How To Adapt Your Training In December
December is often a busy social period for many of us – whether that’s office Christmas parties, trips to see family or festive activities with friends – all of which can make sticking to your usual training regime unrealistic. So we’re sharing some top tips on how to adapt your training over the holiday season.
1. Consider switching to full body sessions
If you’re someone who usually trains 4-5 times a week and often opts for specific lower or upper body workouts consider switching to a full body programme or guide! Full body programmes work well if you can only squeeze in 2-3 sessions a week. They’re also highly time-efficient and effective – as you’ll still be hitting different muscle groups multiple times a week (a great way to keep your progress ticking over during the holiday period). Switching to a full body programme also offers more flexibility across the week as you’re not tied into needing to rest on specific days to allow certain muscle groups to recover either.
2. Scale back if you need to
Late nights, drinking and lots of festive food doesn’t create the best environment for top training performance and the last thing you want over this period is an injury! As such, don’t be afraid to scale back your workouts. That could mean choosing a lighter weight, taking extra rest time or reducing the number of sets or reps you do for different exercises. Train smart, not hard and listen to your body!
3. If you’re a gym-goer consider training at home instead
There’s no denying that getting to the gym and sometimes training there, can require additional time. So, if your diary is packed over the festive period, if you’re travelling to see family or if you don’t have access to a gym during the holidays, then opt to train at home instead. Instead of chopping and changing between gym and home workouts, and feeling out of routine, commit to training at home over December, take a break from the gym and then jump back into a gym programme come January if you want to!
4. Don’t be driven by guilt
We will all find ourselves somewhat over-indulging at this time of year but don’t be driven by guilt! Instead focus on mindful consumption and making memories with your loved ones. Don’t be tempted to overcompensate come January – remember exercise is a celebration of what our bodies can do, not a punishment for what we ate!
5. Try not to go cold turkey with your training (pun intended)
Try not to get trapped into the “all or nothing” mindset when it comes to exercise and your training! Taking a break over this period is great, but remember that ‘taking it easy’ doesn’t have to mean doing nothing at all. All forms of movement are great for both our mental and physical health – and just because you’re not hitting the gym or training 5 times a week doesn’t mean you can’t get out for a walk or try a gentle workout at home. Remember, something is always better than nothing and you’ll likely head into 2022 in a much better headspace if you keep up with a little movement each day throughout December.
