A Total Gym Holiday Workout

Naughty or Nice? Slay Both.

A Total Gym Holiday Workout That Challenges and Restores

Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES

Some workouts make you sweat. Some make you stretch. This one does both: Naughty moves that challenge, Nice stretches that recover. All in Total Gym style that “sleighs” the day.

We’re pairing four high-intensity strength exercises, “the Naughty”, with four targeted stretches “the Nice”. These moves are performed in a Tabata-style format.  Each round pushes the body, then restores it, so you leave stronger, more mobile, and energized. There’s no gimmicks, no fluff, just smart, effective training that respects your time during the Holiday “stretch”!

Why Naughty + Nice Works

Traditional workouts separate strength and recovery, forcing you to pick one or the other.  This Total Gym workout allows you to combine both, making this workout quick and effective!

The Naughty:
Each strength move earns its reputation. These moves are meant to make you work hard and make you “burn” through the exercise with high resistance. For the Total Gym, be sure to use the incline setting to balance the resistance you need without compromising good form. It won’t take long to learn that the muscles don’t get to hide, and fatigue can show up fast!

That’s the naughty part: focused, demanding strength work that challenges control, endurance, and form.

The Nice:
Right when the muscles are fired up, you give them what they need most, a targeted stretch that restores length, eases tension, and resets movement quality. No waiting until the end of the workout. No stiffness carried into the next round. Just intentional recovery, exactly when it’s most effective.

By adjusting your incline to match the movement, the Total Gym allows you to:

Increase challenge without adding impactFlow seamlessly from strength into stretchScale intensity and recovery without breaking rhythm

That’s the strategy: work hard, recover immediately, and repeat!  Because training feels better when strength and flexibility are treated as teammates, not opposites.

The result: a workout that feels hard, smart, and balanced all at once.

The Naughty & Nice Total Gym Workout

Put these Naughty & Nice moves on your seasonal workout list.  They’re so bad, you’ll love them!

Tabata Format: 20 seconds strength (Naughty), 10 seconds stretch (Nice), repeat 6–8 rounds per pairing.

#1

Naughty: Single Arm Row (R/ L)

Pull, squeeze, repeat. One arm at a time challenges your back, shoulders, and core. The incline lets you dial resistance up without strain.

Nice: Standing Upper-Back + Shoulders + Lat Stretch

Open the chest, lengthen the lats, and release tension right where it builds during the row.

Tip: Slow and controlled beats fast and sloppy every time.

#2

Naughty: Static HiLo Chest Press
Alternate chest presses in a steady tempo moving in different angles from low to high. Change the tempo to feel the burn you need!  Repeat for the duration! Push strong from the chest in an alternating right/ left press and hold.

Nice: Cable Chest Opener
Stretch and open your chest and shoulders while allowing the cables to assist the stretch. Perfect recovery after a challenging press!

Tip: Keep the Glideboard steady and not moving during the presses.

#3

Naughty: Cable Lat Crunch
Hello core and shoulders on fire! Pull cables towards hips, contract your core, and maintain control through the coordinated motion.

Nice: Child’s Pose / Up-dog Stretch
Flow from lengthening the spine in Child’s Pose into a a heart opener in Up-dog. This flow will help release tension, reset the spine, and prepare for the next round!

#4

Naughty: Reverse Lunge Twist (R/L)
Glide into a Reverse Lunge and simutaniously twist over the front leg. Legs, glutes, and obliques will fire up as you stabilize through the twist.

Nice: Runner’s Lunge on Glideboard
Sink into the lunge to open your hips, and spine.  Use the Glideboard to increase your range of motion as you move into a deeper stretch.

Tip: Engage your core with keep your eyes focused on one spot to maintain balance. (Hold onto the Squat Stand for balance assistance).

Tip: Move with your breath: inhale to expand, exhale to deepen.

Why This Workout Works

Efficient: Maximizes effort in minimal timeScalable: Adjust intensity without breaking flowBalanced: Strength and mobility together, so you leave energized, not depleted

This is more than just “burning off” holiday indulgence. This is about training smarter, enjoying your effort, and maintaining your body through a busy season.

Slay Both

Naughty or Nice? Don’t choose — SLAY BOTH!

Train hard. Stretch with intention. Repeat.

This Total Gym strength and flexibility routine wraps both into one holiday-ready session, keeping your body strong, flexible, and moving well season after season.

Happy Holiday to you!

Maria

@groovysweat

(Let’s connect on social)