Between shopping, family gatherings and back-to-back celebrations, finding time for your usual routine over the holidays can feel impossible. The good news is that staying fit does not require an hour in the gym. With a little structure, these five quick workouts deliver a real training effect in 20 minutes or less, whether you squeeze them in at Hammer’s Gym in Nunawading, at home or in a park before the barbecue.
1. 20-minute HIIT circuit
High-intensity interval training alternates short bursts of hard effort with brief rests, keeping your heart rate high and your metabolism elevated for hours afterwards.
- Jumping jacks – 30 seconds
- Squat jumps – 30 seconds
- Mountain climbers – 30 seconds
- Push-ups – 30 seconds
- Rest – 30 seconds
Repeat for 6 to 8 rounds. It is a full-body session that leaves you energised and done inside 20 minutes. Swap squat jumps for bodyweight squats if you want a lower-impact version.
2. Tabata training
Tabata is a HIIT format of 20 seconds of maximum effort followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated eight times for a four-minute block per exercise. Pick four movements, for example squats, burpees, push-ups and high knees, and run a four-minute block of each for a 16-minute workout. Pressed for time? A single four-minute Tabata of burpees is a complete workout in itself. Dumbbells or a kettlebell add load if you have them.
3. Full-body strength circuit
Prefer strength to cardio? A bodyweight circuit with minimal rest gives you both.
- Squats – 12 to 15 reps
- Push-ups – 8 to 15 reps
- Reverse lunges – 10 per leg
- Plank – 30 to 45 seconds
- Rest – 30 seconds
Repeat three times. It hits legs, chest, arms and core in under 15 minutes. At the gym, swap in goblet squats, dumbbell rows and a Romanian deadlift to load it up; our 30 minute superset workout is the longer version.
4. Skipping intervals
A skipping rope is cheap, portable and one of the best cardio tools there is. It improves coordination, builds calf and lower-leg strength and is a staple of every boxer’s conditioning.
- Skip at a moderate pace – 1 minute
- Skip fast – 30 seconds
- Rest – 30 seconds
Repeat for 10 minutes. No rope? Mimic the movement; the cardio benefit is almost identical.
5. Yoga flow for flexibility and reset
Not every quick workout needs to be intense. A short flow releases tension, improves flexibility and calms the mind after a hectic day.
- Downward dog to cobra flow – 1 minute
- Sun salutations – 2 rounds
- Warrior poses – 1 minute per side
- Child’s pose and deep breathing – 2 minutes
Ten minutes is enough to feel completely different. It pairs well with a few movements from our mobility routine.
How to fit them in
- Anchor it to something fixed: before the shower, before the first coffee, the moment you get home.
- Alternate intensities: HIIT or Tabata one day, strength the next, yoga on the third.
- Three sessions a week is plenty to hold your fitness through December; see how to stay fit during the holidays.
- Do not skip the warm-up. Two minutes of marching, arm circles and leg swings prevents a January physio bill.
Short on time? We are open 24/7
Every one of these workouts can be done on the Hammer’s Gym floor at any hour, with the added options of the air bike, rower and SkiErg for intervals and a sauna afterwards. If you would rather be coached through a fast session, our express classes are built for busy weeks. Claim a free one-day trial and keep moving through the holidays. We are minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster.