Wherever you land this holiday season, keep the fitness spirit alive, so your wellness goal doesn’t become the ghost of Christmas past. Snag a kitchen chair and get moving! Channel the idea of a Christmas tree for this head-to-toe bodyweight workout.
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Every Tree Grows from the Ground Up. Work Your Legs.
Calf Raises.
Rest your hands on the back of the chair. Rise up on the balls of your feet, then lower gently. 30 reps.
Lunges.
Turn with your side to the back of the chair. Lunge 30 times right leg front, then turn the other way for 30 with your left leg front. Remember that your front knee should be over your ankle (not your toe) when you drop down.
Hover Squats.
Sit down on the edge of the chair with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees over your ankles. Lift your glutes off of the chair and hover over the seat. Tap your rear end on the chair then return to the hover. 30 reps.
Squat Series:
Squat with Knee Lifts.
Stand in front of the chair. Squat to tap the chair with your rear end, then lift your right knee as you return to standing. Alternate right/left knee lifts as you squat 30 reps each leg.
Squat with Side Leg Lift.
Continue the squats, but change the alternating knee lifts to side leg lifts. 30 reps each leg.
Squat with Front Leg Lift.
Continue the squats, but change the alternating side leg lifts to front leg lifts. Use your muscles, not momentum to elevate your leg. 30 reps each leg.
Think Strong Limbs and Beautiful Branches. Challenge Your Arms.
Tricep Dips.
Sit on the edge of the chair. Place your palms on the edge of the seat with your fingertips facing your body. Lift your glutes off the chair. Lower your rear end toward the ground, so your elbows jut back and bend to a 90-degree angle. Slowly press back up. 30 reps.
Toes-Up Push-Ups.
Hold a plank with your hands on the ground and your feet on the chair. Lower your chest toward the ground and do 30 slow push-ups.
Fraser Fir, Cedar, Pine? Whatever Kind, Straight Trunks are a Find. Focus on Your Core.
Chair Bridge.
Lie on your back. Place your heels on the chair. Lift your rear end, so you look like a ramp. Lower your tush a little, then squeeze back up to the bridge. 30 reps.
Oblique Side-Reach.
Place your calves on the seat of the chair. Support your head with your left hand as you raise your shoulders off of the ground. Do a side-bend as you reach your right hand to the right leg of the chair. 30 reps right, then 30 left.
Chair Crunches/Oblique Twists.
Take both hands behind your head. Crunch center. Lower your upper body. Then, lift your right chest toward your left knee. Crunch center before you cross left chest toward your right knee. Repeat the crunch sequence- cross right, center, cross left, center- 30 reps.
Stretch and have a happy, healthy holiday!
