The “12 Days of Christmas” CrossFit Workout is a holiday-themed workout inspired by the popular Christmas song. It follows the same structure as the song, with exercises performed in a sequential and cumulative manner, much like a ladder. Each round represents a “day,” adding a new exercise while repeating the previous ones in reverse order. As you progress through the workout, you’ll complete a total of 364 repetitions, making it a comprehensive full-body challenge that tests your endurance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness.
12 Days of Christmas CrossFit Workout Details
This 12-day program presents a meticulously crafted sequence of workouts. Each day’s theme emphasizes different aspects of CrossFit, from foundational movements to complex metabolic conditioning. By gradually increasing the intensity and complexity, this program helps you progressively adapt and improve your overall fitness.
Day 1: Myrrh (Warm-up)
This initial day focuses on foundational movements, including light conditioning exercises. On Day 1, participants perform foundational movements such as bodyweight squats, lunges, and dynamic stretches. This warm-up focuses on technique and establishes a baseline for the following days, ensuring proper form for more challenging workouts ahead.
Day 2: Gold (Skill Work)
This day prioritizes skill development, encompassing exercises such as handstand practice and pull-up progressions. On Day 2, athletes practice skills like handstands and pull-up progressions. This skill work is essential for improving performance and mastering complex movements, helping to avoid injuries in future workouts.
Day 3: Frankincense (Strength)
The focus here is on strength training using heavy lifts. Day 3 emphasizes strength training through heavy deadlifts and back squats. These lifts build muscle strength, which is fundamental for progressing to more challenging exercises in CrossFit.
Day 4: 2 Turtle Doves (Metabolic Conditioning)
This day introduces shorter, high-intensity metabolic conditioning workouts. Participants engage in shorter, high-intensity workouts such as burpees and kettlebell swings on Day 4. These exercises enhance cardiovascular endurance and improve overall fitness under time constraints.
Day 5: 3 French Hens (Accessory Work)
This day addresses weaknesses or specific muscle groups through accessory exercises. On Day 5, athletes focus on accessory exercises like dumbbell rows and glute bridges. These movements address specific weaknesses and promote well-rounded strength while preventing imbalances.
Day 6: 4 Calling Birds (EMOM/AMRAP)
Day 6 features high-intensity formats like EMOM with exercises such as box jumps or AMRAP with push-ups. These formats increase stamina and help maintain consistent tempo and form during high-intensity repetitions.
Day 7: 5 Golden Rings (Workout of the Day)
On Day 7, participants complete a typical WOD that includes timed standards like thrusters and double-unders. This workout emphasizes performance under pressure, building stamina and precision.
Day 8: 6 Geese a-laying (Back-to-Back)
This day will prioritize back-to-back workouts with limited rest periods. Day 8 prioritizes back-to-back workouts with limited rest periods, incorporating exercises like snatches and wall balls. This approach enhances endurance and resilience in CrossFit.
Day 9: 7 Swans a-swimming (Metcon)
Participants engage in longer-duration high-intensity metabolic conditioning with exercises such as running intervals and rower sprints on Day 9. This day is crucial for enhancing endurance and cardiovascular health.
Day 10: 8 Maids a-milking (Workout of the Day)
On Day 10, athletes tackle a WOD that challenges their skills with movements like clean and jerks or toes-to-bar, pushing their limits in skill execution and stamina throughout the workout.
Day 11: 9 Ladies Dancing (Strength + Skill)
Day 11 combines strength training with skill work, featuring exercises like overhead presses and skill drills for muscle-ups. This combination is vital for achieving a balanced fitness level.
Day 12: 10 Lords a-leaping (Total Body + Cardio)
The final day concludes with a comprehensive workout that includes full-body exercises like burpee box jumps and cardio intervals. This session assesses overall fitness levels while enhancing performance for future challenges.
What are some common mistakes to avoid during the 12 Days of Christmas workout?
Mistakes during the 12 Days of Christmas workout can affect safety and performance. Your body needs a proper warm-up and cool-down to prevent injuries and aid recovery. Rest days are important to avoid overtraining and fatigue. Proper form is key to staying safe, especially when you feel tired. Scaling exercises and weights to your fitness level helps prevent overexertion. Mobility work is essential to improve flexibility and reduce injury risks. Quality reps matter more than speed, so focus on control and safety.
The 12 Days of Christmas CrossFit Workout is a fun and challenging way to stay active during the holidays, but proper preparation and technique are key to enjoying it safely. Remember to warm up, scale to your fitness level, and focus on quality movements. If you have any questions or need help customizing the workout, feel free to reach out. Let’s crush those fitness goals this holiday season!
