Summer means lots of travel and sometimes too much travel means missing workouts. I feel like I am always on a plane, in a car or headed somewhere each weekend, but I still manage to get my workout in each day. I like to use resistance bands because they travel well and come in several resistance strengths for a total body workout. Bands are convenient if you travel often and are looking for an inexpensive way to get started on a fitness regimen. Below is a Travel Workout from my Fitness Answer Plan:
For all exercises do 3 SETS OF 15-20 reps (rest 1 minute between sets)
ABDOMINALS
Basic Crunch
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring your hands behind your head for support, keeping your head in a neutral position with your chin pointed toward the ceiling. Inhale through the nose then start to exhale through the mouth. Allow the exhaling to begin to contracting the abdominals and lift your head slightly off the floor. It does not matter how far up you lift, only that you’re using your abdominals and not your neck. *Note – Keep your head in a neutral position the entire time you’re performing this exercise.
BACK
Band Lat Pulldown
Hold band overhead with arms straight up. You can adjust hands closer to increase tension. Contract the back and pull the band out while bringing the elbows towards the rib cage. Decrease tension slowly, while raising arms back up and repeat.
BICEP
Band Bicep Curls
Stand on the band and hold handles with palms facing out. Keeping abs in and knees slightly bent, bend arms and bring palms toward shoulders in a bicep curl. Position feet wider for more tension. Return to start and repeat.
SHOULDERS
Band/Upright Row
Step on band securely with both feet. Hold handles in an overhand grip and row upwards, bringing elbows to shoulder height.
Triceps
Band Side Tricep Extension
Hold the band in both hands at shoulder level with right arm bent so that it's in front of the chest, left arm straight out. Keeping the left arm straight to hold tension on the hand, contract the triceps to straighten the right arm. Return to start and repeat before switching sides.
QUADS
Band Squats
Stand on band, feet hip distance apart. Hold handles of band, so that band runs behind your arms, with palms facing forward at shoulder height. Stand upright with knees slightly bent. Slowly lower your hips down as if going to sit on a chair. Try not to bring your knees past your toes. Slowly come back to standing without locking out knee. Repeat.
Joanne Sgro is a Television Fitness Expert, Certified Personal Trainer and Sport Nutritionist. She is Certified in Pilates, Pre-natal/Post-Partum, Yoga and Senior Fitness. She specializes in Weight Loss, Post-Rehab and Post Cancer Training. Joanne's fitness plans and recipes are available globally on her website www.fitnessanswer.com. She resides in the Phoenix, AZ, where she runs her personal training business, Fitness Answer, LLC.