CrossFit-Style Holiday Workouts

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Everyone knows that with the holidays comes a lot of amazing food that you really can’t help but eat. Winter also means colder temperatures, which means most of us are more likely to hop in the car instead of walking to the nearby restaurant, or opt to sleep in when it’s dark and icy instead of getting up early to go for a run.

With this in mind, and thanks to an awesome response from the last time I posted a few beginner CrossFit-style workouts, I thought it was time to post a few new workouts for you to try at home. Bonus! None of these require you to even go outside!

(Let me make it very very clear that I am NOT a CrossFit trainer, I do not have any coaching or training credentials, and I would not recommend doing any of these movements without professional instruction because it is very easy to get injured if you do even the simplest movement the wrong way.

That being said, most of these moves are pretty basic, and if you are willing to risk it, here are some more recommendations for beginner-friendly CrossFit-style workouts!)

Update: I have gotten several questions about this so just to clarify: I would not recommend doing all of these at once! In fact, I would recommend one each day with a rest day in-between. Also, if you look at one of these WODs and think “No freakin way!” just start by cutting the whole workout in half (either half the number of reps or half the amount of time or rounds) and then work your way up to doing the full WOD.

Holiday WOD #1: Tabata Legs
You will need: A stopwatch

Tabata sets are an amazing, well-proven set structure that maximizes muscle building and fat burning through repetition of short and intense sets.

Warm-Up
4 Rounds:
15 Jumping Jacks
10 Push-Ups
15 Jumping Jacks
10 Air Squats

WOD:
8 Rounds (for a total of 8 minutes):
20 seconds Air Squats (Make sure you are paying attention to your form! If you aren’t sure how to properly do an air squat, check out this quick video)
Rest 10 seconds
20 seconds Jumping Lunges
Rest 10 seconds

After the 8 rounds are done, go DIRECTLY into:

4 Rounds (for a total of 2 minutes):
20 seconds Wall Sit
Rest 10 seconds

Holiday WOD #2: Full Body Burn
You will need: A stopwatch
Something long and mid-shin height to jump over, like a barbell with some bumper plates or a broom balanced on a few books at either end.
Some space for crab-walking

Warm-Up:
2 Rounds:
10 Burpees
10 Air squats
10 Push-Ups

Across the body shoulder stretch, hold 60 seconds each side
Arm circles, 15 revolutions each direction (forward and backward)
Pigeon stretch, hold 60 seconds each side
Butterfly stretch, hold 60 seconds
Trunk rotations, 15 reps

Then… 10 more Burpees

WOD:
15 minute AMRAP (work for 15 minutes, doing as many rounds of the following as possible)
10 Horizontal Jumps over your broom/bar/object (So you will jump over it from side to side, not front to back, counting each side)
20 Lunges, count each side
30 Push-Ups
40 Bicycle crunches, count each side
Crab walk to the other side of the room and back

Holiday WOD #3: You’re Gonna Hate Me for This One
You will need: A stopwatch

Warm-Up:
3 rounds:
10 jumping jacks
15 butt-kicks, count each side
10 deep walking lunges
10 arm circles, each direction
Hold the upward-facing dog position for 15 seconds, really stretching your core

WOD:
30 second forearm plank hold
10 Burpees
45 second forearm plank hold
20 Mountain Climbers, count each side
60 second forearm plank hold
20 sit-ups
45 second forearm plank hold
10 Burpees
30 second forearm plank hold

Don’t forget to cool down, stretch, and drink a LOT of water before and after each workout!