American Institute for Preventive MedicineJust because you are on the road, doesn’t mean you can’t stay physically fit. There are lots of things that you can do.
Use your hotel’s exercise facilities i.e. pool, health club, or fitness trail.
Buy a day pass at a local health club or YMCA/YWCA
Go for a walk or jog near your hotel or in a park.
Pack a jump rope to use in your room.
Sitting Exercises
- There are also a number of exercises that you can engage in while sitting in an airplane or car.
- Double Foot Lift –Enhances abdominal tone.
- Hand Press –Strengthens chest and arm muscles.
- Tummy Tightener –Tightens stomach muscles.
- Buttocks Tightener –Tightens buttocks.
- Shoulder Roll –Relieves shoulder tension.
- Shoulder Squeeze I –Relaxes shoulder muscles.
- Shoulder Squeeze II –Works back and chest muscles.
- Foot Roll –Loosens ankle muscles.
Sit with your lower back pressed into the seat. Lift both legs simultaneously off the floor about 2 to 3 inches with knees bent. Hold for a count of 5 and very slowly return your feet to the floor. Repeat 3-5 times.
Press the palms of your hands together as hard as you can. Breath normally. Hold for the count of 5 and then relax. Repeat 3-5 times.
Inhale and tighten your tummy muscles for a count of 5. Exhale and relax. Repeat 3-5 times.
Tighten and release muscles of the buttocks 10 times and then relax. Repeat 3-5 series.
Roll shoulders forward in a circular motion 5 times and then reverse the motion 5 times. Repeat 3-5 times.
Raise your shoulders up high and squeeze them to the count of 10. Release and drop them down to relax. Breath normally. Repeat 3-5 times to release muscle tension.
Push your shoulder blades together. Hold for the count of 10. Then reverse by crossing your arms in front of chest and touching your elbows together for 10 counts. Repeat 3-5 times.
Roll the ankle of your right foot in a circular motion 5 times. Reverse the direction. Repeat with left ankle.
Jim Strohecker
Tom Ferguson MD