We found this article at YahooTravel
about how to get in some exercise while you travel…not that we’re trying to
make anyone feel guilty.
The
No-Excuses Vacation Workout
Don't chuck your fitness routine.
You can get a whole-body workout in your hotel room with five basic moves.
By Ellen Nordberg March 26, 2014 5:31 AM
With
a just few months until summer, spring break is no time to slack on a fitness
routine. (Especially if your family is heading to a beach destination anytime
soon.) Sure, it’s ridiculously easy to find excuses not to exercise when you’re
on a family getaway. The hotel doesn’t have a gym. You’ve got kids in tow. You
didn’t pack your exercise gear. And you’re on vacation, for Pete’s sake.
Instead
of chucking your routine until you get back home, you can get a whole-body
workout in your hotel room with five basic moves that do not require any
additional equipment. Even better, you can get the kids involved and make a
game out of assisting you. For optimal benefit, complete all five exercises as
a circuit with no resting.
PUSH-UPS
Level
One: Place
your hands on the edge of the bed or desk shoulder-width apart, with your feet
on the floor. Assume a plank position by aligning your head, back and legs into
a straight line, then lift and lower your body using your arms with elbows out.
Do three sets of ten repetitions.
Level
Two: Lift
your right leg a few inches off the floor as you do a push-up, then lift your
left leg with the next one. Continue, alternating legs as you go.
Kid
Challenge:
Have your child crawl under you with each lift. Count to ten together.
SQUATS
Level
One: Stand
with your legs hip width apart. Push your hips back and lower down as if you’re
sitting in a chair, raising your arms straight above your head as you go. Be
sure to use the muscles in your butt and backs of your legs, not your thighs.
Do two sets of ten.
Level
Two: Balance
on one leg for squats while lifting the other knee up to hip height. Make sure
your squatting knee tracks over the ankle and doesn’t extend forward out over
your foot.
Kid
Challenge:
Have your child stand in front of you with her back to you, holding a pillow or
a rolled up towel over her head. While in your standing position, have her hand
you the pillow. Complete your squat while your child runs around to crouch
behind you. Hand the pillow back to her through your legs, and then you both
return to your starting positions.
PULL-UPS
Level
One: Lie on
your back under the desk, extending your arms up to grip the lip of the desk
with your palms facing in. Pull with your arms to raise just your upper body
off the floor. Do three sets of ten, or until fatigue.
Level
Two: As you
pull up, raise both your torso and butt off the floor, balancing on your heels
as you lift.
Kid
Challenge:
Have your child sit at your feet and tap one foot at their discretion. When
your child taps your foot, raise that leg to increase the level of effort.
CRUNCHES
Level
One: Lie on
your back with knees bent and hands back by your ears with elbows bent. Lift
your chest straight toward your knees ten times. Then, as you lift, twist at
the waist and reach an elbow to the opposite knee, and repeat for ten on each
side. Finish with one more set of ten straight crunches toward knees.
Level
Two: As you
do the forward crunches, keep your legs raised in the air. For twists, keep
feet flat on the floor with and knees bent and raise the opposite knee to
elbow. Increase the number of repetitions to twenty for each set.
Kid
Challenge:
Have your child sit or stand at your feet. With either bent or straight legs,
hold a pillow in your hands and raise it over your head. As you rise up in your
crunch, bring the pillow over your head to hand off to your child. Roll back
down without the pillow, then retrieve it the next time up.
LUNGES
Level
One: Stand
with feet hip-width apart, then alternate stepping forward with one leg and
dropping the other knee straight down. Make sure the front knee remains in
alignment over the ankle. Three sets of ten alternating both legs.
Level
Two: As you
step forward in your lunge, try to tap your opposite hand to the ground while
maintaining your balance.
Kid
Challenge:
Have your child stand to your left side. As you lunge with your left leg, twist
across with your right hand to high five him. Do ten lunges, then have him
switch sides. If you have two children, station one on each side and alternate
high fives.
Ellen Nordberg, a Boulder, Colorado-based fitness instructor
and blogger,
contributed this to MiniTime.com.
Count your Excelsior Limousine town
car or SUV ride as exercise. You’re exercising your fabulousness. J
