Well, starting today I am on the road until June 29th, Yes that is correct, I get home the day before our big summer camp with Greg & Laura Derrett. John is not fond of me planning like this but it couldn’t be avoided. I am in Toronto for the weekend then off to Auburn, Washington to work with those wild and crazy westerners.
I like to work out in the mornings when I at home, but it gets more difficult on the road. So any of you out there that also travel a lot or have a special insight into fitness, do you have any ideas how to get a good workout while on the road?
At home I mix things up with cardio and weights (preferring my medicine & kettle ball work to machines). I used to deflate and re-inflate my exercise ball with every new hotel I got to, but lately I haven’t had room for a lot of extras in my suitcase since the airlines got tough with how much weight I can carry (dog equipment takes priority of course:)).
So I throw it out to all of you, any ideas for me? You guys have never let me down yet when I have turned to you for suggestions, so how about it?
Although my first 4 days on the road are at a “dog-less” event, I am grateful I get to take two dogs with me for the rest of my time away from home.
Hello Susan,
Have enjoyed reading some of your information and blog posts. As for working out in the hotels; if the hotels have a swimming pool then thats a decent starting point.
One funny story that I once saw happen at a hotel I was staying at. I was taking a very early breakfast and saw some bright spark walking down through reception from his room with a golf club set on his back. His mate must have shouted to him or something, as he quickly swung around to look back up the stairs. Of course he still had the club set on his back and he did not count on his driver (or what ever it was!) smashing straight into the fire alarm button on the wall…
Im sure he was proud teeing off at 7.30am with all 200 hotel guests watching him in their PJ’s!!
Best wishes & regards
Lee
I like all these ideas!!! I like games so you can try this one out if you have 2 dices:
1- squats (variations: jumping squats, single let squats on chair or block)
2- lunges (variations: hockey lunges, jumping lunges)
3- Running (wo)men (push up position with but a little higher, and run… knees hit your chest)
4- situps (variations: leg lifts)
5- pushups (variations: raised, clapping, triangle)
6- All of the above
Roll one dice, the number you roll is the exercise you do. Then roll both dices, that’s the number of repetitions you need to do.
For example, roll 4 and then a 5 and a 6. This results in 30 situps. It adds randomness to the workout so your body doesn’t get use to it.
45 seconds cardio (shadow boxing, running in one spot, skipping, burpees, jumping jacks) Excellent cardio that only needs 10 feet or so is to start in the middle of room, run to one side, then the other and back to the middle. repeat
Then start all over… do this for a total of 30 minutes. If you like and want other sets of 6 exercises, just msg me.
Dogs find this game very entertaining 😉
Enjoy!!!
Awesome Michel, thanks for posting all of that!
From my trainer”Dan” Agility-Stability object straddling: Using any object from a pillow to a ohone book to a store bought device, stand over the object with one foot on it and the other on the side of it. You will sidestep back and forth over the device moving from LT foot to the RT foot touching the object. Stay low in a squat while moving. ( Lunges, Standing Hamstrings and Standing Calf)
I use Handbrake (free software you can download online) to convert my workout DVDs to files you can upload onto a video iPod so I can bring them on the road. Water bottles or weights you can fill with water work well.
My favorite DVDs are Core Fusion. They have classes in NYC and are hard core strength training that works every muscle in your body. The DVD cuts it down into 10 minute segments (good for when you can’t fit in a while workout on the road).
For cardio, jumping rope is really effective in a small amount of time. Plus the jump rope doesn’t take up a lot of space!
JoAnna
Maybe go back to basics, I travel hugely with my work and I usually take my young dog. I find tugging and circle work, is quite a work out! I get 2 for one, train the pup and stay active. 🙂
Yoga is a great way to stay focused and strengthened…and you don’t need anything to do it….of course to start you may want purchase a video or something…but once you get the hang of it you won’t need anything but your self to practice it daily!
I wonder if you can hook your Wii Fit up to your laptop?? I’m sure most hotels have a decent TV but who knows if they have the right connections. The Wii is small enough to fit in a large purse or carry-on…is that a crazy idea?
You have agility equipment with you? Use it!
Nothing wrong with weaving! Try the 2×2 if necessary 🙂
Dont know about anyone else but with giant schnauzers and wire crates its plenty of a workout carrying the crate up and down the hotel stairs!! WHEW!
I have used a lead/longline as a jump rope to get some quick cardio and of course the end of the bed or chairs for some strength training (dips etc.) You may be surprised to see how difficult it is to do pushups on a bed (remember talkin exercise here!) the uneven and soft surface is a proprioception and strength workout.
Have a great trip!
Hi Susan,
When we travel we will sometimes bring along are “rubber bands”. (That’s what our trainer calls them) They pack right up and weigh nothing, great for strength exercises. You can do a whole body work out in 15min. I feel sometimes videos can be a little noisey in hotel rooms, so I would rather choose music from an ipod and turn it up.
hope to see you soon, Beth
I have a great DVD “Yoga Short Forms” by David Swenson..It has a 15 minute, a 30 minute, and a 45 minute work out and a 10 minute relaxation(something for every occasion). If you have your computer you can do it in any hotel room. The DVD pushes me to do it…also sometimes I think of time away to take an exercise break, or to try something new in the hotel fitness room…or just a walk(an exercise walk without dogs).
It’s harder in some B & Bs or private homes…
Have a great trip..I’m looking forward to others suggestions too
Susan
I recently found this strength routine that needs no weights but is surprisingly challenging. Works the core, legs, and arms.
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/at-home-workouts-0
Cheers,
Christine
I make sure to stay at hotels with at least a treadmill. Nowadays, most hotels have more than that! Aloft hotels have awesome fitness centers with all you could ever want. Kimpton boutique hotels offer workout DVDs and they’ll bring a stability ball up to your room for you! (They also offer a service where they will set up a goldfish in your room so you won’t get lonely. 🙂 But if your hotel is truly without any amenities, you could do a calisthenic routine, lunges, push-ups, crunches, squats and then take a walk or jog around the hotel hallways or outside if it’s in a good area. If you have your laptop with you, there are several good places with workout videos online. Sparkpeople.com has some great ones!
Bodyweight exercises work well for me even at home. Squats, lunges, pushups, chinups (oh if I could only do 1!), burpees (with a step instead of a box if those are too easy), dips with a chair, v-ups….
Check out Gubernatrix’s video on bodyweight workouts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZslnSxzhJkg
Also BodyTribe.com has a great website on functional fitness, with some of the coolest vids on YouTube. Good to inspire while in a hotel room maybe! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP6g3F7gPwU
Have a great trip!
I think you have your running shoes with you anyway. So you could have a morning jogging. Its very enjoyable, you also get a change to look around a bit and get more familiar with the surrounding. And when you stay in the same place for several days, you can make a different trip every morning. And 10 push-ups on each corner:)
Not that I actually do it, but you can use water bottles of various sizes, purchased on site, for weights, and resistance bands take up no space at all. I have also seen fillable weights that you put water into- they might be easier to handle than water bottles.
Every hotel has stairs tht you can go up and done or just step on/off.
I find that shopping is great aerobic activity.
If you do a search for ‘exercise bands’ and ‘exercise tubing’ you should come up with a bunch of excercises and places to buy. They’re cheap, light, and don’t take up a lot of space. As for cardio you can do the obvious and take a walk or a run. Or a jumprope is another option. If you’re pressed for time and you can find a park or field nearby, Tabata sprints http://crossfitlp.com/200806/tabata-sprints/ are a quick, efficient way to get in a good running workout.
Crossfit http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/what-crossfit.html uses lots of exercises that don’t require equipment but it might be a good idea to take a few classes and learn how to do them before trying on your own.