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How To Survive The Holidays: A Christmas Guide
Did you know resistance bands could do this? — 7 alternative methods for progressive overload — And the exercise of the week: Kettlebell Swing Challenge
Nicolas Sart
December 23, 2024
In partnership with
Issue #58
1) Survive the holidays: a Christmas guide.
2) Did you know resistance bands could do this?
3) 7 alternative methods for progressive overload.
4) Exercise of the week: Kettlebell Swing Challenge.
Read time: 4 minutes
Hey Disciple of Steel!
This week’s issue is all about overcoming challenges you might come across during the holidays.
The main one being to maintain a rather healthy lifestyle and body, while still enjoying celebrations that only come once a year.
No, wait! I promise it won’t be hard and it might actually become the most enjoyable end of the year you’ve ever had — wellness-wise.
It’s mostly about removing the guilt and making sure your body doesn’t go into “hibernating” mode.
You know how hard it is to start working out again after being completely inactive for 2 weeks, and with extra weight on top of that… Let’s avoid this!
As you may be traveling, I’m also giving you new ways to stretch, get stronger, and use progressive overload when you have very limited equipment, space, or time.
So what can you expect from your holiday if you follow my recommendations?
The answer is food, wine, rest — but also no guilt, a steady weight (maybe…), and strength and flexibility gains!
Careful though, as this works great for 2 weeks, but 2 weeks only!
Enjoy this issue, and Merry Christmas in advance! 🎅💪
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1. Survive the holidays: a Christmas guide.
Here’s a list of realistic workouts or goals for the holidays, so you can enjoy fully without losing your progress.
Food comas, wine, binging on Christmas movies… If that’s your idea of a great winter holiday too, it can be hard not to feel a little guilty when you think of all the hard work you’ve done, and that some of it might go to waste.
In my opinion, it’s never wasted. I prefer to see my hard work as earning credit, and enjoying my holiday as spending that credit.
But it’s always nice to keep a positive balance, so here’s what we can do this winter:
1) 2 x 2,000 steps daily: 4,000 steps is good enough and there are always errands to run during the holidays, which means plenty of opportunities.
2) Stretch for 20 minutes every morning: for me, this is going to be after my first coffee and in front of Netflix. Start slowly and gradually make it harder. Stretching is a gentle but effective way to maintain or even enhance your strength.
3) Grease the groove: do a set of squats or push-ups here and there. Choose one exercise each day, and do a total of 5 sets spread throughout the day.
4) Don’t eat one too many. You know what I’m talking about, that extra plate that’s going to hurt your stomach. It’s never worth it. This year, try to say no.
5) Play with a grip strengthener or do some leg raises while watching a movie.
6) Stand up every hour and get some steps in, even if it’s just at home.
7) Keep resistance bands with you. You never know, you might actually be in the mood for one workout.
8) Try the smallest step method: if you do decide to workout, this is a great way to ease into it.
It may sound like a lot but truly it’s not. And even if you do only half of these, you really have no reason to feel guilty about the rest at all!
2. Did you know resistance bands could do this?
Many people have resistance bands but few know this hack.
Resistance bands are versatile tools.
They can be used alone as a resistance training device, add resistance to your free weight exercises (as we saw last week), or even provide assistance for exercises like pull-ups.
But there's another way I like to use them: stretching.
A strong power band gives just the right amount of resistance to stretch your muscles, while being flexible enough to avoid injury. Plus, it’s more convenient and lets you hit the exact angle you need in some stretches.
Here are a few stretches where I prefer bands over the regular versions:
- Chest stretch
- Shoulder extension/stretch
- Lat stretch
- Hip flexor stretch
- Flexibility drills (like splits)
Will you give them a try?
3. 7 alternative methods for progressive overload.
Progressive overload is a principle that involves gradually increasing resistance to keep your body always challenged, thus forcing it to constantly adapt and progress.
The most simple way to do so is by increasing weight.
But what if you don’t have heavier weights?
Here are 7 ways to challenge your muscles and keep progressing, even when you’re limited on equipment or space.:
1) Perfect your form
2) Increase the number of reps
3) Increase the number of sets
4) Shorten your rest time
5) Increase time under tension (slower reps)
6) Increase frequency (train the same muscles more often)
7) Learn to adjust the angle of bodyweight exercises
There will be many instances where increasing the weight won’t be possible or won’t be a good idea.
You could be traveling, you may not have space at home, or you could be recovering from an injury.
Use the techniques above and it will never be a problem for you!
4. Exercise of the week: Kettlebell Swing Challenge.
I want you to understand one thing about Bodyweight Strength:
It is a skill, the ability to carry your own weight and move freely without being limited by it.
But it is not a type of training.
While it usually makes more sense to build bodyweight strength with bodyweight exercises, any tool that promotes compound movements and engages your whole body can increase this type of strength.
And this kettlebell swing challenge/program is a perfect example of this.
If you follow the simple instructions on my video, you’ll build functional strength from neck to knees and everything in between.
This type of overall conditioning will carry over whatever sport you practice, as well as your daily life.
It may even help you sleep better.
It’s also perfect for the holidays as you’ll only need one kettlebell and one square meter.
If you don’t have that, make sure you save this for when you’re back to the gym. Just a couple of months and you’ll already feel transformed.
I suggest doing it once or twice a week at the end of a pull or leg day.
You’ll find the full instructions on the video.
PS: EMOM is an acronym for Every Minute On the Minute. The goal is to complete the number of reps within 60 seconds, and use whatever time you have left for recovery. Then repeat when the next minute starts.
“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do; it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.”
― Rikki Rogers
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I hope you found some useful tips and motivation in today's edition.
Please share your feedback and help me improve my content for everyone!
A great way to do this is by sending me a message with a personal question you have about training.
Thanks for reading and see you next week!
- Nico
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