#Fitmas December Challenge
Another month, another challenge! Thanks to Microsoft for allowing me to #workwonders with this month's #Fitmas December Challenge. Click here to see how I use Office 365 everyday and planned this month's challenge.
WOO HOO!!!! It's time to count down Christmas together, so what better way than to sing the 12 Days To Christmas song;
On the first day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
Backward Yoga Pose or Meditate for 1 minute
On the second day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
Pilates 100, two times through
On the third day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
Rearstep backs with front punch (x 30 on each leg)
Stand on a slight angle. Take one leg back and using the same side arm, punch the arm forward. As you bring the arm back, you bring the leg back in to starting position. keep the knee slightly bent. The leg will go out and in at the same time as the punch is happening.
On the fourth day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
Duck walks (4 sets of 4 minutes)
On the fifth day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
50 kettle bell swings
Posterior chain movement. Hinging forward and backward at the hips. Holding a kettle bell in your hands. Feet out side hip width apart. Keep the chest up!!! Hinge forward at the hip and allow the kettle bell to move down slightly and through the legs, as you bring your hips forward, let the KB come back up only as high as the chest. Thats where the swing plays into it. The bell swings out in front of you each time, arms remain straight out.
On the sixth day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
60 squats
Standing with your feet just outside hip width. DO NOT allow the knees to go over the toes at any point during the squat. Bend at the knees, hinging at the hips, take your upper body down with the bending of the knees. Push your buttocks back like you are sitting on a chair, only there is no chair. Weight sits back on the foot on the heels. Once you get to as low as it feels ok for YOU! You should aim for the 90 degree angle but some people cant. Then stand back up. Do not lock the knees out at the top. Works the quads and glutes, everybody loves SQUATS!
On the seventh day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
7 Superman x 3 reps
A really good lower back exercise. Lay on your tummy, stretch your arms over the head and the legs out super long. Lift both arms and legs (if you can get your thighs off the floor Awesome) off the floor and slowly take them down again. Your spine is staying neutral with your eyes looking at the floor directly from your head, do not round the spine. There are variations of this. Lift the arms only up and down. Lift the legs only up and down. Bring the elbows by your shoulders, keep them bent and lift the upper body off the floor. along with the legs. Bring your hands underneath your chin and lift..
On the eighth day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
Crunches with a “resistance band pull”
Crunches with a rope pull – I am using a band, you can if you like or you crunch up, hands up in the air over your chest. Pulse four times, with each pulse place one hand on top of the other pretending that you are pulling on a rope with overhand grip. With each pulse try to go higher in the crunch pretending to go higher up the rope. Do not go all the way to the floor during the rep. The rep is finished once you’ve pulsed up four times. Thats one rep. Go to the floor with the upper body and repeat.
On the ninth day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
Dance like nobody is watching for 9 minutes!
That's right, go CRAZY! I love to dance and it's the best workout ever!
On the tenth day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
10 plyometric lunges (they are leaping Lords)
Super body weight exercise and gets the heart rate. Stand with feet apart (use a long step backwards, that was, L O N G step) Bend at the knees into a lunge position. Abs on. Jump up from the floor landing with your knees bent and repeat. You can switch your legs in midair if you like, but be warned..........that will work you harder – YAY!. Option to raise the arms up as you jump.
On the eleventh day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
11 reps each of Tricep kick backs with a lunge
Palms on a bench or step, backside seated. using your palms, scoot your bottom forward so you are holding your body weight in your palms, on the bench, feet flat on floor knees at 90 degree angle.. Bend at the elbows, lowering your bottom towards the floor, using your arms, lift your self back up to the starting position. this is an isolation exercise meaning it uses triceps only (uses the core too but that goes without saying) so it can be quite challenging especially if you are a beginner. take your time and don’t be discouraged if you can’t go full range of motion or do too many, practice makes perfect. For those of you who are advanced, move your feet out away from the bench, or place a weight on top of your legs, or only keep one foot on the floor.
On the twelfth day of Fitmas my true love sent to me:
Bicep Curls 12 each of bicep curls
Standing good posture, abs turned on (braced), using dumbells or Kettle bells, Start with the dumbell down at the end of your arm, with arms long and running alongside your body. Keeping the elbow by your side, Palms facing upwards, lift the dumbell up towards the shoulder, just before the shoulder, stop the movement and take it back down, Ideally have a 3/3 count. Repeat.
Are you all geared up for the 12 day challenge? Tag your pictures to #fitmas and show me your moves. Download your own copy and stick it on your inspo board or fridge!
Happy Friday! A big thank you to my personal trainer Andrea for helping me put these workouts together, to represent the song as close as possible.
xxDani