Many of our clients at Physiofitness travel a lot. Whether getting out of town for work or play, everyone complains about how difficult it can be to keep up with a workout regime on the road, especially if time is tight.
It may be difficult…but not impossible. Next time you leave town, don’t bother with running on an ancient treadmill in the bleak hotel gym or paying for a pricey day pass at a local club. You have everything you need in the comfort of your hotel room! Turn your room into a fitness haven with these simple – but effective – exercises.
1. Squats
Squats can be done pretty much anywhere, though you may look a little silly trying them in public. But they’re perfect for your hotel room because you only need one thing – you! When done correctly – like in our video – squats improve both your lower and upper body strength, burn fat, tone your abs and glutes, and train your body’s movement patterns to make real-world activities easier.
2. External Hip Rotator Stretch
External hip rotators are muscles in your pelvic region responsible for movements such as hitting a baseball or swinging a golf club. Hip muscles tend to tighten from age, injury, and inactivity, so keeping your hip rotators long and loose help with your overall mobility and keep you pain-free!
3. Bretzel Stretch
What do fitness experts say about the Bretzel stretch? “If I could only pick one stretch, this would be it.” The Bretzel stretch – named after fitness professional Brett Jones whose friends said he looked like a pretzel while doing it – targets multiple common problem areas at once – like your quads, hips, shoulders, and back. Try it on both sides of your body, and if you notice a difference in flexibility between the left and right, it’s really important to work hard on the tighter side, as asymmetries are great indicators of potential injury.
4. Split Squat
The split squat is an incredibly effective exericise for working nearly all of the lower muscles in your body at the same time. You’re relying on your own body weight to squat down and then push up off your toes to return to a standing position, building strength in your quads, glutes, calves, and hamstrings. Wanna make the most of your squats? Add some resistance by using your carry-on or laptop bag as a weight.
5. Modified Push-Up
Push-ups are another exercise that can be done anywhere, anytime, but not everyone has the core or upper body strength to get through multiple reps with the correct form. Modified push-ups – using the edge of your hotel room’s bed or desk – are a perfect full-body exercise no matter your level of fitness. The angle of your body gives your core a great workout and builds strength so that you can eventually work your way to traditional push-ups. But still, remember to pay attention to your form! Our Common Push-Up Mistakes and How to Fix Them video applies to push-ups of any kind.
Timing and Reps
For the external hip rotator stretch and the Bretzel stretch, hold each one until you feel your body loosen. Make sure to stretch both sides, and don’t forget to breathe! Continue holding the Bretzel stretch for ten deep breaths, and with each one, you’ll feel yourself getting deeper into the stretch.
For the squats, split squats, and push-ups, set the timer on your phone for a minute. Do as many quality reps as you can in that minute, rest for a full minute, and then repeat. Again, quality, not quantity! The exercises aren’t effective if you ignore your form.