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Workouts

Fit for the Holidays Challenge – Week 5

This week, almost the halfway point, we get to full appreciate the kettlebell swing as well as those times when we ditch the smartphone for real.

Written by Shane Trotter Last updated on Dec 8, 2022

Week 5 of this year’s Fit for the Holidays challenge starts this Sunday. Please read Fit for the Holidays Challenge introduction if you haven’t done so already. The challenge runs until December 24th and started October 8th. Each Friday, we’ll release the next week’s list of daily challenges. They’ll include a minimum of three days a week of exercises, along with challenges meant to instruct and grow your knowledge of nutritional and emotional health.

Week 5 of this year’s Fit for the Holidays challenge starts this Sunday. Please read Fit for the Holidays Challenge introduction if you haven’t done so already. The challenge runs until December 24th and started October 8th. Each Friday, we’ll release the next week’s list of daily challenges. They’ll include a minimum of three days a week of exercises, along with challenges meant to instruct and grow your knowledge of nutritional and emotional health.

  • Fit for the Holidays Challenge – Week 1
  • Fit for the Holidays Challenge – Week 2
  • Fit for the Holidays Challenge – Week 3
  • Fit for the Holidays Challenge – Week 4
  • Fit for the Holidays Challenge – Week 6
  • Fit for the Holidays Challenge – Week 7
  • Fit for the Holidays Challenge – Week 8
  • Fit for the Holidays Challenge – Week 9
  • Fit for the Holidays Challenge – Week 10
  • Fit for the Holidays Challenge – Week 11

Sunday, November 11, 2017 – Wake up and… ?

The father of psychology William James once said, that “we are mere bundles of habits”. Any lasting change has to become habit to become part of your lifestyle. Today, you’ll start not checking your phone for the first 30 minutes every morning.

Monday- Swing Away

Learn the kettlebell swing. This week is all swings all the time! It takes a bit, but Coach Chris Holder and many others maintain it is THE MOST Important exercise. It’s a bit of a dance that will improve with time. Practice in sets of no more than 10 and for no longer than 20 minutes. You’ll do this Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Add Turkish Get-Up Practice and Pull-up Greasing the Groove. For advanced kettlebellers, do the same, but feel free to go heavy, single hand, etc.

In today’s video we cover:

  • The kettlebell swing
  • This week practice the kettlebell swing in sets of no more than 10 for no more than 20 minutes
  • Then move to Turkish get-ups practice. If you have moved to doing these with a kettlebell do 3-5/side
  • As usual, make sure you are being consistent with your daily pull-ups

Tuesday- Eliminate, Replace, Reward

How is the not checking your phone going? It’s probably difficult if you haven’t substituted a new habit. Habits are chains. There is a cue, followed by a routine, followed by a reward. Your cue is waking up and you probably used to immediately check your phone to get a reward of dopamine as you received all that juicy attention or information. We must substitute a new habit. For now, try 5 minutes of moving! You decide on the reward.

Wednesday

Refer to Monday. Keep working on what you started there.

If you want some variety this week try the finisher discussed in the video below, it might be more challenging then you think:

  • 10 minutes of this doing a full circuit every minute on the minute (EMOM)
  • Push-ups x5
  • Inverted rows x5
  • Kettlebell Bulgarian split squat x5/side

Thursday- Staycation?

Plan a mini-vacation. You don’t have to spend much but break out of the routine. Might a suggest camping or a little cabin. Something close, but also out of the ordinary. It can be one evening or a few. Maybe you even plan a Friday off of work.

Friday

Check Monday’s routine again. It should have been challenging you all this week and helping you build technique and skill, at the same time.

Saturday- Building Social Skills

Part 2 of this challenge. It must be important! A day of no smartphones, social media, or internet. The only exception being phone calls to solidify plans. Embrace awkward pauses and enjoy the people you are with.

About Shane Trotter

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