The Holiday Schedule Workout Plan

Originally posted on The Human Fit Project

Yeah, we get it: you’ve got to live a little, enjoy a cheat meal or two, hell, maybe even a couple of drinks. Finding that balance, they say. But the truth is that if a lean physique is your number one priority, you’d better believe that back-to-back binge dinners and hard partying can do some damage—and quicker than you think.

Have your pie, potatoes, and stuffing. Drink your beers and stay up late. Don’t complain if you pushed it too far and those abs you started to see are smoothing out.

HFP expert contributor John Gioffre has the plan to keep you covered.

How the holiday schedule works

The workouts are only about 30 minutes, but those 30 minutes will be spent using up every calorie of pie, potatoes, and stuffing. And because you’re most likely tight on time, the plan is built around big lifts, extremely low (or no) rest periods, and bodyweight exercises.

• The big lifts, like squats, deads, and presses, will use up the most calories. Structuring them with short (or no) rest periods will increase the intensity.
• The bodyweight circuits are quick, effective ways to torch calories and ignite your metabolism without needing to schlup (or rush) it to the gym. All five workouts should take approximately 30 minutes each.

How to follow the schedule

Hit the gym every other day for the big lift workouts. In between gym days, use the bodyweight circuits to keep your metabolism in overdrive mode—for example, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the gym and Tuesday and Thursday from home. To further increase the intensity of these workouts, you may remove the rest periods.

Day One: At the gym

Complete all of the exercises in a circuit for five rounds. Or rest 30 seconds between exercises.

• Hack Deadlift 10 reps
• Dumbbell Row 10 reps
• Barbell Push Press 10 reps
• Pull Up 5-10 reps

Day Two: At home

Complete all of the exercises in a circuit for five rounds.

• Air Squat 30 reps
• Close-grip Push Up 25 reps
• Leg Raise 20 reps
• Hand Crawl 15 reps

Day Three: At the gym

Complete all exercises in a circuit for five rounds. Or rest 30 seconds between exercises.

• Barbell Front Squat 10 reps
• Dumbbell Chest Press 10 reps
• Dips 10 reps
• Kettlebell Side Squat 10 reps

Day Four: At home

Complete all exercises in a circuit for five rounds.

• Kettlebell Swing 10 reps
• Kettlebell Clean 10 reps
• Kettlebell Squat 10 reps
• Sit Ups 10 reps

Day Five: At the gym

Complete all exercises in a circuit for five rounds. Or rest 30 seconds between exercises.

• Back Squat 10 reps
• Lat Pulldown 10 reps
• Incline Bench Press 10 reps
• Dumbbell Front Squat 10 reps

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