Summer is almost upon us, and that means summer holidays!
Australian’s love to travel. And they love to keep fit. But how can you do both? Lots of hotels have gyms these days, but let’s face it sometimes they are less than impressive. Not to mention they are often full of people who don’t normally train. Serious gym lovers can find this frustrating.
Coming from Australia, you are often in another time zone, so your body clock and routine is out of whack, and you may feel like exercising at odd times in the day – especially if you are having trouble adjusting.
So, how do you get a workout in without spending hours in the hotel gym? Here are some tips on getting a quick, efficient workout done without leaving your room!
Warmup
As you know, it is really important to warm up before exercising. Particularly if you are feeling a little stiff from a long-haul flight or unfamiliar bed.
Five minutes is usually enough, so try 30-60 seconds of each of the following:
- Toe Touches
- Jumping Jacks
- Shoulder Circles
- High Knees
- Core Twists
- Leg Swings
Exercises
What you need is a combination of exercises that will work your core, glutes, lower back, hamstrings, quads, biceps, triceps, upper back, and chest.
If time is of the essence, set your phone alarm and do as many sets of the following as you can in the time allowed. Ideally, you should aim for two or three sets of 10-15 repetitions for each exercise, depending on your fitness level and goals.
- Pushups – ideally on your toes, but on your knees is ok if you must
- Tricep Dips – use a chair or the bed –whichever offers you the best height
- Squats – keep a chair behind you if it gives you confidence or security
- Leg Lifts
- Plank & Side Plank
- Standing Bicycle Crunch
- Single Leg Stand – use a chair, the bed will probably be too soft
- Heel Raises
Cool Down
As you know, cooling down is very important in any exercise routine – even if it is in a hotel room! In this case, it will be all about stretching – touching your toes; stretching your arms across your body; sliding your hands down your sides and if appropriate, go for a walk up and down the hotel corridor.
If you follow these simple exercise tips daily you should be able to keep yourself in shape, and maybe even allow yourself the odd treat (cocktails have calories too!) on your well-earned Christmas holiday.
If you would like more information about how to do these exercises, or what exercises are appropriate to you call our Baulkham Hills clinic on (02) 9639 7337.
