Tips to Help You Train Consistently During the Holidays

The holiday season is officially here! This usually means that schedules change, routines get messy, daylight disappears by 4:30pm, and it suddenly feels a lot tougher to stay on track with training.

But here’s the good news:

Consistency during the holiday season doesn’t require perfection! 

Give yourself grace with the busyness of the season….but just don't use it as an excuse to skip everything– a little bit is better than nothing! 

We wanted to share some strategies to help you stay consistent (and still enjoy) this holiday season!

First of all, just focus on doing the “minimum effective dose.” 

Every run/workout doesn’t need to be long or intense to “count.” During the chaos of holiday events and gatherings, the goal is to keep some consistency, even if volume and intensity is lower. 

A few ideas to stay consistent without a huge time commitment:

• Swap structured interval or track workouts for an effort-based fartlek.

• Shorten your easy runs to whatever you have time for– heck, even a mile will do if that’s all you can squeeze in! Just run a loop around your neighborhood!

• Put on a 10 or 15 minute pilates youtube video to do with your family member that’s visiting instead of going to the gym for a lift session! 

Consider the smallest version of the workout you can do each day– the little things add up! 

Consistency comes from showing up most days, not from being perfect all the time or always grinding out long, intense workouts! 

Something is better than nothing–If all you have is 10 minutes, do a quick core workout or take a walk around the block with your family. 

You could randomly do push-ups throughout the day, 5-minutes of yoga before bed, or even some calf raises while you brush your teeth! 

Get creative with it and just fit in what you can. Don’t stress as much about structured training during the unpredictability of this season. 

🎄Check out our latest instagram reel with Dr. Greg fitting in a fun functional workout while getting our Christmas tree!

Taking a day off here and there can actually benefit you as well. Did you know that being social and hanging out with friends can actually help with recovery?? 

Try to be flexible and embrace the change of routine! Sometimes it’s exactly what you need before getting back into a heavy training load after the holidays. 

And don’t forget to give yourself some grace ☺️

These next few weeks are about maintaining, not maximizing.

If you miss a day (or a few)…

If a run has to be shorter…

If a workout gets replaced with a walk…

You’re still winning by staying in motion!

Avoid the urge to “make up” missed workouts — it only leads to exhaustion or injury. Stay consistent, train smart, and trust that in January, you will be so grateful for the base you maintained and the time you were able to spend with loved ones. ♥️

💪Bonus: 3 Quick Holiday Workouts to Save 

1. 20-Min Treadmill Progression

5 min easy → 5 min steady → 5 min comfortably hard → 5 min cooldown

2. 30-Min Easy Run with Pick-Ups

25 min easy → 5 min of 20 sec hard/40 sec easy

3. 15-Min Runner Strength Circuit

Body-Weight Squats → Push-Ups → Glute Bridges → Plank → Single-Leg Calf Raises on Step (Repeat 2–3 Rounds)

These are perfect for those “I don’t have time” days!

👟 Need Support?

If you want help staying strong and injury-free during the holiday chaos, we’ve got you:

    •    3D Running Analysis to fine-tune your form

    •    Strength sessions to build resilience

    •    PT sessions to help with that nagging pain you’ve been dealing with

    •    Guided run coaching to keep you on track through winter

All of AWAKEN’s Specialized Services include one-on-one individualized and compassionate care with a doctor of physical therapy. 

Click the link below to schedule — it’s the perfect time to reset before 2026 training kicks off! We’re here to help you AWAKEN YOUR POTENTIAL in whatever activity you’re most passionate about! 🦁

Little steps add up. Keep showing up — even in small ways — and you’ll roll into the new year feeling fitter, stronger, and more confident than you think!

You’ve got this!!! 💪

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Click HERE to Reach Out!

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Written by: Mackenzie Lowe and Dr. Gregory Lowe PT, DPT, cert. MDT, CSOMT, CSCS, RRSC