Christmas Countdown: 7-Day Fitness Challenge

Halloween is over; the leaves are falling, and for some of us, snow is already littering the streets. What does that mean? It’s time to start switching gears to prepare for the next big holiday — Christmas, everyone’s favorite!

Buying presents and putting up festive decorations are top priority during this time. But that doesn’t mean that taking care of your body should fall to the bottom of the to-do list. Nobody wants to wrap up the holiday season tired, stressed, or with extra pounds, they feel they need to lose.

This is why we put together the following Christmas Fitness Challenge. 

It includes seven themed workouts, each of which focuses on a different aspect of overall health and fitness. Even more importantly, each workout takes as little as 20–30 minutes — making them an easy addition to busy schedules.

This holiday season, don’t forget to put yourself first! Carve out time for self-care each day and enter the new year feeling your best.

Christmas Countdown Challenge

Each of the following exercises is beginner-friendly and can be performed from the comfort of your own home. If you find the workouts too easy, try incorporating light dumbbells or jugs full of water for an added challenge.

You may choose to follow this workout regime in the seven days leading up to Christmas to alleviate holiday-related stress. However, it can also be a daily staple for the entire month of December; the choice is yours.

Because each workout is designed to target a different aspect of overall fitness, make sure no

Day 1: “Jingle Jog” – Cardio Warm-Up For The Holidays

Although it’s not everyone’s favorite, the benefits of cardio are many! This is why we are starting the week-long challenge with a workout designed to get your heart rate up.

The main goal of the exercises included in this workout is to boost cardiovascular health. But being dynamic in nature, the exercises also help boost muscular endurance and agility, all while effectively burning calories.

Post-workout, you can expect to feel the after-effects of this workout mainly in your legs. Most of the exercises effectively target your quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles. The inclusion of burpees helps make the routine more full-body, targeting your upper body, particularly your triceps and chest.

Being relatively high-impact, these exercises can help to improve bone density and alleviate pain in the knees. However, if you find the exercises to be too jarring for your joints, don’t be afraid to make modifications.

This might include performing low-impact jacks by stepping your feet out instead of jumping. It could also be performing burpees without your feet leaving the ground. Don’t be afraid to experiment to find what works best for you.

Day 2: “Snowman Sculpt” – Lower Body Strength Day

The legs are home to many of the largest muscle groups in the entire body. For that reason, they definitely deserve a workout solely dedicated to building their strength.

On top of toned legs being more aesthetically pleasing, improving strength in the legs has many practical purposes too. Stronger legs help to improve the performance of everyday movements like bending and squatting. They can also help you maintain mobility as you age.

The glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps are well-known muscles that are heavily targeted in the Snowman Sculpt Workout. Also, the hip flexors which are lesser-known and generally underused, benefit from the performance of squats, lunges, and hip thrusts.

These muscles all play a role in posture by stabilizing the hips, pelvis, and lower spine. Ultimately, strengthening these muscles can help to reduce lower back pain.

Performing this with only your body weight will help you reap many of its benefits. All of these exercises are also extremely easy to add weight to. Simply hold weighted objects in your hand for an added challenge and additional benefits.

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Rest (between sets)
Bodyweight Squats	3 x 10–15	45 seconds
Lunges	3 x 10–15 each side	60 seconds
Glute Bridges	3 x 15–20	60 seconds
Curtsy Lunges	3 x 10–15 each side	60 seconds
Calf Raises	3 x 15–20	30 seconds

Day 3: “Merry & Mighty” – Upper Body Strength Day

No workout plan would be complete without a well-rounded upper-body day! This Merry and Mighty Workout is designed to target more than just the biceps and triceps. You can also expect to strengthen your upper back, and shoulders, and even target your core muscles — no dumbbells needed.

Push-ups and tricep dips are two powerful compound exercises that help target the chest, tricep, and shoulder muscles. Plank shoulder taps are great for engaging the shoulder muscles to build strength and stabilize the joint. 

All three of these exercises also provide a decent workout for the abdomen muscles, although they won’t build a six-pack.

Finally, Supermans and reverse snow angels help to work the muscles on the back of the body. They are wonderful for targeting what are known as the erector spinae — the muscles along your spine. These muscles play an important role in posture and contribute to stabilizing the spine.

All in all, this workout will help you target all of the major upper body muscle groups, leaving you with well-balanced strengthening.

Exercise	Sets x Reps	Sets x Duration	Rest (between sets)
Push-Ups	3 x 10–15		90 seconds
Tricep Dips	3 x 10–15		60 seconds
Plank Shoulder Taps		3 x 30–45 seconds	60 seconds
Supermans	3 x 10–15		45 seconds
Reverse Snow Angels	3 x 10–15		45 seconds

Day 4: “Core Carol” – Festive Core Strength And Stability

Ab workouts are next on everyone’s list of least-favorite exercises. However, this ab-blasting circuit can take as little as 12 minutes and get you one step closer to six-pack abs. Therefore, it’s important you don’t skip it!

We start with bicycle crunches, which are one of the most effective exercises for targeting the rectus abdominis muscles. These are the muscles that are responsible for the coveted and aesthetically pleasing six-pack effect.

Moving slowly and focusing on squeezing your abs during the movement will help you maximize the benefits of this effective exercise.

Russian twists and mountain climbers help you target the obliques, which are located toward the outside of your torso. Strengthening these muscles can contribute to greater torso stability while also enhancing the toned appearance of your midsection.

Unlike the other workouts, this is designed to be performed in a circuit. That means performing each exercise for the recommended time, with only 15 seconds of rest between each move. After you’ve completed all five exercises consecutively, rest between 1–2 minutes and then repeat the circuit 2–4 times.

Exercise	Sets x Duration	Rest (between sets)
Bicycle Crunches	2–4 x 30–45 seconds	15 seconds
Russian Twists	2–4 x 30–45 seconds	15 seconds
V-Ups	2–4 x 30–45 seconds	15 seconds
Plank	2–4 x 30–45 seconds	15 seconds
Mountain Climbers	2–4 x 30–45 seconds	15 seconds

Day 5: “Santa’s Sleigh Ride” – Cardio Interval Training

By now, you should be in a good rhythm of working out. Hopefully, your body has also had time to adjust to the additional physical activity. For that reason, it’s time to kick things up a notch!

Burpees and butt kicks are two exercises that were also included in the first workout. After already performing them and completing multiple workouts in between, you may notice improvements already!

Jump rope, skater hops, and lateral jumps are three new exercises, however. They are also higher impact, meaning you may feel them in your joints. Even so, they are still less impactful for the joints than running.

For that reason, it’s important to pay attention to how your joints feel as you perform this workout. Don’t be afraid to limit jumping if you feel an uncomfortable jarring sensation at all.

Doing a short, dynamic warm-up that includes exercises like leg swings and lateral lunges will help get your body ready.

Just like the previous workout, we will be performing these exercises in a circuit style. This will help you maintain intensity and keep the workout feeling more dynamic and fun. 

This time, perform each exercise for 45 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest. After completing all five exercises, take a 1–2 minute break and then repeat the circuit for 3–4 rounds.

Exercise	Sets x Duration	Rest (between sets)
Jump Rope	3–4 x 45 seconds	15 seconds
Skater Hops	3–4 x 45 seconds	15 seconds
Burpees	3–4 x 45 seconds	15 seconds
Butt Kickers	3–4 x 45 seconds	15 seconds
Lateral Jumps	3–4 x 45 seconds	15 seconds

Day 6: “Holiday Flex” – Full-Body Mobility And Flexibility

After all of your hard work, it’s time for a well-deserved break! This Holiday Flex workout can be used to improve muscle recovery in preparation for your last workout.

Compared to spending the day resting, 6–10 minutes of light stretching can make all the difference in reducing muscle soreness. So, this workout is designed to combine gentle movement with light stretching for optimal results.

As you perform each stretch, focus on incorporating a level of softness and ease. Find a position that feels comfortable and supportive, and imagine your muscles relaxing around this support. Doing so will help lengthen the muscles to improve flexibility and restore pain-free movement.

Remember that it’s normal for stretches to feel tight and uncomfortable, but not painful. If you experiencing painful sensations like pins and needles tingling, or popping through the joints, ease up.

Your breath is a valuable tool for helping you deal with any uncomfortable sensations that may arise as you stretch. Focus on breathing deeply and directing your breath into any tight areas for additional release.

Realistically, you can stay in these stretches for as long as feels good for you. After completing every stretch once, you also have the option to repeat one or more stretches for a second time.

Exercise	Duration
Standing Forward Fold	90 seconds
Cat-Cow Stretch	60 seconds
Downward Dog To Upward Dog	60 seconds
Child’s Pose	120 seconds
Seated Forward Fold	120 seconds

Day 7: “Christmas Power Circuit” – Full-Body Festive Finale

This final workout is designed to finish the week off with a bang! A challenging full-body circuit workout, this Christmas Power Circuit combines strength and cardio to maximize calorie burn. 

It’s also an effective option for building endurance and targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously for balanced strengthening. 

Moves like the squat to press and push-ups, help you work your shoulders, chest, and legs. Mountain climbers and bicycle crunches, on the other hand, add a strong core focus to the circuit. 

Lunges further activate the glutes and quads, enhancing lower-body strength and stability.

Expect to feel this workout in your legs, shoulders, and core — with high chances of muscle soreness post-workout.

Depending on where you are in your fitness journey, this workout routine is highly adjustable. Feel free to add weights for an added challenge, especially during the squat to press and lunges.

This workout is designed to challenge you, both mentally and physically. Do your best to keep up with the recommended exercise and rest durations. However, it’s normal to need additional breaks, especially when performing the circuit for the first time.

Each exercise should be performed for 60 seconds, followed by 30 seconds of rest. After completing all five exercises, you can rest for 1–2 minutes. Then, it’s time to repeat the circuit 3–4 times for a complete workout.

Exercise	Duration	Rest (between sets)
Squat To Press	60 seconds	30 seconds
Push-Ups	60 seconds	30 seconds
Mountain Climbers	60 seconds	30 seconds
Lunges	60 seconds	30 seconds
Bicycle Crunches	60 seconds	30 seconds

Safety Training Tips

To ensure that you finish the holiday season injury-free and feeling your best, we’ve put together the following safety tips:

Warm Up Before Each Workout

Even when performing only bodyweight exercises, a gentle warm-up can help prepare the body to reduce the risk of strains. Performing dynamic movements as a warm-up is shown to reduce the risk of injury.

Focus On Proper Form

Performing exercises with proper form can help increase desired muscle activation while limiting injury risk. Focus on quality over quantity using slow, controlled movements to better engage muscles and protect your joints. When in doubt, look for an online tutorial for postural tips.

Listen To Your Body

The holidays can be draining both for the body and mind. For that reason, it’s important not to push through pain or overwhelming fatigue. If something doesn’t feel right, modify or skip an exercise, and if a stretch feels too intense, ease up. A good rule is to aim to challenge the body, but never go to a point that feels painful.

Stay Hydrated

The combination of cold weather and indoor heating can cause dehydration, so keep water or tea nearby. For optimal results, add electrolytes into the mix to maximize muscle function and recovery.

Don’t Skip The Cool-Down

Cool-down exercises similar to what’s included in the Holiday Flex workout on day six are ideal to end workouts with. Gentle stretching can relax muscles and promote flexibility to reduce soreness and stiffness post-workout. Focus on deep breathing as you stretch to signal to your body it’s time to rest and recover.

Conclusion

As the Christmas season approaches, it’s easy to get caught up in the rush of shopping, decorating, and celebrating. But by committing to this Christmas Fitness Challenge, you’re giving yourself the gift of health, strength, and energy to enjoy every moment.

All you need is 20–30 minutes to strengthen your body and give you the energy to enjoy all the Christmas festivities. Plus, by keeping up with these quick workouts, you’ll start the new year feeling fit and accomplished, not stressed and sluggish.

So, as you tick off your holiday to-dos, remember to take a little time for yourself each day. Let this challenge be a reminder that your health and happiness matter just as much as the holiday cheer. Enjoy the journey, and celebrate yourself along the way.

Want to start the new year off right? A 3-day workout split is a more accessible workout option for the long term.