In my last post, I wrote about exercise tips you can easily do while on the go.  In this post are specific exercises that you can do in your hotel room or anywhere without having to go to the gym. 

Body Blasters: The following exercises are very effective and use gravity as your resistance, so you don’t need any extra equipment.  These are also great for overall bone and joint health.  Do 1 to 2 sets of 8 to15 repetitions of each of the following classic exercises for a full body workout.

Push ups: for chest, triceps and Push Upsshoulders                                                                                           

 

·        From a hand and knee or hand and toes position, bend the elbows and slowly lower chest towards the floor

 

·        Keep the abdominals held tight and try to get the chest to within a fists distance of the ground

 

·        Hold in the down position for a second or two and then exhale as you extend the elbows, pressing back up to starting position.

 

 

Single Leg Step Ups: for hip and buttock muscles                                                                                     

 

·        Stand with one foot on top of a step or solid bench (6 to 12 inches high) and the opposite foot on the floor behind the step or bench. 

 

·        Shift your weight onto the up leg and exhale as you extend (straighten) the hip and knee

 

·        Tighten the standing thigh and hip muscles for a second or two and then slowly lower back to the starting position. 

 

·        Repeat 8 to 15 times and then switch leg positions to work the opposite side.

 

 

Traveling Lunges: for the leg muscles

 

·        Start with feet together in good standing alignment

 

·        Step forward with one leg and bend both knees lowering into a lunge position

 

·        Hold for a second or two in the down position and then step the rear leg forward along side the front leg

 

·        Repeat with the opposite leg moving in a forward direction.

 

·        Breath fluidly throughout the movements

 

·        Continue in a forward moving direction, alternating between legs until you have completed 8 to 12 step outs on each leg

 

 

Shoulder dips: for mid back muscles

 

·        Position your arms behind your body with hands on a raised surface (step or bench), fingers forward towards your hips; Knees are bent with feet on the ground

 

·        Keep your elbows straight as you allow your shoulders to rise up towards your ears

 

·        Exhale as you press downward through your shoulder girdle, pushing your shoulders away from your ears and hold this position for a few seconds

 

·        Repeat the movement slowly 8 to 15 times concentrating on the scapular movement while keeping your elbows straight throughout the exercise.  * make sure not to confuse this with the classic triceps dip...where the lowering is done by bending the elbows.

 

 

Inversion press ups: for the upper back and shoulders

 

·        From an inverted position (hands on floor and hips up) similar to the downward dog in Yoga, slowly bend your elbows and lower your head and shoulders towards the floor

 

·        Hold the down position for a second or two and then exhale as you press back to starting position

 

·        Feel free to place the hands on a raised surface like a step or bench if it is to hard to do with hands on floor

 

 

Crunches: for the abs

 

·        Lie back on the floor with hands behind your head, knees bent and feet positioned a comfortable distance from your hips

 

·        Exhale as you lift the torso from the ribcage area moving towards your pelvis

 

·        Lift to the point where you feel your shoulder blades clear the floor and hold for a second or two, then slowly lower back to starting position

 

·        Repeat for 8 to 15 repetitions

 

 

Supermans (back extension): for the spinal muscles

 

·        Lie flat on your belly with your arms extended forward and your legs straight on the floor

 

·        Keep your abs tight and feet on the ground as you exhale and lift your upper body and chest off the floor a few inches. Stay in the pain free range, never lifting higher than comfortable for your lower back.

 

·        Stay lifted for a few seconds and then return back to the start position.

 

·        You can modify this exercise if it is too difficult to lift with your arms extended by bending the elbows along side of the head or resting the chin on your hands

 

·        Be sure to move slowly in and out of each repetition keeping the head and neck in stable alignment with the rest of the spine.

 

·        Repeat for 8 to 15 repetitions

 

This short series will pump you up and hold you over till you can get back to the gym.