RECIPE: 7 Easy Exercises for Travel

I want to keep you guys fit while on the go!

All that sitting (on planes, buses, cars and while dining) makes us pretty weak and floppy!

So below are some simple exercises to keep your core strong and your balance good!

You can do most of these on the plane, in the boarding area, on a train, bus, or car, at your desk! or in your hotel or living room!

1) Sit in a chair, stand up, sit back down, stand up. REPEAT 10-20 times. Do this 3 x day

(try not to rock forward or push off with your hands)

Challenge: do this without a chair, instead of sitting, squat! (Form: Hips go no lower than knees, and don’t let knees go beyond toes)

2) Sit up straight in a chair. Tighten your stomach. Without using your hands, and with knees bent, lift one foot off the ground about 3-5 inches.  Set it back down. Now lift the other foot. REPEAT 10-20 times. Engage your core as you do this!

Challenge: hold for 5 seconds or pulse 20 times. Or lift both feet off at the same time! No leaning back!

3) Sitting or standing.  Extend your arms straight out in front of you, palms facing each other.

Tighten your stomach while you scissor your arms (cross them, left on top then right on top)

quickly do 30 reps (Keep elbows straight!)

Challenge: do this while doing lunges

4) Sitting or standing.  Extend arms out in front of you. Keep them straight. Make little circles. 10 reps rotating arms out, then 10 reps rotating arms in. Repeat 3 times.

Challenge: do this while in a Sumo squat (knees and feet turned out)

5) Stand on one leg. Lift opposite knee towards your chest, then reach foot behind you, tap foot to the ground, lift knee towards chest, repeat 10 times each side. (try to remain standing straight, don’t lean to one side, that’s cheating!) Challenge: bend knee of standing leg and don’t tap floor in between

6) Standing, hands on hips. Tighten Stomach. Bend slightly forward, then bend to Right, then lean backwards, then lean Left, then bend forward again. Repeat in opposite direction. Do 5 times each direction.

Challenge: do while standing on one leg

And don’t forget to stretch!!

TORSO STRETCH:

Sitting in your chair. Twist upper body to the right, hold and take 10 deep breaths.  Then twist it to the left and hold for 10 deep breaths(as shown in photo). Repeat.

NECK STRETCH:

Point your chin to the ceiling and hold. Point your chin to the floor an hold. Roll R ear to R shoulder, then roll L ear to L shoulder.  Bring head back up to neutral. Look over L shoulder. Look over R shoulder.