Lifestyle · Dec 15, 2025

Should I Train On Christmas Day?

‘Should I train on Christmas Day?’. It’s a question that comes up every year.

Some people are out the door before breakfast, enjoying the quiet streets. Others don’t move much beyond the sofa. And plenty sit somewhere in between - half-relaxed, half-guilty, wondering what the “right” thing to do is.

So, should you train on Christmas Day?

The short answer:

Yes, if you want to.
No, if you don’t.

Training on Christmas Day should support your wellbeing, not feel like an obligation or a test of discipline.

Does training on Christmas Day really matter?

In fitness terms, one day doesn’t change much either way.

You won’t lose fitness by taking a day off, and you won’t gain anything meaningful from forcing yourself through a workout when you’re tired, under-slept or stressed. What matters far more is what you do consistently over weeks and months. Not what happens on one festive morning.

Christmas Day isn’t a make-or-break moment. It’s just another day within a much bigger picture.

Should I train on Christmas Day? YES!

There are a few scenarios when training on Christmas Day can be a good thing:

The best reason to train on Christmas Day is because you simply love it, and the endorphins put you in a positive frame of mind for the rest of the day
Consistent training is key to progress and taking a day off can derail those who have found a workable rhythm
It can be empowering training on a day when (possibly) many of your competitors are having a day off
It may be that your family Christmases predictably break down after the yearly epic Monopoly session. In this case, taking 45 minutes to get some fresh air and ponder what just came out of your mouth as you landed on your nephew’s hotel on Mayfair may be wise

Training on a day when many of your competitors are having a day off can be very empowering

If you do choose to train on Christmas Day, I’d encourage you to do so in the morning before the action kicks off. There’s nothing worse than a looming session and trying to peel yourself away from board games after a heavy lunch is difficult and will only leave you guilt-ridden.

Should I train on Christmas Day? NO!

Others believe that training on Christmas Day is unnecessary and the benefits of a rest day far outweigh those of getting a session done. Reasons to take the day off include:

If you’re a reasonably committed athlete the other 364 days of the year, taking one day off won't make a jot of difference to race performance
If you’re only training on Christmas Day to ‘prove’ that you’ve got the cajones to be out there – miserable or not – then your motivations might need rethinking
The 25th December is just another day. What you do on that one day holds no more weight than any of the other 364 days. Performance is built on consistency. Not daily consistency, but weekly and monthly consistency
The benefits of taking a day off on 25th December are the same as those at any other time of year - rest your mind, recover your muscles and enjoy other things in life
Perhaps the most valid reason for not training on Christmas Day is this: in a world where our face to face social interactions are becoming less frequent, coinciding a day off with one where – hopefully – you’re spending time with those you love makes a lot of sense
Get a solid few days training pre-Christmas nailed and there’s no reason to train on Christmas Day. It’s then a brilliant rest day.

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Should I train on Christmas Day? Conclusion

Just as different training methodologies always split the crowd, here too training on Christmas Day divides opinion and there’s no right or wrong answer.

Personally, I encourage taking Christmas Day off. Unless you’re the type that is simply unable to enjoy a day without training – in which case maybe there’s a larger issue to consider – then maximise a day which has become rare: one filled with family, friends and festivities.

And just remember that health and fitness aren’t built on single days. They’re built over time, through habits that are flexible enough to fit real life, including Christmas!

So train if it feels right. Rest if it doesn’t. Enjoy the day either way.