Ana de Armas’ Holiday Gym Post, and the Smart Way to Train Through December

Ana de Armas shared a gym mirror selfie during the holiday season, showing a strong midsection while training in a crop top and leggings, with ankle weights on and one knee on a bench.

Poll

What's your go-to workout time?

Morning

Afternoon

Evening

It’s a small moment, but the takeaway is useful: you do not need a perfect week in December to stay consistent. You need a simple plan you can repeat.

Below is a practical holiday-proof workout structure that keeps your core strong, supports full-body strength, and helps you train without turning “busy season” into a total reset.

What “abs” really come from (and why core training matters)

Visible abs are largely a mix of overall body composition, consistent strength work, and core control. But even when aesthetics are not the goal, core training is still worth your time because your core muscles help your body move with better balance and stability in both sport and daily life. 

The consistency baseline to aim for

If your schedule is chaotic, use health-based minimums as your anchor. Public health guidelines for adults recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, plus muscle-strengthening activity on 2 days per week. 

In real life, that can look like three short gym sessions plus a couple of brisk walks.

A 35-minute holiday gym session you can repeat

This is designed for the days you want to train hard without living in the gym.

1) Warm-up (6 minutes)

• 3 minutes easy cardio (bike, incline walk, rower)
  
  

• 3 minutes mobility: bodyweight squats, hip hinges, shoulder circles, deep breaths
  
  

2) Strength circuit (20 minutes)

Move through the circuit at a steady pace. Rest only as needed to keep form clean.

• Goblet squat or leg press: 8–12 reps
  
  

• Dumbbell bench press or push-ups: 8–12 reps
  
  

• Lat pulldown or cable row: 8–12 reps
  
  

• Romanian deadlift (dumbbells) or hamstring curl: 8–12 reps
  
  

Progression idea: when you can hit the top end of the rep range with solid form, increase the load slightly next time.

If you prefer a coached, high-effort session on busy weeks, swapping one strength day for Strength Development classes can help you stay consistent with structured progress. 

3) Core finisher (6–8 minutes)

Pick 3 moves, 2 rounds:

• Dead bug: 8–10 reps per side
  
  

• Side plank: 20–40 seconds per side
  
  

• Cable woodchop or Pallof press: 10–12 reps per side
  
  

Core training should feel controlled, not frantic. The goal is bracing, alignment, and steady breathing.

For guided core work that stays joint-friendly, LES MILLS Core classes are built around core strength and stability with clear coaching options. 

4) Cool-down (1–2 minutes)

Easy walk and relaxed breathing. Leave feeling better than when you arrived.

Ankle weights: when they help, and when to skip them

Ana trained with ankle weights, which are common in controlled lower-body and core-focused training. They can increase the load on the target muscles during exercises like leg lifts.

But ankle weights also pull on the ankle joint and can increase stress through the knees, hips, and back, especially if you use them for walking or fast cardio.

 
Use them for slow, controlled movements (think leg lifts, glute kickbacks, standing marches) and avoid anything that changes your gait or gets sloppy.

If your goal is better core control with lower impact, adding a weekly Mat Pilates class is another smart option, especially when you want to feel athletic without maxing out fatigue. 

The holiday rule that keeps results moving

Do not try to “make up” for festive meals with punishing workouts. Instead:

• Train 2–4 times per week
  
  

• Hit full-body strength at least twice
  
  

• Keep sessions short enough that you will actually repeat them
  
  

Consistency beats intensity spikes, especially in December.

Source: dailymail.co.uk

The opinions shared in the blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.