Christmas
Shop the Core Bench + KettlebellThe 12 Workouts of Christmas: A Home Workout Plan from Christmas Day to 5 January
Twelve short home workouts, one for each day of Christmas, from Christmas Day to 5 January. Built around a folding bench, a kettlebell and adjustable dumbbells, so you keep the habit over the break and start January already training.
The twelve days of Christmas run from Christmas Day to 5 January. For most of us they are the least structured fortnight of the year: no commute, no routine, the gym closed or on holiday hours, and a fridge full of leftovers. That makes it the easiest time to stop training and the best time to keep going. This is a twelve-day plan of short home workouts, one for each day of Christmas, built around a folding bench, a kettlebell and a pair of adjustable dumbbells. Most sessions take 20 minutes. None of them need you to leave the house.
Still choosing the kit? Our home gym advent calendar covers December, and our guide to gym membership vs home gym does the January maths.
The short version
- Twelve workouts, 25 December to 5 January, most under 20 minutes.
- Kit: the Core Bench + 18 kg Kettlebell (£189.99) covers every session. Add the 24 kg SmartBells Evo (£149.99) for heavier pressing and rowing.
- All in one: the Intermediate Gym Bundle (£399) has the dumbbells, kettlebell, stand and Core Bench.
- The goal is the habit, not burning off dinner. Two strength sessions a week is the NHS minimum, and this plan gives you more.
Why train over Christmas at all
The World Cancer Research Fund cites research that an average Christmas dinner can hold as much as 7,000 calories. Nobody needs to earn that, and nobody can burn it off in a session. That is not the point. The point is that two weeks off turns into four, and four into "I'll start again in February". The NHS guidelines ask adults for strength work on at least two days a week. Short sessions on most days of Christmas keep you well above that and keep the routine alive for January.
The 12 Workouts of Christmas
| Day | Date | Workout | Kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christmas Day | Before lunch: 5 rounds of 10 kettlebell swings and 10 goblet squats. 12 minutes. | kettlebell |
| 2 | Boxing Day | Push: dumbbell bench press, incline press, push-ups. 3 sets each. | bench, dumbbells |
| 3 | 27 December | Pull: one-arm row on the bench, kettlebell high pull, bent-over row. 3 sets each. | bench, dumbbells, kettlebell |
| 4 | 28 December | Legs: Bulgarian split squat off the bench, goblet squat, Romanian deadlift. 3 sets each. | bench, kettlebell |
| 5 | 29 December | Rest day: 30-minute walk and 10 minutes of stretching. | none |
| 6 | 30 December | Full body EMOM, 12 minutes: odd minutes 8 swings, even minutes 8 presses. | kettlebell, dumbbells |
| 7 | New Year's Eve | The 26 finisher: 26 swings, 26 squats, 26 push-ups, 26 rows, split into as many sets as you need. Say goodbye to 2026. | kettlebell, bench |
| 8 | New Year's Day | Easy: walk, mobility and 3 sets of hip thrusts on the bench. | bench |
| 9 | 2 January | Upper body: incline press, chest-supported row, shoulder press seated on the bench. | bench, dumbbells |
| 10 | 3 January | Lower body: step-ups onto the bench, reverse lunges, kettlebell deadlift. | bench, kettlebell |
| 11 | 4 January | Full body circuit: 4 rounds of press, row, squat, swing. 10 reps each. | all |
| 12 | 5 January | Test day: repeat Day 1 and beat your time. Write down your weights for January. | kettlebell |
| General training plan, not medical advice. Warm up for 3 to 5 minutes before each session and pick a weight where the last two reps feel hard. Check with your GP first if you have a health condition. | |||
Eleven of the twelve days use the bench or the kettlebell, which is why the Core Bench + 18 kg Kettlebell set is the core of this plan. BrainGain's own video below shows the kettlebell's seven weights, from 4 kg to 18 kg.
BrainGain shows the 18 kg adjustable kettlebell: seven kettlebells in one, from 4 kg to 18 kg.
How to fit it around Christmas
- Train first. Before the presents, before the walk, before the relatives arrive. A 12-minute session at 9am survives the day. One planned for 6pm does not.
- Leave the kit out. The Core Bench folds to 87 × 29 × 50 cm, so it can live behind a sofa. Unfold it the night before and you will use it.
- Train together. Adjustable weights change in seconds, so two people of different strength can share one set. The 18 kg kettlebell goes from 4 kg for a teenager to 18 kg for the strongest person in the house.
- Write it down. Day 12 repeats Day 1. You will see the progress, and you will have your starting weights for January.
Twelve days, twelve short sessions. You start January already in the habit.
The kit for the twelve days
1. Core Bench + 18 kg Adjustable Kettlebell
£189.99 · was £249.99 · 24-month warranty on both
The Core Bench + 18 kg Kettlebell set covers every day of the plan. The Core Bench has 7 backrest positions from flat to incline, 4 seat positions and a removable leg roller, takes a bench load of 380 kg and folds away after each session. The 18 kg kettlebell replaces seven fixed kettlebells with a turn of the handle.
2. Add the 24 kg SmartBells Evo
£149.99 · was £299.99 · 2.5 to 24 kg per hand · 15 settings
The 24 kg SmartBells Evo make Days 2, 3, 6 and 9 harder and more varied. T3 gave them a T3 Recommends award in June 2026. The Pennywise Pundit's review below compares them with the 40 kg set.
The Pennywise Pundit reviews the BrainGain 24 kg and 40 kg adjustable dumbbell sets.
3. All in one: SmartBells Intermediate Gym Bundle
£399.00 · was £689.99
The Intermediate Gym Bundle includes the 24 kg Evo, the 18 kg kettlebell, the SmartBells stand and the Core Bench. It is the simplest way to have the whole plan under the tree.
4. Heavier lifters: Core Gym Bundle
£499.99 · was £879.99 · 40 kg Original dumbbells
The Core Gym Bundle swaps in the 40 kg SmartBells Original for people who already press and row heavy.
Buying it in time for Christmas
Order in Black Friday week, 23 to 30 November, and the kit is set up well before Christmas Day. Our Black Friday or Boxing Day guide covers timing. If you want to buy from a British company, see our guide to the best British home gym brands. BrainGain is a UK company, UK orders ship from a UK warehouse, and every dumbbell, kettlebell and bench comes with a 24-month warranty.
The verdict
The twelve days of Christmas are the easiest time to stop training and the best time to keep going. Twelve short sessions from Christmas Day to 5 January keep the habit and hand you a starting point for January. All you need is the Core Bench + 18 kg Kettlebell at £189.99. Add the 24 kg SmartBells Evo at £149.99 for more pressing and rowing, or get all of it in the Intermediate Gym Bundle at £399.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the twelve days of Christmas?
Traditionally from Christmas Day, 25 December, to 5 January, the eve of Epiphany. In this plan that is 25 December 2026 to 5 January 2027.
What equipment do I need for a home workout over Christmas?
A bench and a kettlebell cover every session in this plan. The BrainGain Core Bench + 18 kg Kettlebell set costs £189.99. Adjustable dumbbells such as the 24 kg SmartBells Evo (£149.99) add more pressing and rowing options.
How long should a Christmas workout be?
Most sessions in this plan take 20 minutes or less, warm-up included. Short sessions done before the day gets busy are easier to stick to.
How much strength training do adults need?
The NHS recommends strength activities that work all the major muscle groups on at least two days a week, plus 150 minutes of moderate activity.
Does the BrainGain Core Bench fold away?
Yes. It folds down to 87 × 29 × 50 cm. Open, it has 7 backrest positions from flat to incline, 4 seat positions and a bench load capacity of 380 kg.
24-month warranty on BrainGain dumbbells, kettlebells and benches in the UK store. Prices checked 6 November 2026.
Keep reading
- BrainGain UK store product pages, prices and specifications checked on braingain.fit on 6 November 2026.
- World Cancer Research Fund, "How healthy is your Christmas dinner?", 7 December 2021.
- NHS, "Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64", reviewed 22 May 2024.
- T3, "BrainGain 24kg adjustable dumbbell review", 7 June 2026, T3 Recommends award.
- BrainGain customer survey, 2026 (n=73 verified customers), internal data.
- BrainGain, "BRAINGAIN 18kg Adjustable Kettlebells - 7 Kettlebells in 1", YouTube, 2 February 2023.
- The Pennywise Pundit, "Review BRAINGAIN Adjustable Dumbbells Set 24kg / 40kg Pair", YouTube, 18 February 2025.
- Trustpilot rating for BrainGain: 4.7 stars from 2,000+ reviews, checked 6 November 2026.
This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Prices checked on braingain.fit on 6 November 2026.