Whether you work for yourself or a large corporation, traveling is probably a big part of your business. From sales to consulting there is always a client to see, a conference to attend and a prospect to pitch. Being on the road for long stretches of time can easily get someone out of their fitness routine. While many hotels will have a gym and perhaps even a pool, getting to it can be difficult. After flying, meeting all day with clients and rushing around strange cities most people simply want to relax.
Yes, the life of a traveling businessman is tough but it doesn’t mean you have to quit training. In the comfort of your own hotel room there are plenty of exercises you can do that will suffice until you can get back to the familiar surroundings of your home gym.
Push Ups: Great for the chest, biceps and traps, the push up is one of the oldest and best exercises around. All you need is a flat surface and you’re good to go. You can do standard push-ups with your elbows making right angles or you can shape your hands into a pyramid to put added emphasis on the triceps muscles. Depending on your strength level you will want to keep reps and sets to a manageable routine. Generally, three sets of 15 or 20 should be enough to give you a decent pump.
Sit Ups: Another tried and true exercise, sit ups are the foundation for rock hard abs. Again, all you need is a flat surface, preferably one with carpeting, and the desire to work on your midsection. Like push-ups, you can modify sit-ups to focus on particular areas, such as the oblique muscles and lower abdominal area. You can also perform crunches as well as twists to hit different sections of your abs.
Squat Thrusts: If your hotel has enough room, squat thrusts are a great on-the-go exercise. Starting in a standing position, squat down to the ground, kick your legs out and place your hands out to form a push-up position. Return to the squat position and jump up with full force before repeating. In CrossFit circles this exercise is called a “Burpee”. Whatever you call it, it’s a great full body exercise that doesn’t require weights, machines or a track.
Keep these simple exercises in mind the next time you’re on the road.