Day 4: Pre-Holiday Workout!

It’s Day 4 of our 12 Days of Christmas Celebration, and we hope you’ve had a great time celebrating with us so far! In case you missed it, we are challenging all of our patients, friends, and family members to commit to making one thoughtful health change each day for 12 days. We’re pretty confident that by the end of these 2 weeks, you’re going to notice a difference in the way you feel just from taking a few action steps toward change!

Start the new year off right! Don’t wait until January 1 to take action on your New Year’s Resolutions! If you truly want to have a better 2016—to look better, feel better, and have better relationships—it’s important to start now.

Day 4 Challenge: Get Moving! Add this pre-holiday workout to your exercise regimen for maximum results.

Try this workout sometime today before you go to bed. During the holiday season, festivities will try their best to pull you away from your workouts and regular routines, but don’t let them win! Commit to this quick and easy workout that will deliver oxygen to your whole body, increase your immune system to fight off nasty colds and increase the release of your “happy hormones!”

Pre-Holiday Workout

This workout will get your butt in gear for the new year! Do all exercises for the number of reps indicated. Repeat the whole workout 3 times for maximum results!

Exercise #1: 30 Bicycle Crunches

Lie flat on your back with your legs out straight and your arms by your sides. Place your hands behind your head, keeping your elbows flat and open throughout the duration of the exercise. Be sure not to pull on your neck; simply use your hands for support as you lift. Begin alternating crunches, bringing each knee to the opposite elbow and releasing down, while keeping your core tense. Do this 30 times.

Exercise #2: 5 Burpees

Stand with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart and your arms relaxed by your sides. Lower your body into a squat position until your hands are flat on the floor in front of you. Step or jump both legs backward, so that you land in a push-up position. Jump or step both legs back into a squat, raise your hands above your head and jump straight up into the air. Return to the original position and repeat this exercise 5 times.

Exercise #3: 40 High Knees

Stand up straight with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart and your arms relaxed by your sides. Perform alternating jumps from one foot to the other, lifting your knees as high as possible while doing so. Hip-height is recommended. Follow the motion with your arms, and touch the ground with the balls of your feet. Do this 40 times (landing 20 times on each foot).

Exercise #4: 5 More Burpees (see description above.)

Exercise #5: 50 Squats

Stand up straight with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart and your arms relaxed by your sides. Keeping your back straight, chest lifted, and feet flat, squat down, bending your knees as though you’re sitting on a chair, until your thighs are parallel to the floor. For balance, raise your arms straight out in front of you so they are parallel to the floor as well. Pause and lift back up into the starting position. Do this 50 times.

Exercise #6: 5 More Burpees

Exercise #7: 40 Tricep Dips

Position your hands shoulder-width apart, fingers facing forward, on a secure chair or bench. Extend your legs straight out in front of you and slide your butt off the front of the chair or bench, keeping your heels on the floor for stability. Bend your arms and lower your butt down towards the floor. Using your triceps, hoist yourself back up and straighten your arms. Repeat this exercise 40 times.

Exercise #8: 5 More Burpees

Exercise #9: 30-Second Wall Sit

Stand up straight with your back flat against the wall and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Keeping your back against the wall and your feet on the ground, slowly bend your knees until your legs form a 90-degree angle and your thighs are parallel to the floor. (You can bend your knees even more for a greater challenge!) Bring your arms straight out in front of you so that they’re parallel to the floor, and hold this position for 30 seconds.

Commit to doing this workout 3 times a week, and we promise you’ll feel amazing before January 1 even rolls around. You can modify the exercises to suit your comfort level, but don’t get too comfortable . . . remember, no pain no gain!

Also, be sure to check out our events calendar for information on upcoming events, including Community Yoga every week for the first 3 weeks in December.

We hope you have a happy and healthy holiday season! If you missed the Day 3 challenge, you can grab it here.

Be a good friend. Click the buttons below to share this workout with the people in your social networks!