Introduction:
The holiday season is a time of joy, family, and celebration – but it can also be a time when fitness routines fall by the wayside. End-of-year schedules get hectic with shopping, travel, and gatherings, often sidelining our workouts. Short days and chilly weather tempt us to stay cozy indoors, making it even harder to stay active. Yet amidst the festive chaos and extra helpings of pie, staying mobile and active is well worth the effort. Not only can a bit of exercise boost your mood and energy (almost like a “miracle drug” for mental health), but it also helps compensate for some of the seasonal indulgences and stresses – from big holiday meals to travel headaches. In fact, staying physically active is one of the best ways to improve your mental and physical health during winter months, helping you sleep better, reduce anxiety, and even strengthen your immune system. In short, keeping up with movement through the holidays will help you feel your best and start the new year on the right foot.
Why Staying Active Matters
It’s tempting to take a “vacation” from exercise during the holidays, but maintaining some level of activity is crucial for both well-being and enjoyment of the season. Physically, regular movement helps maintain your strength and flexibility, preventing the typical stiff-as-a-candy-cane feeling that comes from too much sitting around. Even small workouts can help offset the extra calories from holiday treats and prevent that sluggish post-feast feeling. More importantly, exercise is a proven stress reliever – a quick workout or even a brisk walk can trigger endorphins that boost your mood and reduce anxiety, acting as an antidote to holiday stress. This can be a game-changer when dealing with hectic travel, visiting in-laws, or year-end work deadlines. Staying active also keeps your immune system in fighting shape during cold and flu season. Research suggests that regular moderate exercise can bolster your immune defense, meaning you’re less likely to be sidelined by a winter cold when it’s time to celebrate with family. In essence, staying active through the holidays isn’t about chasing PRs or weight loss – it’s about maintenance of your health and keeping yourself feeling good. As fitness experts note, focusing on maintaining your fitness (rather than making huge improvements) during this busy time is a realistic approach that preserves your progress without adding pressure. You’ll be grateful come January that you kept your body in motion and didn’t have to “start from scratch” on your fitness goals.
Staying active during the holidays – whether traveling or at home – is key to managing stress and enjoying the season. Even an airport stretch or a quick hotel-room workout can make a difference in maintaining your fitness routine.
Strategies to Stay Active and Mobile
Maintaining an exercise habit during the holiday season is possible with a little creativity and planning. Here are some practical strategies to help you weave mobility and fitness into your holidays:
Set Realistic Goals (Maintain, Don’t Gain):
Acknowledge that this time of year is busy and you might not hit the gym every day – and that’s okay. Instead of trying to hit new personal records in December, aim to maintain your current fitness level. Focus on consistency over intensity. For example, commit to short 15–20 minute sessions or simple daily stretches. Giving yourself permission to scale back your routine can relieve pressure while keeping you active. Think of physical activity as a pro-health boost that helps balance out the season’s extra treats and obligations. Even a little movement each day means you’re not giving up on fitness altogether – you’re preserving your hard-earned gains for the new year.
Plan Ahead and Schedule “Active Time”:
Treat your workouts like important appointments on your calendar. Take a look at your holiday itinerary each week and plan when and where you can exercise. Traveling to visit family? Pack sneakers and scope out a local park or a spare corner in the house for bodyweight exercises. Busy day of cooking or shopping? Maybe pencil in a brisk morning walk or an after-dinner stretching session. By scheduling activity into your day (even if it’s just a 10-minute mobility break), you’re more likely to follow through. It also helps to get workouts done early when possible – an energizing morning stretch or quick exercise circuit can set a positive tone before the day’s events ramp up. Early workouts mean you won’t have to skip exercise if parties or chores run late.
Keep It Short and Sweet:
When time is scarce, remember that something is better than nothing. You don’t need a full hour at the gym to reap benefits – even a focused 15–20 minute workout can get your blood pumping and muscles activated. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) or a simple circuit of bodyweight moves can be very effective in a short window. Alternatively, try “exercise snacks” throughout the day: 5 minutes of stretching in the morning, a quick walk around the block after lunch, and some mobility drills at night. These mini-sessions add up and keep you feeling limber. One idea: before a holiday event or big family dinner, carve out 10 minutes for a quick full-body mobility flow or a few rounds of bodyweight squats, lunges, and planks – it can boost your energy and offset that inevitable couch time later. Remember, consistency is more important than duration for staying in the habit.
Include the Family and Have Fun:
The holidays are all about spending time with loved ones, so why not make physical activity a group affair? Encourage family walks, playful games, or casual sports as part of your celebrations. For instance, you could start a tradition of a morning family walk on Thanksgiving or a neighborhood stroll to look at Christmas lights. If there are kids around, playing tag, tossing a football, or building a snowman can get everyone moving (and laughing). Some families sign up for a local “turkey trot” 5K or a charity walk together – a great way to bond while being active. Even something as simple as a post-dinner walk with relatives (or the dog) can help with digestion and keep you from dozing off on the couch. Making movement a part of holiday festivities creates shared memories and sets a positive example. Plus, it doesn’t feel like a chore when you’re having fun together.
Use Simple Tools (and Don’t Skip Mobility):
You don’t need a full gym to stay fit during holiday travels or when your hometown gym is closed – a few portable exercise tools can go a long way. Resistance bands are a popular lightweight option for strength exercises on the road, and similarly, Stick Mobility Training Sticks can be a secret weapon for maintaining your mobility and strength anywhere. These training sticks are strong, flexible poles that let you create traction, leverage, and stability for stretching and exercise. They offer a dual advantage by aiding in both mobility and strength training, effectively turning a small space (like a living room or hotel room) into a workout zone. Even if you only have 10 minutes, you can use a stick to do a full-body mobility routine – think deep stretches for your hips and shoulders, core activation drills, and balance exercises. For example, moves like the “Bow and Arrow” stretch or “Monkey Hang” (common Stick Mobility drills) provide a great stretch and engagement for tight muscles after long travel days. By packing one short stick in your car or keeping it by your desk, you can squeeze in quick stretch breaks to release tension. The key is to make exercise convenient: lay out a yoga mat where you’ll see it, keep your exercise stick or band handy, and have a go-to list of 3–4 exercises. With fewer barriers, you’re more likely to actually do it. Remember, staying mobile – doing flexibility and mobility exercises – counts as exercise too, and it can be a lifesaver for aching joints after long drives or marathon gift-wrapping sessions!
Stick Mobility Exercises to Try
For a quick full-body mobility boost, try these Stick Mobility drills. Each move uses a Training Stick to leverage deep stretches through multiple joints. You can do them virtually anywhere (even in a hotel room) – many only take a minute or two.
Split Stance Monkey Hang:
This mobility exercise stretches the hip flexor, the rib cage, the lats, quads, and opens up all the tissues on the anterior chain.
- Stand tall with feet about 1-2 inches apart.
- Place both Training Sticks just outside midfoot at 3 and 9 o’clock.
- Hands are toward the tops of the sticks.
- Assume a split stance and then flex the back knee. Hold this passive hang for 20 seconds. Ease off the tension and then perform an active hang for 20 seconds.
After the first couple of reps, add rotations. Rotate to your left and then to the right while pressing the sticks into the floor
Slap Shot:
This exercise opens up the thoracic and cervical spine, as well as targeting the chest, lateral hip, and scapula mobility.
- In a standing position, using one long Training Stick, get into an extra wide stance.
- Place the stick across the low back and parallel to the floor.
- Keeping the stick against the low back, sink into your hinge position.
- Without shifting your weight or internally rotating your hips, bring one end of the stick down and across your body towards your midline.
- When you reach your end ROM, place the end of the stick on the ground. You’re not reaching forward with the stick.
- Hold this rotational position for 6-10 seconds. Pull apart on the stick at ~30% effort to increase tension.
- Perform 2-3 lunges per side for 6-10 seconds each.
Tips: Go through the entire sequence twice per side from start to finish. You should have increased ability to reach across the body with the stick due to an immediate improvement in your ROM. A regression for the Slap Shot - Using an elevated platform to rest the end of the stick on.
Bow & Arrow:
The lateral bow and arrow will increase and strengthen your range of motion in your lateral line from your foot to your arms and improve the mobility of your back, shoulders, and hips.
- Place feet about shoulder width apart and the Training Stick at 3 o’clock, approximately 10- 12 inches from the midfoot
- Bottom hand grabs the stick around waist level. Top hand reaches over the head and grabs the stick with the palm facing forward
- Hips must stay square
- Push the stick into the ground with the top hand at approximately 30% effort
- Push the hip in the opposite direction of the stick. This is your passive stretch first. Then activate the stretch by pushing the stick away from you with the bottom hand. Both arms should be extended.
- The bottom arm is actively pushing while the top arm is reflexively pulling.
- Hold for 10-20 seconds, perform 3 reps, then switch sides
Tips: Standing Regression - Place the stick against the wall with the bottom of the stick about 2 feet away from the wall. Stand next to the stick with the midfoot directly in contact with the stick. Place the bottom hand around waist level or just above the sticker. The cues are the same as the regular Bow and Arrow.
Human Sail:
This exercise will open up the anterior tissues and help reverse the dominate flexion most of us spend our time in.
- Place feet about shoulder width apart and sticks inside both insteps
- Grab the tops of the grips and drive the sticks down into the ground with tension to increase effort and engage the lats
- Squeeze your glutes, and then drive them forward, opening up the hips
- At the same time, pull your arms back to open up your whole anterior tissue line and both front arm lines.
Tips: Make sure to maintain your breathing and keep your glutes engaged throughout this exercise, you don’t want the movement to come from the lumbar spine.
90/90 Hip Stretch:
Improve your hip strength and mobility with the 90/90. It works internal and external hip rotation, hip disassociation, and improves the length of the hip flexors.
- Assume a shin box, 90/90 position on the floor.
- Place the Training Stick at the three o’clock position.
- Press down with approximately 30 to 40% effort.
- Rotate to the left and hold for 6 to 10 seconds.
- Maintain a tall posture while pressing down into the ground with the legs and Training Stick.
- Rotate to the opposite side.
- Complete three to five reps per side.
Tip: Focus on your breathing throughout the repetitions.
Each of these stick drills can be done with minimal space or time, making them perfect for busy holiday days. Just a couple of minutes with one or two of these exercises can help you stay limber and energized. All of them use the stick to leverage deeper stretches safely, so even beginners can get a strong mobility “reset” on their hips, spine, and shoulders. Incorporating these full-body mobility moves into your routine will help keep your joints happy and your body feeling great throughout the holiday season.
Learn more about Stick Mobility and flows to explore HERE.
Mind Your Wellness Basics:
Don’t forget that factors like sleep and hydration play a big role in staying active. The holiday hustle can mean late nights and festive drinks, but try to get adequate rest so you have the energy to be active (aim for those 7–8 hours when you can). And while eggnog and champagne flow freely, keep drinking water throughout the day. Good hydration keeps your body functioning optimally and can even fend off some travel fatigue and winter dehydration. When you’re well-rested and well-hydrated, you’ll have more motivation to move. Additionally, use any downtime for a little self-care: a short stretching routine in the evening or a quick mobility drill in the morning can help reduce stiffness and clear your mind. Think of these as moments to recharge you amid taking care of everyone else during the holidays.
Enjoy the Season – through movement
At the end of the day, the holidays should be enjoyed – and staying active will help you do just that. By moving a bit each day, you’ll likely find you have more energy, less stress, and a better mood to fully appreciate the festivities. Importantly, give yourself grace and flexibility. If you miss a planned workout because plans changed, it’s okay. Simply get back on track the next day. The goal is to strike a balance: savor the relaxation and treats that the season brings, but also take care of your body. After all, staying active is a form of self-care during a hectic time.
Conclusion:
Maintaining some fitness momentum through the holidays will make the transition into the new year so much smoother. You’ll thank yourself for keeping up healthy habits when January arrives. Even if your routine wasn’t perfect, a little effort to stay mobile means you preserved your strength, flexibility, and sanity! The benefits of staying active – from stress relief to sustained energy – are gifts you give yourself, and they’re especially valuable during this busy season. So as you celebrate, remember to carve out those small moments to stretch, walk, or exercise. Your body and mind will be extra grateful for the care amidst the holiday hustle. With a smart plan and a commitment to keep moving, you can absolutely enjoy the festivities and stay fit and flexible. Here’s to a happy, active holiday season – stay mobile, stay merry, and enjoy every moment!
