On the Road Workout Tips that Can Increase Your Fitness!

If you’re someone who travels a lot, you know that more often than not your travel workout is sub bar at best; if you even squeeze in a workout at all. Most people use going out of town as a great excuse to stray from their normal routines. And if you’re traveling to a location with no gym and have a busy work schedule, it’s easy to neglect your workout altogether. That doesn’t have to be the case. In just 20 minutes, you can do a quick, effective workout that will keep your heart rate elevated, build strength, endurance, and power, increase your aerobic and anaerobic cardiovascular systems and increase your metabolism!

Tools

• A few bath towels
• A clock or stop watch
• A slick surface such as tile or wood flooring to allow the towels to slide easily across the floor*

* If there’s only carpeted floors, purchasing a pair of Valslides is a good investment. They’re available at www.performbetter.com and provide an entire arsenal of exercises in just one small mesh bag.

The Workout

Perform each exercise for a total of 30 seconds followed by a 30 second rest period. Use the same 30:30 rest to work ratio for each exercise as you work through the 5 exercise circuit.

Squat Jump - Place your feet about hip width apart, squat down and jump up.

Push Up - Start in the down position, squeeze your glutes, grip the floor, and pinch your shoulder blades together. Push up for 1 second and go down for a count of 2-3 seconds.

Alternating Reverse Lunges – Stand with your feet together, perform a reverse lunge and return to starting position, making sure to remain tall through your torso. Alternate between both legs for the entire 30 seconds.

Valslide or Towel Pushaways - Assume the push up position starting with your chest on the ground and hands on the Valslides or towels. Keep your glutes tight and reach out with one arm as far as you’re able while keeping your body stable. Pull your arm back in and repeat on the other side. If you have difficulty keeping your glutes tight or feel tension in your lower back, drop to a kneeling position. Kneel on a pillow and perform the same motion for 2-3 seconds out and 1 second back in.

Burpees – Start standing up with your feet together, hop back with both feet into a push- up position. If you have difficulty with this step place your hands on a step or other sturdy object that will elevate your hands off the ground 6-12 inches. Hop back up into a squatting position and stand up. To increase the intensity, jump up when you return to the top position.

This circuit effectively covers your cardio, strength, power, endurance, and core training in one 20 minute session! Depending on your fitness level, you can increase or decrease the work and rest times.  If you’re traveling for an extended period of time, perform the workout 2-3 days a week.  If you’re busy at home, try the workout for 2 weeks just 2 days a week.

This extremely time efficient workout will give you an increase in energy throughout your day and make you feel more productive.

Chris Abbott is a personal trainer and owner of Total Fitness and Health. For more information, visit www.TotalfitnessandHealth.net “Like” personal trainer la on Facebook, or follow me @chris_abbott1.

Move Better. Feel Better. Look Better!