Welcome to another great Wild Workout Wednesday Link Up where Annmarie from The Fit Foodie Mama, Jen from Pretty Little Grub, Michelle at Fruition Fitness and I bring you workout ideas, motivation, inspiration and recipes to try. Join us each week by reading along, linking up and grab the button to proudly display on your blog/in your posts!
The holidays officially start this weekend! WOOT! Time for menorah lighting, latke making, dreidel spinning Hanukkah fun!
I'm ready to spend some quality time with family, but I'll also be away from my gym. With all the delicious eats that are sure to tempt me (speaking of, have you seen my Candy Cane Sugar Cookie Sandwiches, Holiday Wine Slushies, and this Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake?), I want to be sure to get in some activity and sweat while I'm home. Both my parents and Will's parents have simple at-home gyms, so I wanted to create a workout I knew I could do with the equipment they have.
Last year, I threw together this fun Hanukkah WOD, so I thought why not make this an annual workout. The gist is the same. You complete 8 rounds of all 8 moves. I simply switched up the moves from last year. So put on your yarmulke (or not, it will probably fall off). It's time for Hanukkah!
How To Do The Moves:
Squats to Overhead: Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Hold two medium dumbbells up to your shoulders, palms facing in toward each other. Send your hips back and drop down into a squat as low as you can go, keeping your torso upright and knees pointed out. You don't have to stop at 90 degrees if you have the mobility to drop down further. Stand back up, straighten your arms and lift the dumbbells overhead. Return to start and repeat.
Commandos: Get into a plank position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders. Keep your hips in line with your shoulders as you lower down to your left forearm and then your right, insuring your elbows are directly under your shoulders. Lift back up to your left hand and then your right. Lower back down again, this time leading with your right side. Keep the hips in line with the torso at all times and engage the core. If this gets difficult, you can drop to your knees. Lower down and back up 8 times per set.
Jump Lunges: Start with feet hip width apart. Keeping your torso upright, step your right leg forward and bend at knee about 90 degrees, allowing your left knee to drop toward the floor. Jump in the air and quickly switch feet, landing with your left leg forward and right leg back in a lunge. Repeat for 4 reps per leg.
Thread Throughs: Get into a side plank position by raising up onto your right arm (hand under the shoulder), raising your hips into the air and stacking your feet. Raise your left arm up into the air. Slowly rotate your torso and thread your left arm under the right side of your body. Rotate back up and repeat. Do the same move on the left side for even-numbered sets. Modify by bending your bottom leg and dropping it to the floor.
Jump Squats: Stand with feet about hip width apart, feet turned slightly out. Send your hips back and drop down into a squat as low as you can go, keeping your torso upright and knees pointed out. You don't have to stop at 90 degrees if you have the mobility to drop down further. Once at your lowest, straighten your legs as you jump into the air. Land back down in a squat position. Repeat.
Lay Down Push Ups: Place your hands directly beneath your shoulders and turn them outward slightly. Get in a plank positions, abs pulled in, back flat. Keep your elbows in tight to your body as you lower your body (as one solid piece) all the way to floor. Your chest should be touching the ground. Lift your hands up off the floor before placing them back down and pushing back up to a plank position. Repeat. Modify by going down to your knees.
Fire Hydrants with Pulses: Start on your hands and knees (hands under the shoulders and knees under the hips). Flex the right foot and raise the leg up and out to the right side (like a dog peeing on a fire hydrant), keeping the knee bent at 90 degrees. Raise the leg as high as possible, aiming for hip height. Lower down without allowing the knee to touch the floor and repeat. After 8 reps, keep the leg raised and pulse it just a bit higher for 8 quick reps. Complete all reps on the right side for odd-numbered sets and on the left side of even-numbered sets.
Lateral Arm Raises: Hold a light weight in each hand, arms down by your sides. In a slow and controlled motion, raise arms out to the sides to shoulder height, forming a T shape with your body. Slowly lower back down. Repeat.
This sweaty, total-body workout is my holiday gift to you! Enjoy!
If you're craving more festive holiday workouts, be sure to check out my roundup Holiday Themed Workouts To Try This Season!
How will you be getting your Wild Workout on over the holidays? Tell us by joining the Wild Workout Wednesday Link Up! Full link up rules here.
Let's Chat:
Do you plan to workout over the holidays?