Run The Wild's Energising Post-Holidays Workout

Lunges are a great exercise. A lunge uses the big quad muscles at the front of the upper leg and the body’s largest muscle, the gluteus maximus. Lunges increase muscle mass, build strength and tone, improving your posture, balance and range of motion.  

A static lunge is the first difficulty level. Place your feet around shoulder width apart and place one foot around 2ft in front of the other. Take a single step forward, ensuring it's the right spacing.  

Next, simply lower for a count of three, bending the front leg at a 90-degree angle and rise, keeping your chest lifted and upright. Don’t allow your back knee to touch the ground. Repeat five times on each leg to start.  

To increase the difficulty, instead of staying static step back into the lunge, alternating legs. We step back rather than forwards to put less pressure on the knees. Remember to keep your chest lifted and never bend the front knee so much that it moves beyond your front foot.  

For the third difficulty level, you can try jump lunges. Alternate between your left and right leg, swapping your front and back leg mid-air. Again, watch your form by ensuring your knee doesn’t bend past your front foot as you lunge. 

For this, get into your press up position, but lower onto the elbows and forearms. Imagine a plank of wood along your back from your head to your feet. You want to keep as much of your body in contact with it as possible. Tuck in your stomach muscles so you’re not arching your back.  

To make the excersise easier, you can lower onto your knees. But if you want to make it harder, resume the first position and shift your weight forwards so you’re over the tips of your toes. Hold your position for 15 seconds and repeat three times, giving yourself a 30 second break in-between. Gradually build up the time you hold the plank - a few seconds more every day makes a big difference!  

The plank is a core exercise, working the muscles around the torso. A strong torso helps with good posture and can strengthen the vulnerable part of the lower back. This is vital for those of us that spend long periods at a desk. 

Although this one might sound easy, it’s a serious shoulder burner! Air Boxing is a great toning exercise and helps with mobility for everyday tasks.  

Assume your finest Rocky position, knees slightly bent with your non-dominant foot slightly forwards to practice air boxing. As your fist shoots forward, lift the elbow out to the side; this gives your punch maximum impact. The power comes from your shoulder, so lean into the punch by putting weight on the front leg. Shoot your fist forward with as much power as you can, returning to a defensive position with control before holding your hands high by your face. To increase difficulty, air box as fast as you can for 30-seconds followed by a 30-second break before repeating.  

Feel free to play the eye of the tiger while doing so. Why not see who can do the most punches in 30 seconds?    

Has climbing a flight of stairs or powering up a hill ever left you feeling out of breath? We feel this way because our heart is working harder to deliver more oxygen to the leg muscles. 

Step ups are a great addition to a workout. They strengthen the lower body and again promote movement in the muscles we use every day.  

To begin with, start with an elevated surface of around 30cm high. Keep your back straight and your stomach muscles engaged. Step up onto the elevated surface with your right leg and make sure your whole foot is on the step. Next, step up with your left leg so both feet are firmly on your step, before your right leg steps back down and is followed by the left. This is one complete exercise. On the next step up use the alternate leg first.  

Complete 20 repetitions on each leg. However, if you find this too easy then increase the height of the step or hold a small weight in each hand (a tin of food or drink works as a makeshift dumbbell!). Alternatively, see how many you can do before your form starts to drop. 

Tricep dips are a great exercise for the muscle at the back of the upper arm. However, they also work the core, shoulders, and strengthen the muscles around the elbow joint. For tricep dips, you can use a chair, a park bench, or even the kitchen countertops.  

Stand facing away from the chair or your alternative, and bend your legs to place your palms on the edge of the chair. Straighten your legs out in front with your heels on the floor, toes facing up. For a lower difficulty level, keep your feet flat on the floor and bend your knees.  

Keeping your back as close to the chair as you can, bend your arms, keeping your elbows tucked in and facing straight back, not out to the sides. Slowly lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Next, push through your hands, straightening your arms and returning to the starting position. Your form is everything. Don’t just raise and lower your hips and try not to hunch your shoulders. 

Staying active over the holidays will help you hit the ground running when January arrives. It's always good to have some downtime, but if you do feel like moving your body, these simple exercises will leave you feeling stronger and refreshed.

If you're starting to plan your New Year running goals, our team of in-store specialists can help you find the kit to get you there - book an appointment in-store today.

Simon James is the founder of Run the Wild - the UK’s first premier, dedicated trail running holiday adventure company. Operating in the UK and the Alps, they deliver holidays that combine the sense of 'team' from mountaineering, with the thrill of trail running in wild places. Simon is a keen trail runner and marathon runner with a PB of 2hrs 37mins. He’s a qualified Leader in Running Fitness as well as International Mountain Leader and offers treks in the Alps.