Fitness for the Hotel Bound traveller?

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pgray007
pgray007 Posts: 47 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Any frequent travelers out there have some good fitness advice? By frequent traveller, I'm talking about the 4-5 days in a hotel, every week crowd. I took up running four years ago and it has been a godsend, but I'd like to do something for some core strength and general agility. I'm not looking to bulk up, just looking to develop some lean mass and augment the running. For about 2 years I did the Hacker's Diet fitness routine, but it got boring after a while and I've fallen out of it.

I've looked at some of the video programs on iPad/iPhone, but many seem to require equipment.

Here are my criteria:

- NO equipment that you wouldn't find in an average hotel room. I'm not going to carry exercise mats, kettle bells, etc. around the world with me, and weights in hotel fitness rooms are too inconsistent for me to stick to a good routine.
- Can be done in a hotel room (i.e. don't require a ton of space)
- 30 minutes or less, 3-5x per week
- Some variety to keep things interesting
- Relatively easy motions to start with. I have a body that's analogous to a combination of gorilla, preying mantis, and elephant, so let's just say I'm not the most agile/coordinated.

Thanks for any ideas!

Replies

  • Bekahmardis
    Bekahmardis Posts: 602 Member
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    What about a pilates dvd? Or maybe just take some bands instead of a kettle ball? I take my bands with me when I'm traveling and it works well, but I also have a few videos on my iPhone/iPad that don't require any tools. There are YouTube videos available as well.
  • norrisski
    norrisski Posts: 1,217 Member
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    Most hotels these days have pretty good fitness workout areas with weights and machines to use.
  • mariacolumbus
    mariacolumbus Posts: 227 Member
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    I just read Jillian Michaels newest book...Slim for Life....she gives a good idea for traveling workouts:

    You use 1 deck of cards
    Assign each suit an exercise
    shuffle
    Draw a card
    If you've assigned push ups to Clubs (for instance) and you draw the 10 of Clubs...do 10 push ups
    do this through the whole deck

    I think it sounds fun and you can switch up the exercises you assign to each suit.
    best of luck to you!
  • Seraphemz
    Seraphemz Posts: 84 Member
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    I saw this one on "Men's Health" website the other day specifically titled "Hotel Workout"

    Skiing Wall Squat

    Repetitions: 5
    Rest: 30 Seconds
    Sets: 2
    Lean against a wall, with your feet 18 to 24 inches away from it and shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly and hold that position for 5 to 10 seconds. Bend deeper and hold. Repeat until you've hit five different positions; go as low as you can.


    Donkey Kick

    Repetitions: 15 each leg
    Rest: 30 Seconds
    Sets: 2
    Get down on your hands and knees and kick your right leg back and up as high as you can. Finish by arching your back and pulling your knee to your chest. Repeat on the other side.


    Boot Slappers

    Repetitions: 8
    Rest: 30 Seconds
    Sets: 2
    Stand with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width, squat down, slap the sides of your ankles, then stand back up. Repeat 10 to 20 times.


    Shadow Boxing

    Repetitions: 50 Punches
    Rest: 1 Minute
    Sets: 2
    Throw punches while bobbing on your feet like a boxer: 10 right jabs, 10 left hooks, 10 right hooks, 10 left uppercuts, 10 right uppercuts.


    Diamond Pushup

    Repetitions: 10-12
    Rest: 30 Seconds
    Sets: 2
    Get into traditional pushup position, but place your hands directly under your chest with your index fingers and thumbs spread and touching; that's the diamond. Keep your back flat throughout the movement. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches your hands. Pause, then push your body back up to the starting position. (Trying to squeeze in a workout on the road? Make sure you have the Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts in your hotel room.)


    Reaching Lunge

    Repetitions: 6-8 each leg
    Rest: 30 Seconds
    Sets: 2
    Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. In one motion, take a lunging step forward as far as you can with your left foot and reach forward with both hands to touch the floor in front of you. Quickly reverse the motion to return to the starting position, then switch legs.


    Bench/Chair Dip

    Repetitions: 10-12
    Rest: 30 Seconds
    Sets: 2
    Place your hands behind you on the edge of a bench or chair and your feet on another bench or chair (or the floor) a few feet in front of you. Lower your body until your upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor. Pause, then press back to the starting position.


    Broad Jump

    Repetitions: 10-12
    Rest: 30 Seconds
    Sets: 2
    Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Dip your knees and jump forward as far as you can. Land on both feet with flexed knees. Pause, turn around, then jump back. Complete a set of 10.
  • DeeDel32
    DeeDel32 Posts: 542 Member
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    Check out Mark Lauren - You are your own gym.
  • lesnwhisper
    lesnwhisper Posts: 20
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    bump! thanks this is great!
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
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    Pick up a copy of You are Your Own Gym and do bodyweight routines.

    Or have a look at nerdfitness and put together a bodyweight routine.

    You might also have a look at a suspension trainer (TRX or Jungle Gym XT). Yes, technically it's "equipment", but it doesn't take up much space with very little added weight. They easily attach to a door frame and most of the exercises work the core along with the muscle group targeted. Just a thought.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    A lot of hotel rooms have at least a dumbbell rack these days. Or you can ask if they have any recs for near by gyms that'll give you a day pass. I found a gym near a hotel once that said they'd charge $10 for a drop in but when I got there the morning guy let me in free. I travel a bit and have actually be considering throwing a blog together about hotels w/ decent gyms. The Luxor has a squat rack, as does the Town and Country Convention Center in San Diego (but they charge an extra $5 to go).
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Oh and yeah, dumbell routine:

    Pile Squats
    Straight-legged deadlift (but holding dumbells instead of a barbell obviously)
    Lunges
    Bench Press
    Rows
    Shoulder Press
    Bicep Curls
    Tricep Extensions.
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
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    Do a dumbbell routine if the hotel has them. Otherwise, I pack a few elastic bands and do a workout in my room.
  • amberlykay1014
    amberlykay1014 Posts: 608 Member
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    I'm going to go ahead and second the suspension trainer TRX. My brother in-law has one and LOVES it.
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
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    I'm going to go ahead and second the suspension trainer TRX. My brother in-law has one and LOVES it.

    I 3rd this. It is an equipment, but it packs down small and light and can be used just about anywhere and the variety is endless. Plus it is progressive. Workout too easy? Take a step closer to it. Bam. Harder. I love it.
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    Pilates or yoga. Or check out nerdfitness.com or You Are your Own Gym for bodyweight routines. Also, you can get some resistance bands for fairly cheap that have a decently heavy resistance, and those are pretty portable. You could then do some of the bigger compound lifts, modified for the bands, of course.
  • daniellegwilliam
    daniellegwilliam Posts: 122 Member
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    lot of great videos on Youtube.

    The "Be Fit channel" has alot of great ones you can scroll through.
    http://www.youtube.com/user/BeFit

    And melissa bender fitness, you can follow her on facebook, or her website. this woman is ripped and gives great daily workouts! I highly recommend her site! She even has a hotel room workout!!

    http://www.benderfitness.com/2012/09/hotel-room-workout-in-riviera-maya.html



    Also, the bootcamp I attend has an app. Pretty good. none of it requires equipment.
    its by fit body bootcamp, the app is "fat furnace" (what an awful name! ha)

    and as others posted. the TRX is awesome!! if its easy enough to tkae with you. a GREAT INVESTMENT! Its my favourite piece of equipment at the classes I attend
  • Amy_Andrews
    Amy_Andrews Posts: 106
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    IF you have a smart phone, there's an app called "Sworkit" that allows you to design your own workout based on type, body part, time, etc.
  • anothermop
    anothermop Posts: 187 Member
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    I travel a lot as well. I take my P90X on the road--my ipod has Plyo, Yoga, Kenpo, Stretch, and Core Synergistics. I do 1 of these every-other day and I mix in the treadmill, elliptical, and some swimming.

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