Holidays are not only the hardest time of year to resist sweet treats and family favorites, but also the hardest to get off the warm couch and into the gym. Being away for the Holidays also creates even more of a challenge to find a place to burn off those calories; that’s where we come in. Add these quick and simple work outs in a few times a week to avoid holiday pounds and stress!

Start with the high intensity cardio and finish strong with the strength and training session. Don’t forget to stretch out your muscles when finished!

Optional Equipment needed:

• Dumbbells

• Stability ball

• Yoga mat

• Medicine ball 

Exercises:

Do the recommended cardio workout followed by legs, arms, and abs for a quick 30 min workout! Don’t forget to stretch when finished!

Alternating overhead squat 

•  Stand with your feet shoulder width apart
•  Lower into a deep squat, keep your heels flat on the floor and hips below the knees
•  While lowering into squat, lift arms over head (make it harder: use medicine ball)
• Repeat for 30 secs, 3 times

Chair squat

•  Sit on edge of chair seat, arms extended in front of you, one foot on the floor and one foot in front of you
•  Stand up with one foot that is on the floor, keeping other foot extended
•  Sit back down and repeat quickly
•  Repeat 15 times, then switch sides and do the same. Do 3 sets.

Pulsing Front Lunges 

• Extend your right knee forward and left leg behind you, into lunge position
•  While in lunge position, slightly come up, and quickly go back down into original lunge position – Do this for 30 seconds (make it harder: hold dumbbells and do arm curls while in lunge pulse)
• Switch legs and repeat. Do 2 sets.

Alternating dumbbell fly 

• Lay on your back, legs flat, holding 2 dumbbells (make it harder: lay your upper back on a stability ball, with both feet on the floor, body parallel to the floor)
• Bring your arms straight above you, wrists touching
• Bring both arms out to the side until they are nearly reaching the ground, then bring them back up to start position
• Repeat 15-20 times for 3 sets

Tricep dips on chair 

• Place your hands shoulder width apart on a chair, while facing away from the chair
• Extend your legs in front of you, while your arms are still behind you on the chair
• Lift yourself off the ground by extending your elbows, while keeping your legs straight, heels on the floor
• Bring your elbows back to starting position but keep yourself from touching the floor again
• Repeat 15-20 times for 3 sets

Push up with elevated legs 

• Get in push up position and place your feet on a chair (make it harder: place legs on a stability ball)
• Place your arms shoulder width apart and bring your chest to the ground, and slowly extend back up into starting push up position
• Repeat 20 times for 3 sets

Core challenge:

• 50 crunches
• 15 push ups
• 1 min plank
• 30 sec side plank (both sides)
• 30 sec break
• 1 min plank
• 15 push ups
• 1 min bridge
• 50 crunches
• 30 sec break
• 1 min raised plank
• 2 mins bridge