Woohoo! It's the best time of year...for a new Christmas workout for you and your kiddos! During the holidays we usually have some extra time with our families - and what better way to bond and have fun than to share a workout? We all know we'll be doing plenty of eating and snuggling too!
This 12 Days of Christmas Workout is a perfect way for moms (and dads!) to get a serious sweat on,
and I've shared lots of ways to get your kiddos (all ages!) involved too!
This 12 Days Workout is a partnership with Grace and Grit.
They are offering 12 days of Deals for all of our friends!
Be sure to follow along the i am STRONG like MOM insta for daily workout moves and the Grace and Grit insta for daily deals!!
This 12 Days of Christmas Workout is a perfect way for moms (and dads!) to get a serious sweat on,
and I've shared lots of ways to get your kiddos (all ages!) involved too!
This 12 Days Workout is a partnership with Grace and Grit.
They are offering 12 days of Deals for all of our friends!
Be sure to follow along the i am STRONG like MOM insta for daily workout moves and the Grace and Grit insta for daily deals!!
Disclaimer: Kids will be kids. I've been talking about this over on Instagram...and it's worth mentioning here too. I'm just a normal mom. I do some cool fitness stuff and have fun working from home. But my kids are always a part of it and sometimes they're just not having it. We do photo shoots and video workouts and sometimes they have a blast and sometimes they don't want anything to do with it...and that's ok! I think it's super important to give your kids the OPTION to join you - but not force them. Sara (of Grace and Grit) and I had big ideas for a fun mom + kid workout with our girls when we filmed this. As you'll see...the kids had other ideas. We only did 2 takes - the first got canned after the first exercise when a 4 year old tipped her chair into a mud puddle. We try to smile and have fun through it all anyways! A whole lot of grace and a whole lot of GRIT...this fit parenting thing. All that to say - do what you can! Have fun with your kids (or don't!). Take this workout in the garage by yourself for a little holiday happy hour - or grab the whole fam, blast some Christmas music and see how it goes!
Here's how it works:
This workout is done JUST like the song! If you're like me, you've gotta google it and sing it to yourself to figure it out. Here you go - your kids will have fun listening to this too! Ok - now you remember the song. So...you'll start with 1, 30 second plank. Then 2 Christmas Pie Pushups, followed by 1 - 30 second plank. Then 3 Reindeer Kicks, 2 Pushups, 1 plank. And so on...until you get to 12 Santa Squat Jumps and go back through each one until you're at 1 plank again. Make sense??
This workout is done JUST like the song! If you're like me, you've gotta google it and sing it to yourself to figure it out. Here you go - your kids will have fun listening to this too! Ok - now you remember the song. So...you'll start with 1, 30 second plank. Then 2 Christmas Pie Pushups, followed by 1 - 30 second plank. Then 3 Reindeer Kicks, 2 Pushups, 1 plank. And so on...until you get to 12 Santa Squat Jumps and go back through each one until you're at 1 plank again. Make sense??
Here's a quick breakdown of each move! Most of them just have fancy Christmas names - but you already know how to do them! I've included ways to incorporate your kiddos - and it's always a good opportunity to practice counting!
1 - Peppermint Stick Plank - a basic plank! Do it from your hands or forearms. Modify on your knees, but keep your butt down! Kids LOVE to climb on your back (be sure you have the strength to do this without caving in!) or crawl under the "bridge"!
2. Christmas Pie Pushups - these are tricep pushups! Place your hands in front of you making a triangle with your thumb and pointer finger like a piece of pie! Lay a kid down on the ground under you and add some kisses!
3. Reindeer Kicks - I also call these crab kicks! Start in a table top position with your hips high. Alternate kicking your legs as high as you can! Kids are REALLY good at this! Little ones could ride on your belly!
4. Superman Snow Angels - Start laying on your belly with your arms overhead. Lift your arms and legs off the ground, lengthening out like a superman lift. While everything is lifted, open your arms and legs as if you're making a snow angel on your belly. Kids will love (in theory) joining in on this one too!
5. Angel Wing Tricep Dips - we've swapped bat wings for angel wings, and we don't want 'em! Trim up your triceps with these tricep dips. They are shown on the ground, but you can use a chair/step/table too.
6. Star Jumps - Start in a small squat and then explode into a star shape! Modify these by squatting and lifting 1 leg out to the side and raising your arms out, and then alternate sides (I'm the pregnant modifier in the video!)
7. Gingerbread Jacks - Good ol' jumping jacks!
8. Tinsel Twists - these are Russian Twists! You can do them with or without a weight and with your feet resting on the ground or lifted for a bigger challenge. If you have little babies you can use them as your weight, or put a kid on each side of you and tickle/kiss them when you reach to each side!
9. Sleigh Ride Sumo Squats - These are straddle squats, point your toes and knees to the corners and sit your bum back as you squat! Squeeze your rear as you stand back up! There are lots of ways to incorporate your kids here - carry them on your shoulders, hold them chest to chest, wear them in a pack, let them crawl under your legs, or have them join you and high 5 each time!
10. Light Show Lunges - light up those legs with alternating lunges! Grab weights or a kid for an extra challenge!
11. Snowy Mountain Climbers - these are just basic mountain climbers! Switch your feet mid-air, or alternating marching for a little lower impact exercise. Talk about climbing a big snowy mountain with your kids while you do it!
12. Santa Squat Jumps - start with your feet hip width apart, squat down (butt back) and then power through those strong legs into a jump! Kids love to jump with you!
1 - Peppermint Stick Plank - a basic plank! Do it from your hands or forearms. Modify on your knees, but keep your butt down! Kids LOVE to climb on your back (be sure you have the strength to do this without caving in!) or crawl under the "bridge"!
2. Christmas Pie Pushups - these are tricep pushups! Place your hands in front of you making a triangle with your thumb and pointer finger like a piece of pie! Lay a kid down on the ground under you and add some kisses!
3. Reindeer Kicks - I also call these crab kicks! Start in a table top position with your hips high. Alternate kicking your legs as high as you can! Kids are REALLY good at this! Little ones could ride on your belly!
4. Superman Snow Angels - Start laying on your belly with your arms overhead. Lift your arms and legs off the ground, lengthening out like a superman lift. While everything is lifted, open your arms and legs as if you're making a snow angel on your belly. Kids will love (in theory) joining in on this one too!
5. Angel Wing Tricep Dips - we've swapped bat wings for angel wings, and we don't want 'em! Trim up your triceps with these tricep dips. They are shown on the ground, but you can use a chair/step/table too.
6. Star Jumps - Start in a small squat and then explode into a star shape! Modify these by squatting and lifting 1 leg out to the side and raising your arms out, and then alternate sides (I'm the pregnant modifier in the video!)
7. Gingerbread Jacks - Good ol' jumping jacks!
8. Tinsel Twists - these are Russian Twists! You can do them with or without a weight and with your feet resting on the ground or lifted for a bigger challenge. If you have little babies you can use them as your weight, or put a kid on each side of you and tickle/kiss them when you reach to each side!
9. Sleigh Ride Sumo Squats - These are straddle squats, point your toes and knees to the corners and sit your bum back as you squat! Squeeze your rear as you stand back up! There are lots of ways to incorporate your kids here - carry them on your shoulders, hold them chest to chest, wear them in a pack, let them crawl under your legs, or have them join you and high 5 each time!
10. Light Show Lunges - light up those legs with alternating lunges! Grab weights or a kid for an extra challenge!
11. Snowy Mountain Climbers - these are just basic mountain climbers! Switch your feet mid-air, or alternating marching for a little lower impact exercise. Talk about climbing a big snowy mountain with your kids while you do it!
12. Santa Squat Jumps - start with your feet hip width apart, squat down (butt back) and then power through those strong legs into a jump! Kids love to jump with you!
Watch the last round of the workout here!
What are some of your favorite ways to get active over the holidays? Family walks to see the Christmas decorations are one of our favorites! I also like to find other fun mini workouts (yay Pinterest) that go with Christmas songs and movies! We hope you LOVE this workout! Be sure to save it AND share it with your friends! And...don't forget to check out Grace and Grit's 12 Days of Deals...they are seriously SO GOOD and I'm obsessed with all my Grace and Grit gear!
Merry Christmas!
