Traveling, whether for business or pleasure, is no reason to leave your fitness goals behind. Here’s how to get a good workout, on the go.

Experience Your Environment Through Activity

Think about how you can include some activity on each day of your getaway. If you’re in an urban destination that has a bike share program, for example, consider renting a bike for an hour or two, and take a ride along a waterfront or other scenic part of town.

When visiting sites with scenic viewpoints at the top, such as on the observation deck of a building or the roof of a cathedral, climb the stairs to the top, if that’s an option. Even a few minutes of stair climbing will boost your heart rate, and you’ll be rewarded by great views at the end of your journey.

Start Your Day With a Mini Workout

Commit to giving yourself 15 minutes in the morning on each day of your vacation to do a quick, preferably, high-intensity workout. You’ll burn calories first thing and also feel energized for the rest of the day.  Most times the 15 minutes will go by quickly and chances are that you’ll feel inspired to go longer or go for a second round later in the day.

Moring Hack: If you travel with a yoga mat lay it out by the foot of your bed (or choose another piece of travel equipment like your resistance bands, a towel, or your sneakers).  When your feet hit the floor it will be a reminder to get your 15 minutes out of the way first. There’s no need to overcomplicate getting started.  Begin with a big stretch on your mat or as you bend down to pick up a band or put on your shoes.

Download A Digital Workout

Switching venues and time zones can be tiring. Having as many comforts of home available makes things easier and the comfort of your favorite workouts is no exception. I love keeping my favorite go-to HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts ready to go on my phone or tablet.

Don’t Just Wait in Line

Whether it’s to buy tickets for a popular attraction or cue up to board a tour bus, waiting in line can be an inevitable. Instead of passively standing and waiting, however, Ms. Lang suggested using your time to do three exercises that your fellow bystanders won’t notice: calf raises, which strengthen the lower legs, glute squeezes, where you tighten your glutes and hold as long as you can before releasing, to tone your backside, and belly breathing, where you exhale as you pull your stomach in and keep inhaling and exhaling while pulling it in more, to boost core strength. You might garner some odd looks, but the result will be worth it.

Flex When You walk

Have you ever heard of the little fitness trick to flex while you walk or run on a treadmill? Same thing applies to when you’re walking in real life. So flex those abs, glutes, and whatever else you can squeeze while you’re walking.

Walk Instead of Ride (When safe)

Do you really need to take an Uber somewhere five blocks away? No. You don’t. Walk and burn some calories, and while you’re at it, stop and smell some roses. Unless you’re on a time crunch, it’s late at night, you have an impeding physical condition, or you’re in an unsafe neighborhood, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to just walk instead of always taking a vehicle.

Follow me on Instagram @SahmraStevensonEsq or @OfficeWithoutWalls

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2XcEIoaCJ-3VoaXNnT0pwQ

Strength Training Using a Resistance Bands

If you’re ready to try your resistance bands, it may be easier to get started by doing basic exercises you’re already familiar with. These are just a few examples of band exercises.

• Chest Press – For this exercise, wrap the band a chair behind you – You can also wrap it around a pole, rail or use the door attachment to secure the band in the door. The resistance band should be right at about chest level and you should step far enough away from the door that you get constant tension on the band. If you’re in a chair, as shown, you might need to wrap the bands around your hands several times for more tension. Keep your elbows in a ‘goal-post’ position (parallel to the floor) throughout the movement. And push out and back for about 16 reps.
  
• Rotating Chest Press – Wrap the band around a sturdy object and loop one handle through the other, pulling it tight. Step away from the anchor until you have plenty of tension on the band and begin with the right side towards the anchor, arm straight. Rotate the body, pivoting on the feet, and bring the right around all the way across and touch the left fingers. Repeat for 16 reps on each side.
  
• Band Rows – Loop the band under your feet and grab onto the band closer to your feet for more tension. Tip from the hips so that your back is flat and your abs are in. Now squeeze the back and pull the elbows up to the torso in a rowing motion. Lower and repeat for 16 reps.
  
• Bicep Curls– For the bicep curl, you can stand on the band with both feet (harder) or with one foot (easier). Hold the handles in each hand and curl up in a bicep curl, just as you would with dumbbells. You can make this move harder by stepping the feet wide or by using a heavy band.
• Band Triceps Extensions – Sit tall and hold a band out in front of you with elbows bent out to the sides at shoulder level. The palms should face the floor. The closer the hands are together, the harder this exercise will be. While keeping the left hand in place, straighten the right arm out to the side until it’s parallel to the floor, squeezing the back of the arm. Move back to start and for 16 reps before switching arms.

(Take a look at My YouTube demo for more visual examples of each move)

FAVORITE MOVE: Squat with Arnold Press

A: _Stand on band with feet hip-width apart, holding end in left hand with elbow bent and palm facing front of left shoulder. Keeping core engaged, hinge hips and bend knees, lowering into a squat position.

B:_ Extend legs while simultaneously performing a single-arm Arnold press, rotating palm to face forward as left arm extends overhead. Reverse the movement and repeat. Do 10 to 12 reps on left side before switching sides and repeating.

While bands are great for resistance training, you can also use them for a variety of cardio exercises as well. In fact, if you’re traveling you can incorporate both cardio and strength exercising using just that one piece of equipment.

Cardio Exercises Using a Resistance Band.
These are just a few exercises you can do to get your heart rate up:

• Band Jumping Jacks – Hold the band in both hands over the head and pull the band down as you do jumping jacks.
• Front and Back Double Leg Jumps – Put the resistance band on the floor in front of you in a straight line from right to left. Jump over the band with both feet to land in front, then jump diagonally back, moving to the right. Continue jumping forward and back using the band as a marker for the length of the band before coming back.
• Side to Side Double Leg Jumps – Lay the band down on the floor crosswise next to your right foot. Each handle should be facing the front and back of the room. Starting on the left side of the band, jump with both feet over the band, landing on the other side. Jump back over and repeat for 30-60 seconds.
• Side to Side Band Lunges – Wrap the band around your back and grab on to each side under the armpits, just below the handles. Pivot and turn to the right, taking the left leg out into a straight leg lunge and pressing the left hand forward, straightening the band. Come back to start and repeat on the other side.

Those are just a few ideas. Putting your band on the floor can give you some ideas for how to use its length for other moves like puddlejumpers.

Points to Remember:

• Choose a good band brand. Thinner bands, if they’re used with high frequency, usually need replacing every twelve months or so, while thicker bands hold up the longest. Your client will need at least two or three different bands.
• Resistance bands can be used for both resistance and

stability. You’re probably familiar with the famous band-assisted pull-up. But with the right anchor point, bands can also be used for assisted pistol squats, one-armed push-ups, and even handstand push-ups.

• Bands aren’t the only portable exercise equipment. If you have room in your bag for a few bands you can also probably slip in some gliding discs (see, my demo on YouTube) or a jump rope.

Follow me on Instagram @SahmraStevensonEsq or @OfficeWithoutWalls
Watch me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2XcEIoaCJ-3VoaXNnT0pwQ

When it comes to strength training, most of us are very familiar with the usual types of equipment. There are free weights like dumbbells and barbells and then there are machines, some with cables, some with weight stacks and some with both.

Resistance bands are a great alternative to weights or even a great addition to a traditional weight training program. They’re inexpensive, versatile and they work your muscles in a completely different way than weights. But if you’re like I was, you might be slow to come around to the idea of using them in any kind of meaningful way.

As my travel itinerary and time away from home has increased over the past couple of years it’s been necessary to find tools to help with keeping things on track while on the road.  I finally took the time to look a little deeper at bands and how to actually use them effectively last summer. For me resistance bands have been more than enough to maintain gains and continue working toward fitness and body goals during my time spent traveling or away from the gym.

Here are more reasons to try them:

• They travel well. You can easily pack them in your suitcase for travel and do exercises in the car or in your hotel room. This is perfect for when you’re short on time and don’t have access to your usual equipment.
• They increase coordination. Because there’s tension throughout the exercises, you have to stabilize your body. This helps with coordination and balance and it also helps you involve more muscle groups.
• They add variety. With weights, you’re often limited as to how many exercises you can do. But, the resistance band allows you to change your positioning in multiple ways. This changes how your body works and how an exercise feels.
• They’re inexpensive. Bands range anywhere from $6 to $30, depending on how many you get and where you buy them, which is nice for the budget-conscious exerciser. You can stuff them under the bed, in a suitcase or just about anywhere, making them a versatile piece of equipment.
• They’re great for all fitness levels. Depending on how you use them, bands can be great for beginners as well as more advanced exercisers. You can use them for basic moves or add intensity to traditional moves.

You’ll find that there are a variety of resistance bands available and you can usually find them almost anywhere including discount stores (like Walmart or Target), at most sporting goods stores. You can always buy resistance bands in stores, but if you’re looking for more options and, sometimes, more quality, you may find you have to order them online.

Follow me on Instagram @SahmraStevensonEsq or @OfficeWithoutWalls

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2XcEIoaCJ-3VoaXNnT0pwQ