat and walk your feet forward. Make sure your hands are secure on the chair so that you don’t slip off. Keep your chest elevated and head up. Your knees should not bend past your toes. Slowly lower your body downward. Be careful that your elbows don’t bend to an angle smaller than 90 degrees. Extend your arms, raising your body upward and supporting your weight with your arms.
Timing: Beginners can try 6 to 8 reps. More conditioned exercisers can try 10 to 12 reps.
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Chair Hip Bridge
Execution: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your arms at your sides, palms up. Put your heels on the seat of a chair placed so that your knees form a 90-degree angle. Relax your shoulders down and back into the floor. Squeeze your buttocks as you lift your hips off the floor. Pause, and then slowly release to return to the starting position.
Timing: Beginners can try 6 to 8 reps. More conditioned exercisers can try 10 to 12 reps.
Single Leg Chair Hip Bridge
Execution: Lie on the floor and rest the heel of one foot on the chair’s seat. Extend the other leg so that your thigh is parallel to the working leg, but straighten the knee. Brace your core and use your glutes and the balancing leg to lift your butt so that your hips are in full extension. Hold for two seconds before lowering.
Timing: Beginners can try 6 to 8 reps. More conditioned exercisers can try 10 to 12 reps.
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Chair Abs Crunches
Execution: Position yourself on the edge of the chair and grab hold of the seat just under your legs. Lean backward (V sitting position) and start lifting the knees towards the chest and slowly bring the feet back to the ground.
Timing: Beginners can try 6 to 8 reps. More conditioned exercisers can try 10 to 12 reps.
Chair Mountain Climbers
Execution: Start in a plank position with your hands (directly under your shoulders) on the chair’s seat and the tops of your feet resting on the floor. With a flat back and tight core, draw one knee toward your chest so that you’re balancing on your hands and one foot. Return the foot to the floor and repeat the movement with the other leg. Be careful not to let the hips pike or sag.
Timing: Beginners can try 6 to 8 reps. More conditioned exercisers can try 10 to 12 reps.
Incline Push Up
Execution: Stand facing the chair. Place hands on edge of the chair in line with the shoulders. Position your forefoot back from the chair with arms and body straight. Start dropping your chest down towards the chair until you reach elbow height. Push body up until arms are extended.
Timing: Beginners can try 4 to 6 reps. More conditioned exercisers can try 8 to 10 reps.
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Chair Plank
Execution: Position your hands directly under your shoulders on the seat of the chair and place your feet on the floor balancing on the balls of your feet. Brace the core and keep your body in the straight line with knees, hips, and shoulders in the same line.
Timing: Beginners stay in this position for 20 seconds. More conditioned exercisers stay for 30-45 seconds.
Stretching is a crucial part of every workout. It keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. The following exercises for your Christmas fitness goals will improve flexibility, as well as stretch and lengthen your muscles.
Stretching Against the Wall
Execution: position hands against the wall above the head line and keep your feet parallel in line with hips and shoulders. With every breath out take your feet half step to the back and slide your hands against the wall while bringing your chest closer to the floor. Continue sliding down until you reach 90 degrees in your hips. Keep your arms and legs straight, knees locked.
Timing: 45 – 60 seconds.
*Repeat the Christmas fitness goals exercises 2-11 for 2-4 sets depending on your fitness level.
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