The Game-Changing Holiday Workout Rule Trainers Wish More Guys Followed

By the time December rolls around, gym parking lot spots are much easier to come by. With plans to restart workout routines in the new year, many have already fallen into an all-or-nothing mindset, hitting pause—only to take time off for longer than they intended. Newsflash: you're not getting any younger. Sure, the season is hectic, and juggling everything is tough. That's why committing to one non-negotiable "anchor workout" every week is a game-changer during this time of year.

Speaking with Men’s Journal, Kris Herbert and Ed Gemdjian of The Gym Venice explained how sticking to a single workout each week can support both mental and physical health during the holidays.

"An anchor workout is a single strength session—ideally full-body or lower-body dominant— that you commit to no matter what the schedule looks like," they shared. "It replaces that scarcity mindset with one of abundance: even in a chaotic season, you can find time for one workout that keeps you moving forward. And that one session is enough to maintain momentum, preserve strength, and prevent backsliding."

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Holiday Anchor Workout Plan

The strategy is simple and boils down to a matter of planning. Look at your schedule a week in advance and decide which day is best to get a workout in. Beyond that, all you need is a solid workout plan, whether lower-body or full-body focused.

"Lower-body dominant strength work stimulates the largest muscles in the body, which creates a stronger systemic effect: better metabolic health, higher energy expenditure, improved insulin sensitivity, and a meaningful boost in anabolic hormones like testosterone and growth hormone," Herbert says. "These hormonal shifts support muscle maintenance, mood, and yes, even libido in many men."

Is Working Out Once a Week Enough?

If you’re used to practically being counted as part of your gym’s inventory because you’re there so often, one strength training session a week might not seem like enough. But even one solid session a week keeps your muscles in a supercompensation cycle, allowing your body to recover and rebound slightly above baseline.

"The anchor workout helps you maintain strength and momentum during the holidays instead of losing ground," Gemdjian says. "Missing training for multiple weeks drops your baseline and makes January feel like starting from scratch."

And for someone who’s already inconsistent, easing into a regular fitness routine via weekly anchor workouts offers the perfect entry point. By January, you'll have already established a baseline, making it easier to increase frequency rather than trying to overhaul everything at once.

How to Stay Active During the Holidays

The holiday season is stressful enough with tons of commitments and travel plans filling the calendar. Adding multiple workouts to the mix only increases stress, which is why focusing on a single, consistent session is a smarter way maintain activity levels during the holidays.

Plus, the workout doesn't have to take up your whole day. Doing a 30 to 45-minute workout structured around squats, deadlifts, a push, pull, and core work or carries is plenty, according to Herbert.

"When my family and I travel out of town, we’ll make it a mini event and get a day pass together at a local community center or a nearby chain gym," Gemdjian says. "It becomes part of the family routine, something fun and grounding amid all the holiday chaos."

The secret is treating the anchor workout like an appointment you won't miss. If getting to a gym isn't in the cards, follow the rule with a bodyweight or home-friendly version that hit the same major movement patterns.

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