10 Minute Exercise Program For the Road
Travel itself can be exhausting. After a recent trip home for a wedding I felt like I'd been put through the ringer. The last thing I wanted to do was spend an hour in the gym! I see time and time again my clients coming back from long business trips or vacations in far worse shape than when they left. Although travel training isn't always optimal, it is possible to improve or at least maintain fitness.
The stress of traveling leaves you with two choices. One choice is to simply give up and not exercise, but that's no way to achieve your fitness goals. The other choice is the favorite of Marines and country boys (like me!) everywhere: Improvise!
My upcoming manual will deal with exactly this problem of staying in shape while on the road by giving you a crash course in exercise improvisation and outlining exercise programs to do outside the gym. This article is a sneak preview of that as well as a solid muscle stimulating and fat burning quick program.
I've often said that I could "make someone strong in a bathroom" if I had to. Well, I'm not going to put you in the john to get a workout, but this can easily be done in a hotel room.
Make sure you warm up well before starting any exercise. Jog in place, climb the stairwell, or jump rope (if you have one) for five minutes to bring your core temperature up. Follow this up with a good, quick dynamic warm-up and/or stretching routine.
All right, on to the fun!
We're going to do six simple bodyweight exercises in a circuit for a prescribed number of reps. We'll shoot for each set of each exercise to last around 30 seconds with a strict 15 second rest period between exercises. That's not much rest, but this is a short, intense workout. It might help you to have a watch with a second hand in front of you to keep your rest periods strict. If this routine is beyond your current fitness level go at your own pace and try to improve every time you do this workout.
Here's what you're going to do:
Bodyweight Squats - 20 reps
-15 second rest-
Push-ups - 20 reps
-15 second rest-
Stationary Lunges - 5 reps each leg, step out and back each time.
-15 second rest-
Straight-legged Sit-ups - 10 reps
-15 second rest-
Jog in Place With High Knees - 30 seconds
-15 second rest-
Jumping Jacks - 20 reps
-15 second rest-
Bodyweight Squats - 20 reps
-15 second rest-
Push-ups - 20 reps
-15 second rest-
Stationary Lunges - 5 reps each leg, step out and back each time.
-15 second rest-
Straight-legged Sit-ups - 10 reps
-15 second rest-
Jog in Place With High Knees - 30 seconds
-15 second rest-
Jumping Jacks - 20 reps
-Finished!-
Keep the rest periods as strict as your fitness level allows and try to get your total time to under ten minutes!
Remember that these exercises are scalable to your fitness level. For example, if you are unable to perform 20 full push-ups then do as many as you can and then do the rest on your knees. The key is to challenge yourself and try to perform better every time you do the workout. If you have a medical condition that could be a concern during exercise then you should always check with your physician before beginning an exercise program.
There you have an intense, quick workout that can be done anywhere to work the bulk of your body, get your heart rate up, and kick the vacation doldrums!
Related Tags: fitness, travel, exercise, program, training, trip, strength, cardio, circuit, build, quick, shape
Isaac Wilkins, M.Ed, CSCS, NSCA-CPT is a private performance coach and personal trainer operating online and in Charleston, SC.
Isaac enjoys working with clients of all levels and helping them achieve their athletic, fitness, and health goals.
He can be reached for further consultation at http://www.wilkinspower.com or http://www.gotstrengthblog.com
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- 3 Day Diet Reviews Forthright Opinion About The Program
Are you considering going on the 3 day diet? Reviews are hard to come by, but I'm going to give you - 3 Day Chemical Breakdown Diet What It Is And Is Not
The 3 Day Chemical Breakdown Diet has been called by many other names such as the 3 day heart diet, - The Biggest Lose Weight Program At Jillian Michaels
Although it seems almost unimaginable, nearly incomprehensible, a few people in the United States do - Essential Marathon Accessories
Short distance runners have an idea of what their essential kit is - trainers, shorts and a vest. A - Maintaining Health And Fitness With Exercise And Nutrition
Nowadays remaining fit and healthy has become very important. We all lead such a fast-paced life tha - Flatten Your Stomach Exercising Just Minutes A Day!
Are you missing the flat, six-pack tummy that you had 10 years ago? Or have you been fighting the ba - Get Rid Of Cellulite With Exercises
Cellulite is a common condition in women; it is not a result of being fat or overweight. Cellulite o - Why Do I Need A Personal Trainer? (part 2)
Following on from points one to five, we continue to look at why hiring a personal trainer could tra - Why Do I Need A Personal Trainer? (part 1)
Anything in life worth having takes effort and when it comes to getting the body you want, never has - How Do I Choose The Best Whey Isolate Easily Guide
As the owner of a supplement company, I get many questions about what makes our Whey isolate better
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Can A Treadmill Supercharge Your Life?
You know it. That person staring at you in the mirror knows it. You need to lose weight. But with - Training with Free Weights Will Not Get You Toned
Oh, and Santa Claus DOES exist.Well, it's safe to say both statements above are false.One of the mos - The Secrets of a Killer Ab Workout
Out of all the body parts that you can exercise, your abs are one of the most important muscle group - So How Can I Really Get Ripped Abs?
Next to the 'bi's' and 'tri's' in the arms, the next region that almost every body in the gym may se - When Should I Do My Cardio, Before or After Strength Training?
Friends I actually stumbled on the answer to this in a very interesting, yet eye-opening way.See her - A Good Exercise Routine Is Vital To Your Fitness Quest
At the beginning of every New Year, the local Leisure Centers, Sports Clubs, Gymnasiums, etc etc, ar - I'm New at Working Out with Weights, Any Suggestions?
The popularity and importance of strength training is becoming more and pronounced wherever the issu - Choosing the Correct Home Exercise Equipment
Exercise schedules should include three parts: Strength training, aerobic exercise, and flexibility - Tips and Tricks on How to Exercise
Everyone knows that exercise is necessary for better health and a better sense of well-being. Howeve - Hey, Some Teenagers Would Like to Pump Iron too
The average male, even from childhood, instinctively knows that perhaps very little else attracts th