Ask a Pro by Lisa Wilcox

Question: I’ll be traveling for a few weeks this summer. How do I make sure I don’t lose fitness while on the road? –Amanda from San Francisco

Answer: By Lisa Wilcox. Lisa is the Owner of Pro-Motion Fitness in Santa Barbara, California. She has been working in the fitness industry for 25 years and is a certified Pilates instructor and Posture Alignment Specialist. You can contact Lisa at lisa@promotionfitness.net or www.promotionfitness.net

It’s summer and with summer comes more travel. Whether its road trips or long plane rides, it’s going to be harder to stay with a workout routine. All it takes is a little motivation to fit in a few exercises with absolutely no equipment. Give these travel exercises a try, whether it’s by car, plane or boat.
Get up! Walk up and down the aisles of the plane. Don’t sit for longer than an hour without getting up.
Move your muscles. One of the easiest exercises to do while traveling is heel raises. Lift and lower your heels 10 times. Do two to three sets. This will really get the blood flowing to your whole body and help prevent blood clots to your legs.
Shoulder blade pinches. Sitting up tall in your seat, squeeze your shoulder blades back and down like you are trying to squeeze a broom stick between your shoulders. Squeeze and release 50 times. This exercise wakes up your shoulders and definitely helps with your posture.
Leg squeezes. Place a plastic water bottle, or pillow between your knees. Sit up tall with both feet directly under your knees, roll your pelvis forward and squeeze your inner thighs together, then slowly lift your heels off the floor as if your toes are on egg shells. This is a fantastic exercise for your pelvis and hips. You will be activating your legs and lower back muscles that improve your posture.

Other ideas during your travel would include taking the walking tours versus the bus tour. Seek out the hotel workout room. Take the stairs. Explore new activities that challenge you physically. In your hotel room, lay a towel down on the floor and do push-ups and sit ups.

If the motivation is there no equipment is necessary, just creativity and dedication! Happy traveling and exercising!