Ho ho ho! I have a holiday treat for you! The 9th annual Christmas Crusher Workout is here and our 2022 theme is…SLEIGH MY NAME! We’re spelling out S-A-N-T-A with a set of movements that are sure to have you feeling like holly jolly jello! 🙂

THE CHRISTMAS CRUSHER WORKOUT TRADITION 

The Christmas Crusher tradition started back in 2014 when I created a holiday-themed workout for my personal training clients. We had so much fun with it that I have been programming annual Christmas Crushers ever since! I have always shared these workouts on my blog and they’ve become something that many of you guys look forward to as well!

I’m so excited to report that after a two-year hiatus from meeting to do the Cookie Crusher as a group (due to you know what)…we were able to bring back the group workout in 2022! I had a great time putting this workout together for my friends and former clients and we had an even better time sweating it out together just like the old days at Metro Fitness Club. So much so that we’re talking about trying to organize a monthly group workout.

2022 CHRISTMAS CRUSHER WORKOUT DETAILS 

In years past I have offered home and gym versions of the Christmas Crusher. This year we are rolling with one version only but with equipment and movement modifications for home or gym. The only equipment you have to have is a set of dumbbells and if you really want to do the workout without dumbbells – I’ll offer substitutions for you in the movement descriptions below.

2022 CHRISTMAS CRUSHER EQUIPMENT 

• Sled (no sled, no problem – alternate movements offered)
• Dumbbells
• Mat (not necessary but will make some movements more comfortable)
• Something to elevate your heels on (weighted plate, book, etc)
• Something to step on (a step stool, a bench, a box, etc)

2022 CHRISTMAS CRUSHER WORKOUT FORMAT

This year’s workout theme is “SLEIGH MY NAME” and we’ll be spelling out S-A-N-T-A in the workout while working through a 15-12-9 rep scheme. That means you’ll do 15 reps of each exercise in round one, 12 in round two and 9 in round three.

There is also a buy in and cash out. You’ll do the buy in to kick off the workout before you move into the 15-12-9 rounds – and the cash out once you’ve completed the 15-12-9 rounds to end the workout.

2022 CHRISTMAS CRUSHER WORKOUT: SLEIGH MY NAME 

Annnnnnnnd here’s your workout! Let’s break it down.

BUY IN

The buy in is 5 rounds of pulling a sled 65 feet (20 meters) and pushing it back. Don’t stress if you don’t have a sled. The alternate is a 65 foot backwards jog and broad jumps back.

SLEIGH MY NAME 15-12-9

Do 15 reps of each of the five following movements and then 12 reps and then 9 reps. Three rounds total.

• S: Single Leg Deadlift (each leg) – these can be bodyweight if you don’t have dumbbells.
• A: Arnold Press – start with arms bent at the elbow in an L-position. Elbows in line with shoulders and wrists turned in and facing towards you. Keeping elbows at shoulder height start to open the arms until they’re in the shape of goalposts with wrists facing forward and then press the weight over head, straightening the elbows. Retrace steps back to starting position. See video for movement demonstration. This is a great rotational shoulder exercise. If you don’t have dumbbells, sub push up side planks.
• N: Narrow Stance Heel-Elevated Squat + Bicep Curl – elevate heels on something like a weighted plate or a book with feel stacked right underneath your hips. Squat down and as you stand up do a bicep curl. If you don’t have dumbbells, just do the squats. Make them harder by adding a pulse at the bottom or changing the tempo where you go down for a count of three, pause at the bottom and press up.
• T: Tricep Skull Crusher + Toe Tap – lying on the floor, do 15 tricep skull crushers and then reach the dumbbell towards the toes for 15 toe taps. If you don’t have dumbbells, do tricep dips + toe taps.
• A: Alternating Step Up + Burpee – step up with the right foot, step down and do a burpee. Step up with the left foot, step down and do a burpee. Keep going. It’s not a Christmas Crusher without a burpee. Yay! 🙂

CASH OUT 

The cash out is 5 rounds of cardio of your choice (run, row, bike, burpees, mountain climbers, high knees, whatever!). 45 second push, 15 second recovery.

SLEIGH MY NAME WORKOUT VIDEO

Here’s a video that provides an overview of the flow of the workout and demos of each movement of the S-A-N-T-A “Sleigh My Name.”

PREVIOUS CHRISTMAS CRUSHERS

2014 Christmas Cookie Crusher
2015 Christmas Cookie Crusher
2016 Christmas Cookie Crusher
2017 Christmas Cookie Crusher
2018 Christmas Cookie Crusher
2019 Christmas Cookie Crusher
2020 Christmas Crusher
2021 Christmas Crusher

*We had a rebrand from Christmas Cookie Crusher to Christmas Crusher in 2020 because we don’t believe in earning cookies around here!

NAUGHTY OR NICE? 

Let me know if I’m on your naughty or nice list after this year’s workout! Merry, merry to all of you and thanks for sharing my enthusiasm for this workout every year and making it such a fun annual tradition!