Total Gym’s Stay In Shape Over The Holiday Workout Series: Week 1 – Kick Start



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Keep Your Figure During This Holiday Season

 

Want to stay in shape during the holiday season and maybe even shed a few pounds? It can happen! Yes – the holidays are a tough time to stay fit, but there are tons of ways to stay active during this busy time, reduce stress, and enjoy the moments around you!

 

Let’s celebrate this season by getting fit and festive with my 8-week workout plan. I’ve designed the program to maximize your time and efforts, to stay fit and active, while you eat your goodies too!

 

Making Holiday Goals

 

Every fitness program is initiated by a set of goals. This is what will keep us focused and determined as the weeks pass. Dedicating time to ‘you’ every day will keep the stress away! Plus you will be mentally prepared to accomplish holiday duties as they arise.

 

We all have individual goals, but there are fundamental components that are very similar that we all want to accomplish. Here is a list of goals that will get you through this holiday season:

 

  1. Stay fit & active over the holiday’s
  1. Stay committed & disciplined
  1. Remain stress free
  1. Enjoy the festivities but do not over indulge

 

Looking Forward: Complete Holiday Workout Plan At A Glance

 

These workouts are meant to be quick, efficient, and effective. They are planned out so that your body progresses every workout by altering the routines each week to keep your muscles guessing.

 

Below lists the plan for each week to follow. The workouts will focus on burning as many calories as possible. The number represents how many days will focus on that type of workout.  Workout time can range anywhere between 15-30 minutes depending on how quickly the exercises are performed and how many sets you do. Cardio sessions will vary in duration, along with the activity you choose. Lastly, if you’re not incorporating yoga, Pilates, or a stretching routine already, this may be a great time to start! It’s an excellent way for your mind to relax and your muscles to recuperate from the workouts as well as the holiday stresses. Check out some local studios, do a video (DVD or YouTube), or create your own!

 

Week 1: Kick Start
  • 2 Total Body (TB) basic workouts
  • 2-3 cardio sessions (15-30 min) of your choice
  • Stretch/ yoga/ Pilates of your choice

 

Week 2: Shape & Sculpt
  • 3 Total Body intermediate workouts
  • 2 longer cardio sessions (20-40 min) of your choice
  • Stretch/ yoga/ Pilates of your choice

 

Week 3: Tone Zone
  • 3 Strength days (upper body/ core, lower body/ core, TB Combination)
  • 2 days cardio (1 shorter 15-30, 1 longer 30-50)
  • Stretch/ yoga/ Pilates of your choice

 

Week 4: Sweat Slimmer (Thanksgiving Week)
  • 2 cardio/ strength interval workouts
  • 1 longer cardio session (30-60 min), 1 shorter session (20-30 min)
  • Stretch/ yoga/ Pilates of your choice

 

Week 5: Sweat Burner
  • 3 cardio/ strength/ core interval workouts
  • 2-3 cardio sessions (30-60 min) (possibly 2 30 min, 1 60 min)
  • 1 stretch/ yoga of your choice

 

Week 6: Holiday Heat
  • 1 Upper body/ core day, 1 lower body/ core day (supersets)
  • 2-3 days of cardio of your choice (30-60 min)
  • 1 Pilates & yoga strength combo

 

Week 7: Merry Muscles
  • 2 TB circuits
  • 2-3 days cardio of your choice (30-60 min)
  • 1 Pilates strength & cardio

 

Week 8: Tight Package (Christmas/ Hanukah/ New Years)
  • 2 Pilates & yoga strength combo
  • 1 core & cardio
  • 1 total body strength
  • 2 cardio sessions of your choice: 1 longer (30-60 min), 1 shorter (30 min)

 

*Plan your cardio sessions around an activity you enjoy doing.  If you have access to a gym, hop on the treadmill, take a class, or go outside for a run/ power walk! These are important to include into your program to ensure your keeping your body and mind moving. Don’t worry if time is short. Doing something is always better than nothing!

Week 1: Kick Starter Basic Strength Circuit

– Perform each exercise listed one after the other with no rest.
– Do the same dynamic warm-up each workout.
– 10 reps, 2-3x sets

Warm-Up: on floor

Side-to-Side Squats
Right Leg Lunges
Plies
Left Leg Lunges
Incline Mountain Climbers
Toe Touch Sweeps

Day 1:

Cardio session (15-30 min) of your choice

Day 2:

1. Squats & Squat Jumps
2. Reverse Arm Circle & Row
3. Torso Rotations
4. Kneeling Curls
5. Pullover Crunch
6. Seated Hi/Low Chest Flies
7. Kneeling Glutes Press
8. Incline Side Crunch

Repeat Circuit 2-3x!
Day 3:

Cardio session (15-30 min) of your choice

Day 4:

Total Gym Strength Circuit (same as day 2)

Day 5:

Cardio session (15-30 min) of your choice

Day 6:

Stretch/ yoga/ Pilates of your choice

Day 7:

REST

 

Keep your spirits high, motivation soaring, and body moving through the upcoming holiday season. Stay tuned for week 2’s workout, as we will kick it up a notch!

 

Best,

Maria

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Maria Sollon

Maria Sollon Scally MS, CSCS holds a Master’s Degree in Performance Enhancement/Injury Prevention and Kinesiology. She has obtained numerous certifications in various areas of fitness and is a national conference presenter. Maria specializes in Pilates, Performance Coaching, and Corrective Exercise Techniques and Kettlebells. She is the creator of the Plyo Pilates Method and has developed a series of amazing workout DVDs. She is a Master Trainer for Total Gym, Resist-a-Ball, Body Blade, Peak Pilates, Kettle Bell Concepts and is a freelance writer for Fitness accredited magazines, newsletters, and fitness blog sites. Maria demonstrates her knowledge each day and uses her dynamic creativity throughout her specialized line of work. http://www.groovysweat.com http://www.groovysweatstore.com (purchasable workout videos) http://www.youtube.com/groovysweat (workout clips)

This Post Has 3 Comments

  2. VINCENT F. VAN SICKEL

    16 Jan 2016 Reply

    ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR AN AMPUTEE . MISSING LOWER RIGHT , BELOW KNEE. I BOUGHT A NEW TOTAL GYM. MY OLD ONE IS 23 YEARS OLD. NEW MACHINE IS MUCH SMOOTHER , BUT SOME OF THE EXERCISES ARE DIFFICULT WITH ONLY ONE LEG. ANY SUGGESTIONS WHICH EXERCISES TO LEAN TOWARDS? WHAT IS LISTED SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD WORKOUT, BUT AS I SAID SOME OF THE EXERCISES ARE DIFFICULT FOR ME. I NEED TO LOSE 100 – 120 LBS. SINCE 2011 I HAVE BEEN THROUGH 4 SERJURIES . LEFT WRIST TORN CARTLIDGE . LEFT SHOULDER TORN ROTATOR CUFF. AMPUTATION OF RIGHT LOWER BELOW KNEE . LEFT LUNG OPENED UP FOR REPAIR. RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES. GAINED 100 -120 LBS.

    1. Total Gym

      20 Jan 2016 Reply

      Vincent,

      it sounds like you’ve had quite the rough past couple of years, sorry to hear. Luckily for you, the Total Gym is featured in physical therapy and rehab centers across the US.

      If you want to do some of these exercises that are harder for you, you may want to lower the resistance level to build up the flexibility or mobility (if that is the problem). Since you are an amputee, do you have a prosthetic? I think using that in conjunction with low impact exercises would help to keep your lower half working out.

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