Travel itineraries are often so crammed with planned activities that we forget to allot time for relaxation and exercise. When you combine busy schedules with decreased physical movement, lowered liquid intake, and strange sleeping quarters, your system reacts by becoming sluggish. The ultimate negative side effect is a holiday infused with lethargy.



Guess what! Exercise can easily be incorporated into your travel routine.

Effective Planning

Be sure to plan physical activities such as walking tours, hiking, bicycling, swimming, or snorkeling.

Easy Exercises

The tensing and relaxing of any muscle group increases blood flow to the area. Try the following exercises. Many can be performed while seated or standing in line - i.e., waiting in the airport, on long flights, or while sitting in a bathroom stall. Avoid germy hotel carpets and floors by performing reclining exercises on a bed or Yoga mat.

Glutes:

Clench and relax the glute muscles. Repeat several times. This movement will sculpture a rounded, toned posterior.

Abdominal Area:

1. Forcibly pull in your abs while you breathe out. Hold for a few seconds, then relax and repeat. You can do this exercise dozens of times daily.

2. Perform leg raises from a reclining position, keeping the small of your back pressed into the bed or mat. Repeat until your abs feel tired.

3. Tense and relax the muscles of the pelvic floor. This exercise tones the lower abs and the muscles that control the bladder and other nearby organs.

Calves:

Flex calf muscles while keeping your heels on the floor and raising your toes, then do the same while keeping your toes on the floor and raising your heels.

Arms, Shoulders, and Back:

1. Do pushups on the bed, or against a wall.

2. Concentrate on pulling your shoulder blades together while tensing the muscles, and then relax. Repeat often on long flights.

3. Packing a set of dumbbells is not practical when you are trying to keep your luggage light. You can set up an easy weight lifting routine with water-filled weights. An internet search for 'water filled dumbbells' will locate numerous online stores. A cheap alternative: save the empties when you buy bottled water and use them as weights instead. A bottle filled with one pint of water weighs approximately one pound. You won't bulk up with such small weights, but fast repetitions will give you an aerobic workout.

Overall Body Workouts

1. Avoid the elevator when possible and use the stairs.

2. Walking alone through strange streets can be intimidating (and even dangerous) in some areas. Instead, park outside a large shopping mall and do a brisk window-shopping tour.

3. Instead of watching TV from a sitting or reclining position, briskly walk in place, pumping your arms vigorously at the same time.

Special Equipment

In addition to the water-filled dumbbells mentioned previously, consider packing one or more of the following. They won't take much room in your suitcase or add a lot to your luggage weight.

1. Exercise resistance bands

2. Exercise fitness ball (with pump)

3. Hand grip exerciser

4. Compact non-slip Yoga mat

5. Pilates or Yoga book

6. Book of mat exercises

7. Mini stair stepper with resistance cords

Use your Imagination

This article has given you a few guidelines. With a bit of ingenuity and imagination you should be able to add to the ideas and produce an individualized system that works well for you. The big payoff will be increased energy while you travel and a brighter outlook when you return home.

Important

On long flights, get up and walk around as often as possible. This will keep your circulatory system working efficiently and help to avoid deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Do not attempt to introduce intense exercise during your vacation if you are out of shape to begin with. Check with your physician, physiotherapist, chiropractor, or other health care professional about a pre-holiday exercise routine. Ask specifically about the exercises in this article to ensure that they will not exacerbate any pre-existing problems or back injuries.

?Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author's note below (with active links) are included.