You’re on the road, stuck in a hotel without a weight room. Sure, there might be a treadmill for cardio, but nothing to get a really good workout. What’s a fitness person to do? You can search for a gym nearby and pay for a day pass, you can skip the days (oh no!) or you can do a workout in your room without weights using your body weight. You can do a workout anywhere!
As I’ve experienced traveling across the country, unless you’re informed and prepared, you can end up skipping days instead of getting the workouts you need. A lot of hotels are getting better at having a complete weight room, but there are still plenty that don’t. I’m here to give you the informed part and get you prepared for working out anywhere.
Jumping jacks
This is the typical childhood jumping jack, which is still one of the best all-around exercises. They provide a full-body workout; you move all your large muscle groups which, in turn, benefits your whole body; you breathe deeply to engage your core so that you target your abdominal muscles as well. I stress that in all exercises, engage your core and you will accelerate your ab development. You can even modify jumping jacks to make them a more intense muscle-building exercise. After jumping with your feet wide, instead of returning to a standing position, assume a deep squat to hit your calves, thighs, glutes and abs. Keep a quickened pace to maintain the cardio benefits of doing jumping jacks.
Body weight squats
These squats are done like a typical squat, just without weights. Variations can include jumping at the top of the exercise, then squatting back down. The squat mainly focuses on the glutes and thighs, so you’ll want to include them with other exercises for a full body workout.
Pushups
The push up can benefit your entire body. You use arms, shoulders, chest, back, abs and even your legs to perform a push up. Then, if you need more of a challenge, you can add the variation of clapping while going up or even adding a weight to your back if you have something available (ie a heavy book.)
Plank Jacks
The plank is used to develop your abs and to help alleviate lower back pain. This is done by strengthening the lower back muscles. Including the jumping jack movement, it turns into a cardio workout that raises your heart rate and burns even more calories. To do it, from the plank position (on your hands, not elbows) perform a jumping jack (open-close) with your legs.
Burpees with push up and jump
Probably the best body weight exercise available. The burpee builds strength, burns calories and will get you fit faster than any other single exercise. The faster you do them, the better the results, but too fast and you can burn yourself out. I recommend these over the elliptical or bike. Every burpee (rep) works your arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings and abs.
To do them: Stand up straight, then get into a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you.
Kick your feet back into a push up position and immediately drop your chest to the ground (pushup.)
Return your feet back to the squat position as fast as possible.
Immediately jump up into the air as high as you can.
Flutter kicks
The flutter kick targets your lower abs and hip flexors. If you want to tone your stomach fast, then include flutter kicks. They help you burn a lot of calories and, if you can do them for a minute, then rest 30 secs and repeat several times, you will not only reduce belly fat, but make the workout more efficient.
These exercises are a great start to keep you in the fitness routine or to start a general workout regimen. If you would like more, REVolutionize Your Body can put together a complete custom workout in our facility that utilizes just your body weight.
