Indoor workout ideas for the Christmas hols

Workout ideas at home

When the children are on holiday and the weather is miserable, it can be difficult to fit exercise into the schedule.

This is coupled with the fact that at this stressful time of the year, we could all do with letting off some steam – and exercise is the perfect vehicle for this.

To make sure we here at ProVen Probiotics have no excuses for not exercising this Christmas, we have compiled a list of workout ideas and activities that can be done indoors and only take between 20-30 minutes.

And we thought we’d share it with you, so you have no excuses either!

1. Definitely number one on the list – put on some music and dance yourself silly – be as energetic and over-the-top as possible – some of the particularly ‘cheesy’ Christmas songs are great to move to – think Elton John’s ‘Step into Christmas’ or Shakin’ Stevens’ ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ rather than Bing Crosby.
2. Download an app on your phone and do some timed exercise sets – as many as you can fit into the time you have available, using either your body weight or whatever you can find to use as weights (tins, full water bottles, shampoo bottles), if you don’t have any at home.

The app I use is based on four-minute rounds with 20 seconds exercise followed by 10 seconds rest – so eight sets per four minutes – and I do anywhere between 3 and 6 four-minute rounds.

Click HERE to read about some of the best-known fitness apps for at-home workouts.

Workout ideas for you

Include a selection of the following exercises across as many sets as you have time for:

Forearm, hand or side plank (or a combination), sit-ups, crunches, push-ups, bicep curls, tricep dips, bent-over rows, body-weight squats, ice-skaters, glute bridges, lunges, shoulder press, mountain climbers, burpees

Don’t forget a two-minute warm-up and cool-down to avoid pulling any muscles.

3. Do some vigorous cleaning – there is always plenty of tidying, clearing up and cleaning to do over this Christmas period, so make it count. Push the hoover around at top speed, do lots of bending to pick things up, set a timer to clear a room, the ideas are endless.
4. Incorporate some yoga moves into your day – poses to support digestion, stress and energy might be particularly useful at this time of year and can be done anywhere – even if you only have five minutes to spare.

Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) is a go-to exercise to support digestion and strength.

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana) with Shoulder Opener can help with stress and tension.

Cobra (Bhujangasana) pose can help to give an energy boost, as well as strengthening the back muscles

5. And if the sky does clear and you have a chance to get outdoors, go for a walk, a short run or jog or a cycle ride to blow the cobwebs and indoor air away. Or get out into the garden with the family and play a ball game, jump on the trampoline or use a skipping rope.

Have fun…

Related blogs on workout ideas and exercising:

Is exercise good for your gut?

Boosting gut health in the cold weather

Top 25 at-home exercises

How to exercise at home

Want to know more?

Pro-Ven Probiotics aim to provide the best support for both you and your health. If you wish to know more about gut health and staying healthy please do not hesitate to call us on 01639 825107 or alternatively, learn more via our blogs or in-depth proven research.

ProVen Probiotics, Unit 2 Christchurch Road, Baglan Industrial Park, Port Talbot, SA12 7DJ. Tel: 01639 825107