8 Days and Nights Chanukah Workout

Chanukah passed so I'm publishing this late - HOWEVER - here's the themed workout we did in spirit of the 8 days and nights. You could always use it as a Crazy 8's Workout anytime! We mainly focused on "single" limbs (i.e. one leg or arm represents the day and the other the night - yes, I know I'm a nerd) ... :-)))) This workout's pretty straight forward. 8 reps of everything for two or three rounds. Happy Exercising!


8 STOMACH RUNS
(Start down on your stomach on the floor, run a reasonable length - like 1/2 or 1/4 length of a basketball court - or maybe the whole stretch, it's up to you! Each way, you should drop back down to your stomach)


8 PARTNER PUSHUPS or PUSHUP TAPS
(if you have a partner, then, face each other and do a pushup then tap each other's opposite hands each time you come up ... or, if you don't have a partner, tap a ball or the wall each time up)


8 FORWARD LUNGES or LUNGE JUMPS


8 STAR JUMPS or SQUAT SIDE KICK OUT (ABDUCTION)


8 STRAIGHT ARM SIDE PLANK + BACK FLY (OPT W/WEIGHTS)
(Start at center ... raise one arm straight out and up in a reverse fly w/fingers (or knuckles if you're holding weights) up at the ceiling as you rotate the body into a side plank. Come back to center and repeat on other side. 4 reps total each side)


8 RUSSIAN TWISTS
(Opt w/weight or plate. 4 reps total each side)


8 TORSO RAISES (on stomach) or LAT BAND PULL DOWNS
(on stomach, keeping legs down on ground, hips pushing into floor and gluts tight ... arms starting straight overhead, raise torso/chest off the ground and pull arms into 90 degree angles down ... as in elbows coming towards side of body with palms facing the floor. Squeeze your back and lats and then raise your arms straight again before lowering to the floor. If using a band, pull the band down to chest/collar bone).


8 SINGLE HIP RAISES
(lying on back, bent legs, one leg up to ceiling ... lift hips off the floor. 4 each side. If it's too difficult, do 8 reps with both feet down on ground. If it's too easy, elevate one leg on a chair or step)

12 Days of Christmas Workout

Fun themed workout here I'm doing with some clients and classes this week! It's done in the spirit of the song - (we tried it to the speed of the song but ehhhhhh it's too fast - hahaha - so, just do this all together as a circuit workout to whatever music and stick to doing all sets). For repetition count's sake, there are no "pairs" ... just count each lift or raise as one). The workout, for example, goes:


On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me:
1 Wall Sit
On the second day of Christmas my true love game to me:
2 Heisman Jumps
and a Wall Sit
On the thirst day of Christmas my true love game to me:
3 Side Shuffle Taps
2 Heisman Jumps
and a Wall Sit


Got it? Enjoy!


1 Partridge in a Pear Tree - 1 WALL SIT
                                            (option w/medicine ball held out chest level, straight arms)


2 Turtle Doves - 2 HEISMAN JUMPS
                           (side leap and tap with one leg crossing behind the other)


3 French Hens - 3 SIDE SHUFFLE TAPS
                           (keep these short - just a few shuffles each way, then tap down in proper squat
                           form to the floor)


4 Calling Birds - 4 PUSH UPS
                           
5 Gold Rings - 5 BURPEES (no pushup)
                         (you can walk or jump these - keep at your level please!)


6 Geese a-Laying - 6 SUPERMAN X's
                                (Supermans with arms and legs starting together off the floor - keep them off
                                but widen them, making your body an X and then bring them back in together for
                                each rep)


7 Swans a-Swimming - 7 SUPERMAN SWIMS
                                      (Scissor your body like it's swimming - opposite arm opposite leg lift then
                                       lower quickly; just count each raise as 1)


8 Maids a-Milking - 8 FOREARM SIDE PLANKS - ALTERNATING
                                  (shift from side to center to side - so you'll do 4 on each side)


9 Ladies Dancing - 9 CRAB KICKS
                                (you can jump these, though, most people don't - I don't care if it's an odd #!)


10 Pipers Piping - 10 RUN AND TAP
                              (run or walk whatever length is reasonable - like half or even a quarter a basketball
                               court's length - and tap the floor each way)


11 Lords a-Leaping - 11 SQUAT JUMPS
                                    (or regular squats, opt w/med ball at chest then overhead on the up)


12 Drummers Drumming - 12 HIGH KNEES
                                            (high or low impact - each time the knee raises is a rep)