Workout: 12 Days of Christmas

Hey All!

I hope your holidays have been FABULOUS!  Since we are off this week from boot camp, I wanted to make sure to post a workout.  We did this one last week called the 12 days of Christmas.  The best thing about this workout (and most of the ones I post) is that you can pick whatever exercise YOU want to do in the format given.  With this one, for example, you can choose any 12 exercises you want.  I would always recommend as many full body exercises you can as well as alternating lower body, upper body and core focused exercises.  So try not to do push-ups, presses and up-downs all in a row.  You will be more efficient if you let a muscle group "rest" while you work another muscle group.

Here the format (with exercises I have chosen) and if you know the song "12 days of Christmas," it is done just the same:

1 - inchworm w/ push-up
2 - squat and press
3 - side planks
4 - pop-ups (start in plank position and "pop up" to a squat
5 - run up and down your stairs at home (or pick some other form of cardio that works at your home or park or wherever you are doing the workout)
6 - pull-ups (or another type of "pull" exercise like rows)
7 - wall sit and press
8 - skydivers
9 - split squat jumps (each leg)
10 - bent -over tricep extensions
11 - squat jump with dumb bells
12 - Burpees!

So this is the format.  Do the first round (one inchworm).  Then do the first and second round (one inchworms and TWO squat and presses).  The next round, add THREE side planks on each arm (add dumb bell for difficulty):

1
12
123
1234
12345
123456
1234567
12345678.....
all the way up through 12 rounds! (you can choose to go "backwards' thorough this if you want as well)

TIME YOURSELF AND POST HOW LONG THIS TAKES YOU!  I am curious since we didn't quite get through it all in the 40 minutes we had at camp.... Just make sure you WARM UP and STRETCH afterwards....

See you ALL JANUARY 3rd at a location near you!

Resolutions

res·o·lu·tion

   

[rez-uh-loo-shuhn] 

–noun

1.

a formal expression of opinion or intention made, usually after voting, by a formal organization, a legislature, a club,or other group. 

2.

a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to dosomething.

3.

the act of resolving or determining upon an action or courseof action, method, procedure, etc.

4.

the mental state or quality of being resolved or resolute;firmness of purpose.

5.

the act or process of resolving or separating into constituentor elementary parts.

6.

the resulting state.

7.

Optics . the act, process, or capability of distinguishing between two separate but adjacent objects or sources oflight or between two nearly equal wavelengths. Compareresolving power.

8.

a solution, accommodation, or settling of a problem,controversy, etc.

I am 29 years old and I can't say that I've ever made a New Year's resolution in my life.  I guess I am different than most people (and no, this isn't the first time I have realized this) but I have never believed in saying things.  I believe in doing things.   Yes, words are very powerful when spoken, written, sung, etc but I am an action girl.  Don't say you are going to do something, just complete the steps you need to in order to accomplish the goal you set out to do.  Simple as that.  Being in the profession that I am, I hate to see the NY resolutions of getting in "shape" and "losing weight" result in overpacked gyms in January and ghost towns in February.  I commend these people for doing something because it's better than nothing but the major resolutions like losing weight, being healthy, getting out of debt, spending more time with family, TAKE TIME AND EFFORT!  You have to work at them.  They don't happen over night.  They don't happen because you get lucky.....they happen because you set out goals for yourself, stick with them through hard times, and continuously strived to better yourself and do what it takes within your means to do what you say you are going to do.  Don't just let life happen to you....create your own life.

Well, I rambled there and got "off the beaten" path but basically my point is this year, instead of making resolutions......get out a pen a paper, set realistic goals in different areas of your life (career, finances, personal, etc) and then determine what steps you are going to take to achieve them.  It wouldn't hurt to tell everyone you know what your goals are or to create a "team" of experts, friends, family, whoever to help hold you accountable.

If you know that every year you buy a years membership to the gym only to use it 20 times all year, then SAVE YOUR MONEY!  Try a boot camp, yoga class, running group instead.  And don't go with the cheapest service.......go with the one your are most likely to stick with.  I can't think of anything more important to invest in than your health. If you want personal training, boot camp or nutrition advice, let me know. Email robyn@bootcampuaustin.com.  I can help you or I can refer you.

So what steps are you going to take to accomplish your goals next year???