Stay Fit During the Holiday: Quick Total Fitness Workouts That Work
Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES
The holidays are moving fast. One minute your calendar is wide open, the next filled with trips, events and to-do lists that leave little room for workouts. No matter how much you plan, prepare, or try to stay ahead, the season has a way of getting busy… fast!
This does not mean that fitness disappears. It just means it has to work differently.
Quick workouts are one of the most effective ways to stay strong, energized and consistent, even when life is busy, especially during the holidays. When done intentionally, it’s one of the most effective ways to maintain strength, energy, and consistency, especially during the holidays.
Why Quick Workouts Work
When time is limited, familiarity becomes your advantage. Repeating the same set of movements allows your body to move more efficiently, with better control and confidence. Less time is spent deciding what to do and more time is spent actually doing the work.
As the movements become familiar, your focus shifts. You move past learning and into execution. That’s where short workouts come in handy. Speed workouts don’t work because they’re short, but because they’re intentional.
Same moves, different focus
This holiday workout is based on the same exercises, performed in different ways. The exercises remain the same. The way you perform them adapts to your energy, your schedule and what your body needs that day.
- Some days you may move slowly, focusing on control.
- Other days you can add speed, range of motion or intensity.
- Some days you complete a round and move on.
- Other days you repeat the circuit and let the training build.
The more often you repeat the routine, the more natural it becomes. This familiarity creates flow, efficiency and confidence… the exact combination you need when time is tight!
The total HIIT workout for your gym vacation
This Total Gym routine is designed to fit into any vacation schedule, whether you have five minutes or thirty. Complete it as a full workout or break it up into shorter movements throughout the day. One round is effective. multiple rounds are optional.
Instructions:
- Warm up vigorously for a few minutes.
- Perform each exercise for one minute, progressing smoothly from one to the next. Rest when needed, but keep your body moving.
- Finish with light stretching to support recovery.
Time Options:
- 5 minutes: Quick mobility and stretch to reset the body when time is extremely tight.
- 10 minutes: A focused round for full-body activation (perform 10 reps of each exercise instead of timing).
- 20 minutes: Two rounds to build strength and endurance.
- 30 minutes: Add light cardio between exercises and finish with a series of core and stretches.
- Mix and match moves to suit your mood, energy and available time.
For a visual guide, check out the video demonstration that shows every exercise performed in Total Gym.
Regulation: Squat Stand Connected, moderate incline recommended. Adjust as needed to challenge your muscles.
Legs + Core
- Forearm plank glides
- Squat Crunch + Plyo for intensity
- Jog Crunch
- Glute Press (30 seconds per leg)
- Option 1: Prone (Hamtsring Glute Focus)
- Option 2: Turn Out (outer thigh focus)
Upper Body + Core (Wire Connection / Level Adjustment)
- Surfer Row (back)
- Seated / Kneeling Curls (Biceps)
- Seated press (chest)
- Tricep Extensions + Bridge (Triceps)
- Lat Crunch (shoulders)
- Torso Twist (30 seconds per side, modified seat)
How to use this workout during the holidays
Think of this workout as a flexible system, not a rigid plan.
- Use it when you have five minutes, ten minutes or thirty.
- Use one or two exercises as movement breaks throughout the day.
- The goal is not to do more. The goal is to keep moving consistently.
Holiday Momentum, Simplified
Staying active during the holidays doesn’t mean pushing harder or doing more. It’s all about maintaining the momentum you build. When you maintain a baseline of strength and movement now, January doesn’t feel like a reboot. It feels like a sequel.
Quick workouts like this get you through the holidays feeling strong, fit, and connected to your body. That kind of consistency lasts well beyond the season.
Sending love, laughter and holiday moments your way,
Mary
@groovysweat
