The good news about the holiday season is that there are about 87,889 things to do in about four weeks. For many people, this means that their workouts get sidelined so they can deal with incredibly hectic schedules.
Office parties, get-togethers with friends and family, running around to get all of your holiday shopping done (yes, I know, point click, purchase, but I’m old fashioned and still like to interact with my fellow humans to shop!) can you leave you time-crunched, stressed out and wishing it was still the dog days of summer.
If you keep reading, I’ve got just the antidote for such ailments. It doesn’t entail much time and can keep your spirits up and help you survive the holiday season!
Workout Less to Move More
Not having time on your schedule to fit in fitness is as frustrating as it is challenging. Luckily, with the right approach, it is totally doable.
It starts with getting the notion out of your head that it has to be a “workout,” and introducing the concept of keeping up with a consistent movement habit. Work smarter not harder is what I’m getting at here.
Think about it. Which of the two examples below seem easier:
- My schedule is nuts today, I don’t have time to work out. I’m a total fitness failure and my fitfam will abandon me if I don’t crush my gym sesh!
- I’ve only got 15 minutes free today, what will be the most effective way to move?
If you ask me, the second example is a lot more doable because all you have to do is simply move. The easiest way is to pick three movements, set a timer and move! It could be a :30 on and :30 off. It could be :20 on and :10 off (which is NOTTA TABATA BTW, but that’s a rant for another day). Whatever you’ve got time for is the timing sequence to use.
Simple Circuits: Your Key to Time-Crunched Workouts
The easiest way I’ve found is to pick a squat, a push and pull. You can get a whole lot of muscle moving in a short amount of time.
Here are a couple of examples for you to give you an idea of what I’m getting at. It seems like the more simple the movements, the more difficult these circuits tend to get. Compounding basics is one of the best ways I know to help you get stronger in a very efficient way.
I’ll give you a few examples below of what I use to move a lot when I only have a little bit of time.
Simple Circuit #1: Suspension Training
1) Squat: Single Leg Suspension Trainer Squats
2) Push: Suspension Trainer Chest Press
3) Pull: Suspension Trainer Row
The sequence above is a common-sense approach to help you develop a consistent movement habit that removes time as a barrier to entry. This time of year, adding crazy to insane will just wear you down and make it harder to enjoy time with friends and family.
You can create these simple circuit workouts with anything: bodyweight, bands, kettlebells, dumbells, suspension trainers, stability balls or whatever else you have access to. All you need to do is pick one of the following movements and you’re all set:
- Squat variation
- Push variation
- Pull variation
Keep it simple and try not to overthink. Plan to pick up your regular workouts routine once the holidays pass and allow yourself to have a break.
The most important part is to not put the pressure on yourself to work out by allowing yourself the freedom to just get in a little bit of movement. Thanks a ton for reading, I hope this helps make it easier for you to get through your holiday season with a little more sanity on your side!
Al from INTEGRATE Performance Fitness
