Fitness for Travelers
Excited about going on vacation? While traveling is fun, simply getting to a vacation destination-whether by plane, train, bus or car-often involves extended periods of immobility. Hours of inactivity associated with air travel-first in the airport waiting lounge and then on the plane may leave you achy and sore before your vacation has even begun!
To help combat potential problems associated with traveling, try these suggestions below from L. Leiber, who earned her master’s degree in public health from Berkeley, and teaches Pilates in Oakland, CA.
Non-traditional Exercises
What can you do when you are virtually held captive in boarding lounges at the airport? Perform these exercises that all begin with the following sustainable seated posture:
Place your feet solidly on the floor, about 4 inches away from each other.
Sit tall.
Tip your hips so that your pelvis is vertical.
Drop shoulders away from ears and lengthen back of neck.
Breathe in, then exhale. When you exhale, be sure to pull your abs in. Do this after every seated exercise.
Figure four stretching. Do this by placing your ankle on your opposite knee. Lean forward until you feel a deep stretch on the outsie of the hips. Repeat on the other side.
Seated Twist (Not for People With Disk Problems). Keeping knees and hips facing front, reach around to one side with both hands and hold onto back of chair. Breathe in. On exhalation, rotate rib cage and look over back of chair while keeping as much length in spine as possible. Hold stretch for 10-15 seconds. Return to start position and repeat, twisting to other side.
Shoulder Shrug and Roll. Inhale as you lift shoulders up toward ears. Exhale as you roll shoulders back and down, opening chest and letting shoulder blades come together. Continue sliding shoulders down the back, away from ears. Repeat 3-5 times.
Neck stretch. Gently press your right ear toward your right shoulder while maintaining good posture. Keep your chin tucked in slightly while you perform this stretch. Feel the stretch on the left side of your neck. Release gently.
Rock a Bye-Baby. With your right hand on your opposite elbow and left hand on your right elbow and with folded arms, draw your right elbow as far as possible toward the right side and feel the stretch on the outside of left shoulder. Repeat two to three repetitions on both sides.
While Standing: Waiting to clear airport security is just the first of many times travelers stand in line in the course of a trip. Make good use of any waiting time with these standing exercises.
Footwork. Stand, feet side-by-side, two or three inches away from each other and balance your weight evenly. Raise your heels off the ground slowly and evenly. Repeat eight to ten repetitions.
Stationary March. Come up to the balls of the feel like the exercise described above. This time alternately lower one heel to the ground at a time. Repeat this move 15X on each side.
Thigh Lift. While keeping your hips level to the ground, raise your knee until your thigh is level to the ground as well. Keep your spine neutral and balance in this position for as long as possible. Repeat on the other side.
Spine-Roll. Bring your chin toward your chest and slowly roll come down one section of your back at a time until you’ve rolled forward, back arched. Keep your knees bent slightly throughout the movement and slowly come back to a full standing position. Repeat for 4-5 repetitions.
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