This 12 Days of Christmas Workout Challenge is a great way to keep your workout routine interesting and purposeful this season. Themed workouts are a great way to stay motivated and mix up any exercise routine during the holidays. In addition, you won’t need any equipment to complete it – meaning you can do the workout right in your living room.
What is the 12 Days of Christmas Workout?
This Christmas workout features 12 full body HIIT exercises. These bodyweight exercises require no equipment, making this a workout you can do right at home.
Each bodyweight exercise in this Christmas workout quickly increases your heart rate to help burn maximum calories. Every exercise targets and strengthens a different area of your body, creating a comprehensive, full body workout.
This Christmas workout is based on the song The 12 Days of Christmas.
“On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me: a partridge and a pear tree. On the second day of Christmas…”
Not only does this song encourage some festivity, but it also provides the structure for a really powerful workout.
How to Do the 12 Days of Christmas Workout
Begin by completing the first exercise one time.
Next, complete two repetitions of the second exercise followed by the first exercise again.
Continue by completing the three repetitions of the third exercise, two repetitions of the second exercise, and a single repetition of the first.
With each new round, you’ll add one exercise and then work your way back down to the first.
The final round will look like: #12 twelve times, #11 eleven times, #10 ten times, #9 nine times, etc., until you work your way backwards to the first exercise.
For a challenge, try completing the Christmas workout along with the song to really feel the burn. Pause only to complete the exercise repetitions and then immediately continue.
The 12 Days of Christmas will have you feeling the burn as things move along quickly without a break.
12 Days of Christmas Workout Exercises
- 1: 20 second plank
- 2: Straight leg hip lifts
- 3: Push ups
- 4: Reverse sit ups
- 5: Tricep dips
- 6: Mountain climbers
- 7: Leg lifts
- 8: Crunches
- 9: Superman
- 10: Lunges
- 11: Calf raises
- 12: Squats

For a more complete overview, checkout this breakdown of each set in the workout. If the structure is a bit confusing, the following will help clarify and specify every single exercise, in the exact order and number of repetitions with which they should be completed.
12 Days of Christmas Workout
Set 1:
- 20 second plank
Set 2:
- 2 hip lifts
- 20 second plank
Set 3:
- 3 push ups
- 2 hip lifts
- 20 second plank
Set 4:
- 4 reverse sit ups
- 3 push ups
- 2 hip lifts
- 20 second plank
Set 5:
- 5 tricep dips
- 4 reverse sit ups
- 3 push ups
- 2 hip lifts
- 20 second plank
Set 6:
- 6 mtn climbers
- 5 tricep dips
- 4 reverse sit ups
- 3 push ups
- 2 hip lifts
- 20 second plank
Set 7:
- 7 leg lifts
- 6 mtn climbers
- 5 tricep dips
- 3 push ups
- 2 hip lifts
- 20 second plank
Set 8:
- 8 crunches
- 7 leg lifts
- 6 mtn climbers
- 5 tricep dips
- 3 push ups
- 2 hip lifts
- 20 second plank
Set 9:
- 9 supermans
- 8 crunches
- 7 leg lifts
- 6 mtn climbers
- 5 tricep dips
- 3 push ups
- 2 hip lifts
- 20 second plank
Set 10:
- 10 lunges
- 9 supermans
- 8 crunches
- 7 leg lifts
- 6 mtn climbers
- 5 tricep dips
- 3 push ups
- 2 hip lifts
- 20 second plank
Set 11:
- 11 calf raises
- 10 lunges
- 9 supermans
- 8 crunches
- 7 leg lifts
- 6 mtn climbers
- 5 tricep dips
- 3 push ups
- 2 hip lifts
- 20 second plank
Set 12:
- 12 squats
- 11 calf raises
- 10 lunges
- 9 supermans
- 8 crunches
- 7 leg lifts
- 6 mtn climbers
- 5 tricep dips
- 3 push ups
- 2 hip lifts
- 20 second plank

The 12 Days of Christmas Workout may look relatively simple at first glace, but in actuality, it presents an incredible physical challenge when completed in its entirety. The bodyweight exercises really start to add up as you work your way through the song.
To stay motivated, try completing these Christmas themed exercises multiple times this season and see if you can improve your finishing time.
Get festive with your fitness routine by adding this 12 Days of Christmas Workout Challenge!
These bodyweight exercises are simple enough to complete anywhere, but the combination and repetition will really elevate your heart rate and get those muscles burning. For the ultimate full body challenge, complete the entire workout with little to no breaks!
There’s no better way to get festive and enjoy this wonderful season than with a Christmas themed workout.
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