May is National Fitness Month and our #Travel140 Travel Tips will focus on fitness all month long.
Staying fit on the road can be challenging, especially when the longest run of the day is from the taxi to the airport gate! Don’t fret, we’re here to help you get a work out without even leaving your hotel room, with no special equipment, and with very little time. Introducing the Twenty Minute Travel Workout!
Step 1: Warm Up
Start with five minutes of stretches and light cardio. You might be tempted, but don’t skip the stretch! Your muscles need a chance to warm up and loosen up. If you like yoga, five minutes of simple poses will do the trick.
Step 2: Hit the Reps!
Spend the next 15 minutes doing as many sets of these exercises as you can. Each set should be 10 to 20 repetitions. Rest between them if you have to, but not for more than a minute. (After all, you’ve only got twenty minutes.) We like to focus on quality instead of quantity; one really good push-up can be more work than five sloppy ones!
Easy:
- Squats using just your body weight (raise your arms for a little added challenge)
- Lunges, again using just your body weight
- Incline push-ups – Feet on the floor, hands on the edge of the bed)
- Reverse Crunch – Lay on your back and raise your feet up above your face
- Luggage Rows: Grab your carry-on and lift with one arm, keeping your body bent at the waist (we use a chair for support and balance)
Harder:
- Flat push-ups
- Weighted Lunges: Most hotels offer bottled water and they don’t charge you for using it as a weight!
- Planking: Hold each plank for up to 30 seconds with a few seconds in between
- Jumping Squats: Finish your body weight squat with a little jump!
Even Harder:
- Decline Push-Ups: Hands on the floor, feet on the bed or chair
- Dolphin Plank: Start in a plank on your elbows, then raise your butt to the ceiling and bring your chest towards your feet, making an upside down V (No, we don’t know why it’s called a Dolphin Plank; we’ve never seen a dolphin plank either.)
- Body Weight Rows – Think of a push-up crossed with a pull-up. This video explains it much better than we can:
Step 3: Clean Up
Okay, stinky, hit the shower and start your day energized! 20 minutes in the morning not only helps you stay fit, but the boost of energy will help you stay alert and focused throughout your day.
For more on National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, including ideas to help you get and stay active, health news, and more, visit the Department of Health & Human Services and the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. Be sure to come back here for more tips on staying fit while traveling.
More Travel Tips for Health & Fitness
- The Perfect Travel Workout in One Word (Hint: Yoga!)
- An Ounce of Prevention for Fitness, Too
- Pack a Workout in 3oz or Less
- Don’t Dismiss DVT
- Take the Stairs
- Five Tips to Avoid Getting Sick
- Five Tips to Beat Stress
- Pack a Pedometer
- Anti-Blister Secret Weapon
Get more #Travel140!
