Seemingly against all the odds, the year is drawing to a close. Like so many of you, at Gym Bubbas we like to celebrate the holiday season and are intending to make the most of the small break. There was some conversation about using our Christmas blog post to say something profound and stirring to instil hope and positivity after what we’ve all endured 2020. But instead we decided to ask our highly trained and professional staff to come up with a Christmas workout…
So, whilst we’re all spending time with our loved ones as best we can, we’d like to invite you to join us as we sit around a crackling fire, after eating way too much, and attempt to sing (or perform if you’re feeling brave) Gym Bubbas 12 Exercises of Christmas.
Twelve Perfect Handstands
Our Silver and gold groups have been working hard on their handstands and they’ll be able to tell you that getting them perfect is no easy task.
Especially after a full turkey dinner!
Eleven Cartwheelers Cartwheeling
If finding the balance for a handstand is a bit daunting, then maybe trying to squeeze in a Christmas cartwheel is more plausible? The Bronze groups have spent lots of time practising this skill throughout the term, just please make sure to mind the Christmas Tree!
Ten Burpee Jumps
Guaranteed to kick-start some post-Christmas dinner indigestion, some Christmas burpee jumps could be just the ticket to stave off that post-dinner nap.
Or if nothing else possibly a way to get out of doing the dishes if you pull something…
Nine Backward Rolls
A particularly tough skill for the children to master, especially without the aid of a gym cheese. But maybe a good game to play at home to determine if anyone has had a tipple too many.
Just don’t try rolling over any cheese you’ll find at home; it’ll be much better off on a cracker.
Eight Instructors Sleeping
I would just like to point out once again that all of our staff are highly trained, dedicated professionals, and all of those images of us on Facebook are staged to make us look funny.
Also, it’s a little known fact that Gym Bubbas instructors actually hibernate, so this picture is entirely normal…
Seven Safety Landings
One of our most basic and essential skills, a safety landing should always be the result of a jump of any kind.
Oddly enough, it’s also how we recommend you end up after trying to get off the sofa Christmas afternoon and evening.
Better safe than sorry.
Six Beam Walks
Beam walking is a really interesting tactile and sensory experience for younger children. That extra little bit of height makes for a completely different sensation for them and you wouldn’t believe how many don’t like the feel of the beam fabric under their feet to start with.
We probably should tell you not to try this at home, but honestly we’re more concerned by what you’d try walking along than anything else. So just save it for the gym eh?
(Note: This picture is NOT how you do this skill!)
Five Fast Spins
Small children love being spun around. It’s great fun for them and they don’t really get dizzy at all, so they can just keep going.
Adults are not so lucky as the older you get the thicker the fluid in your inner ear becomes. As such your ability to tolerate spinning decreases greatly.
Don’t try competing with the kids on this one.
Four Forward Rolls
Whilst easier than a backwards roll, forward rolls still seem to often be the cause of damaged Christmas Tree’s and broken chairs. Especially when performed by adults.
So in the interests of health and safety we’d like to advise everyone stick to the Turkey Rolls instead this Christmas.
Three Donkey Kicks
The donkey may well be one of the unsung heroes of the Christmas story, working away tirelessly, never complaining and definitely never kicking.
However, donkey kicks are an early skill we teach our gymnasts and they’re excellent at it! Just make sure to practise in space if you want to demonstrate at home.
Two Turkey Dinners
Nope, there’s no clever link to the gym with this one, we’re going to let the picture do the talking…
It’s Christmas, so make sure you enjoy your turkey (or any other) dinner and you’ll probably want to avoid pulling this face.
Wouldn’t necessarily recommend having two though, we seem to recall Dawn French doing that once and it didn’t end well.
And a Swinging Gymnast Shouting Weeeeeeee!
The vertical bar is a favourite of many of our gymnasts and instructors alike (in fact it’s one of the only activities Andy will demonstrate himself most of the time!)
Giggles and joyous shouts are common when in a basket hang or swinging in other ways, and that joy is something that just feels like it should go hand in hand with Christmas.
Let’s Put it All Together!
So, now you’ve seen our 12 Exercises of Christmas (trademark pending), let’s put it all together and sing it aloud!
We’d absolutely love to see any attempts at singing this masterpiece on our Facebook page if anyone is feeling brave enough!!!
On the first day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
A swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!
On the second day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
Two turkey dinners,
And a swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!
On the third day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
Three donkey kicks,
Two turkey dinners,
And a swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!
On the fourth day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
Four forward rolls,
Three donkey kicks,
Two turkey dinners,
And a swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!
On the fifth day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
Five fast spins,
Four forward rolls,
Three donkey kicks,
Two turkey dinners,
And a swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!
On the sixth day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
Six beam walks,
Five fast spins,
Four forward rolls,
Three donkey kicks,
Two turkey dinners,
And a swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!
On the seventh day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
Seven safety landings,
Six beam walks,
Five fast spins,
Four forward rolls,
Three donkey kicks,
Two turkey dinners,
And a swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!
On the eigth day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
Eight instructors sleeping,
Seven safety landings,
Six beam walks,
Five fast spins,
Four forward rolls,
Three donkey kicks,
Two turkey dinners,
And a swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!
On the ninth day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
Nine backwards rolls,
Eight instructors sleeping,
Seven safety landings,
Six beam walks,
Five fast spins,
Four forward rolls,
Three donkey kicks,
Two turkey dinners,
And a swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!
On the tenth day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
Ten burpee jumps,
Nine backward rolls,
Eight instructors sleeping,
Seven safety landings,
Six beam walks,
Five fast spins,
Four forward rolls,
Three donkey kicks,
Two turkey dinners,
And a swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!
On the eleventh day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
Eleven cartwheelers cartwheeling,
Ten burpee jumps,
Nine backward rolls,
Eight instructors sleeping,
Seven safety landings,
Six beam walks,
Five fast spins,
Four forward rolls,
Three donkey kicks,
Two turkey dinners,
And a swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
Gym Bubbas gave to me;
Twelve perfect handstands,
Eleven cartwheelers cartwheeling,
Ten burpee jumps,
Nine backward rolls,
Eight instructors sleeping,
Seven safety landings,
Six beam walks,
Five fast spins,
Four forward rolls,
Three donkey kicks,
Two turkey dinners,
And a swinging gymnast shouting weeeeeeee!