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Holiday hustle total-body workout

Is holiday shopping, sipping and snacking derailing your health routine?  When it comes to the holiday season, staying in shape can be ho-ho-horrible!  It's easy to let your body become jolly and jiggly with office parties and family festivities.  Feel merry and light this December with this fast and effective total-body workout.

Side Shuffle Plank

60 seconds
Would you rather walk the plank than perform one?  While planks are super effective for carving core muscles, strengthening the the chest and toning your tush, they can become boring if you don't modify your form.  Take your plank in a new direction with this side shuffle waist cincher.

Step 1. Start in a hand plank position
Step 2. Simultaneously walk the right hand and foot out to the side
Step 3. Keep the core activated as you bring the left hand and leg in toward the extended side
Step 4. Continue walking the hands and feet back and forth from right to left

Form Fixer:  Don't dip the hips.  Sagging hips add dangerous pressure on the lower back, and can cause the core muscles to conk out.

Fast Feet

60 seconds
If you want to crush calories, you must rev up your heart rate.  Get your pulse pounding by incorporating fast feet to the mix.  The key to mastering this move is to alternate the feet as fast as possible within a minute.  You can use any surface for tapping.  Challenge yourself by aiming for an elevated surface.  Doing so will make the abs, legs and heart work harder.

Step 1. Take a deep breath. Keep your abs tight, and your shoulders back for the entire exercise
Step 2. Use your abdominal muscles to pull up the legs as your tap the bench, wall, etc.
Step 3. Maintain good form as you continue alternating your taps

Form Fixer:  Don't give your body a break.  Avoid hunching forward at the shoulders, and keep your arms moving for momentum.

Speed Skaters

60 seconds
Hit your stride by gliding into this heart racing routine.  Speed skaters work the stabilizer muscles to help whittle your waistline, lean out your legs and bulk up your booty.

Step 1. Bring the body down into a shallow squat
Step 2. Swing your arms to propel your body as you jump to the right, landing on the right foot
Step 3. The left leg should land behind the right ankle, in an elevated position
Step 4. Now reverse this sequence by jumping to the left side, landing on the left foot with the right foot behind the left ankle. Steps 2-4 is one repetition.

Form Fixer: Slow your speed down until you feel balanced and confident.  This exercise is more than just jumping back and forth. Landing on your feet properly is vital to working target muscles such as the abs, hamstrings, glutes and quads.

Keep off the naughty list this holiday season by being nice to your body.

Earn it.

To learn more about the types of classes Ashley offers, visit ashleyblakefitness.com.

Read more Sports Doc for Sports Medicine and Fitness.