After a year of being stuck at home, Americans are traveling again. This often means long hours in a car or airplane. As exciting as it is to see more than my backyard, it also means sitting still or being stuck in a confined space for an extended period of time. My Fitbit beeping every hour as I’m sitting will annoy me and those around me, so how do I reach my step goal while driving across the country? Here are 3 simple Road Trip Exercises to ease your stress and muscles during a long day of travel.
3 Options for Road Trip Exercise
I would love to pack my weights and exercise bands, but that isn’t practical on a trip; however, packing a yoga mat is. Roll it up and toss it in the back of a vehicle, or fold it into your luggage–the mat makes exercising on the go easier. The next essential item is a pair of shoes for walking. Finally, you only need you. Whether you are traveling by plane, train, or automobile, these quick road trip exercises will help you work out the strain of sitting and the stress of traveling.
If you are stuck on a train or airplane for hours, here’s an article on tips for movement when confined to a seat. “Don’t Sit Still: 13 exercises for staying active on long trips” has examples of breathing exercises and stretching without disturbing your seatmate.
Option 1- Yoga for Travelers
Grab the mat you tossed in your luggage and find a flat surface. Taking as few as 10 minutes to stretch will help the body improve circulation and loosen the joints and muscles. Youtube has many free yoga tutorials, or you can create your own routine. Road Trip Yoga Release helps travelers regain balance after a day of travel. If you are after something longer try Yoga for Travel with Adreienne. This 23-minute practice will restore energy and ease tension. Eight minutes or 23 minutes–it doesn’t matter. What matters is moving and participating in a Road Trip Exercise Routine.
Option 2- 9 Minute Bodyweight EMOM
EMOM stands for Every Minute On the Minute. For this workout, you need comfortable shoes and your body. All exercises use body weight to maximize the impact. The squats and lunges count as your steps! The goal is to complete the assigned exercise and then rest until the next minute starts. If you have too much rest then add more reps and if you do not get any rest then lower the reps. There are 3 different exercises, so you will repeat the sequence 3 times for a total of 9 minutes.
Minutes 1, 4, and 7 – 15 Squats
Minutes 2, 5, and 8- 20 alternating lunges
Minutes 3, 6, and 9- 10 Burpees (option 1) or a 30-second plank hold (option 2)
Option 3- Take a Walk
I know we are in a hurry to get where we are going, but taking care of your body is also essential. If you are driving, stop every 2 hours and take a walk. Many rest stops have play areas and green spaces, so use them to get your steps. Just a 10-minute walk will make get the blood flowing helps the next leg (no pun intended) of your journey.
Get Your Steps
In conclusion, it isn’t important how you get your steps, just that you do get your steps. Yoga, bodyweight exercises, and walking are 3 great options for movement while traveling.
If you are interested in checking out healthy options for snacks, try my Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Muffins. There are great for travel snacks.