12 TRAINING DAYS OF CHRISTMAS FUN

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IS A TRADITIONAL ENGLISH CHRISTMAS CAROL in which the singer describes the progressively larger number of outlandish gifts, crazy by today’s standards, given by a true love, over 12 days. There a number of renditions by various artists, as well as parodies.

For fun you might try this simple routine, set to the traditional song’s music, in the days leading up to or following Christmas. I’ve heard/seen other versions of this tune composed for weight training that are actually killer workouts.

This one is NOT a tough exercise session! It incorporates elements of safe training that have received attention in previous blog postings this year: dynamic stretching (forward lunges, toy soldiers, skipping), foam rolling, hip girdle mobility (MYRTLs), strength training (squats, dips, push-ups), core work (plank), and minimal aerobics (running and walking).

The RESOURCES page can help you find demonstrations to many of the days’ routines.  ‘Sets’ can be composed any number of repetitions you desire to perform. The keys to the MYRTLs and stretches which can be done are listed at the end of the verses. What changes would you suggest?
 
12 Earned Runs TRAINING DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
On the FIRST day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
One-minute in a plank position
 
On the SECOND day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
Two sets of squatting
And one-minute in a plank position
 
On the THIRD day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
Three sets of push-ups
Two sets of squatting
And one-minute in a plank position
 
On the FOURTH day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
Four sets of dips
Three sets of push-ups
Two sets of squatting
And one-minute in a plank position
 
On the FIFTH day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
Five muscle-groups foam-rolled**
Four sets of dips
Three sets of push-ups
Two sets of squatting
And one-minute in a plank position
 
On the SIXTH day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
Six minutes walking
Five muscle-groups foam-rolled**
Four sets of dips
Three sets of push-ups
Two sets of squatting
And one-minute in a plank position
 
On the SEVENTH day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
Seven minutes running
Six minutes walking
Five muscle-groups foam-rolled**
Four sets of dips
Three sets of push-ups
Two sets of squatting
And one-minute in a plank position
 
On the EIGHTH day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
Eight minutes walking
Seven minutes running
Six minutes walking
Five muscle-groups foam-rolled**
Four sets of dips
Three sets of push-ups
Two sets of squatting
And one-minute in a plank position
 
On the NINTH day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
Nine seconds skipping
Eight minutes walking
Seven minutes running
Six minutes walking
Five muscle-groups foam-rolled**
Four sets of dips
Three sets of push-ups
Two sets of squatting
And one-minute in a plank position
 
On the TENTH day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
Ten moves through MYRTLs*
Nine seconds skipping
Eight minutes walking
Seven minutes running
Six minutes walking
Five muscle-groups foam-rolled**
Four sets of dips
Three sets of push-ups
Two sets of squatting
And one-minute in a plank position
 
On the ELEVENTH day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
Eleven ‘toy soldiers’
Ten moves through MYRTLs*
Nine seconds skipping
Eight minutes walking
Seven minutes running
Six minutes walking
Five muscle-groups foam-rolled**
Four sets of dips
Three sets of push-ups
Two sets of squatting
And one-minute in a plank position
 
On the TWELFTH day of Christmas my true love set me to (doing):
Twelve forward lunges
Eleven ‘toy soldiers’
Ten moves through MYRTLs*
Nine seconds skipping
Eight minutes walking
Seven minutes running
Six minutes walking
Five muscle-groups foam-rolled**
Four sets of dips
Three sets of push-ups
Two sets of squatting
And one-minute in a plank position!
 
*Side-lying leg lifts, clamshells, forward hurdles, backward hurdles, lateral leg swings, forward leg swings, donkey kicks, donkey whips, forward knee circles, backward knee circles.
 
** Upper back, seated piriformis, calves, hamstrings, quads

RUN HAPPY!
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Twelve_Days_of_Christmas_(song)
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yROvZS62zw