Workout Routine for People who Travel

Travelling doesn’t mean you can’t exercise!

Trying to live a fit and active lifestyle can be hard if work has you constantly travelling. Maintaining a workout routine becomes hard to do if you are travelling 3 out of 4 weeks of the month. So then excuses start to pour in. “I don’t have time to workout while I’m travelling.” “I’ll get back into my fitness routine when I return home.” No matter what you say, these all fall into the same category of “EXCUSES!”

You don’t want all your hard work and effort that you put into living a healthy lifestyle to go to waste. And for those of you who haven’t even started because your excuse is that you’re always travelling… well now is the time to stop! Here’s why.

This is a body weight workout routine that is both effective and efficient, for use while you are travelling. This is just a sample to get you thinking of other fitness routines that you can use while you aren’t at home with your normal exercise regime. Adjust it accordingly to your fitness level and comfort. If there is any exercise that you can’t do, then skip it or do a ‘softer’ version of it.

No equipment? No problem. No need to leave your hotel room if you don’t want to! This routine is designed to be done with you being in your hotel room. Aim to do 4 sets of 12 reps of each exercise.

The Travellers Exercise Routine

Pull ups

If there is one piece of exercise equipment you could pack, think about investing in a portable pull up bar. Being able to do pull ups are not only good for your upper body, but people will think you’re a total ninja! Pull ups are performed with your palms facing out, away from your face. Even if you can’t do pull ups and you just kind of hang there, just try. Even half a pull up will do. As you build your strength you will get there.

If you don’t have a portable pull up bar, use your bathroom towel instead and do a variation on this exercise. Roll the towel into half it’s size and hold your arms out straight, while lying on your back. With the towel between your arms, keep the tension in the towel. Lower your arms to your head, bending only at the elbow. You should feel your triceps working – which is what we want!

Triceps Dip

Using your hotel room chair or a bench, make sure that either of these items is against a a wall for stability. Sit on the chair and place your hands just under your bum, palms facing down with your grip on the edge of the chair. Stretch your legs out. If your fitness is low, you won’t want to stretch your legs out too far. The further your legs are out, the harder this exercise will be. Once your legs are out, lower your body to the ground, but don’t touch the floor.  Bring yourself back up by pushing on your hands. You will feel the burn in your triceps very quickly, so take it easy!

Push-ups

If at all possible do push-ups not on your knees. You will work more of your body that way. If you are not initially able to do push-ups off of your knees, then work your way towards doing it off your knees. If all you can do the first time round is 1 push-up off of your knees then your next workout day try for 2. Remember it is not about perfection but progression. Is it the opposite for you? Are push-ups too easy for you? Then try leveling up your push-ups and doing decline push-ups, plyometric push-ups, or any other variation on this. If you need to really work your way up, the knee push-ups can be increased by two levels – one with you actually on your knees and the other with your legs lengthened out, but still on your knees – this is nearly a full push-up stance. Choose the stance that works for you initially, with an aim to do at least 1 full push-up each session.

Body Weight Squats

Squats are great for working your lower body, specifically your quads, which is the front part of your leg, as well as your gluts, which is the lower part of your bottom area. Try to hold your squat for a few seconds with each bend. If body weight squats are too easy, then try a sumo squat or pistol squats. Always remember to check your posture when doing these to protect your lower back. Suck your tummy to your back bone and stick your bum out like you were about to sit on a chair, this is your perfect squat stance. Never fully straighten your knees when you come back up from a squat either, always have them slightly bent until you have finished your reps.

Burpees

This is a full body workout that isn’t very easy to do initially. If you have never tried burpees you will understand why many people dislike this exercise. Yet, the results you receive will be worth the pain. The video below shows you how to do this exercise the correct way.

Planks

Planks are a good core workout. For these, try starting out with 30 second planks and a 15 second rest in between. If you feel that you can hold your plank longer then go ahead and increase your hold and rest time. To do this, simply lie on the floor, tummy down. Raise up your body on your elbows and your tip toes, pulling in your tummy to your back bone and keep your bottom down. You want to look like a plank. Hold your tummy in for as long as you can each time. The aim is to do 1 full minute, 5 times.

Warm up and cool down by stretching all your muscles.

As mentioned before, you can adjust this routine according to your comfort level and fitness ability. The main goal here is to not lose your fitness goals just because you are on the road. Do these strength training exercises 3 times a week. And remember, no excuses!

 

Photo Credits: Ambro/StockImages