Workouts for Travel

One of the biggest learning curves for me when I started working out was understanding how to workout when we travel. Since we travel a TON, this was quite the Achilles heal. But, I have realized that most hotel rooms give enough space for basic exercises and free wifi means free workout videos!

Bringing workout equipment or visiting a hotel gym are two fitness ice breakers I am a bit ashamed to say I have not accomplished. Sure, I will bring my tennies when there are definite plans for a run, but otherwise, I opt for a cute pair of heals over sneakers. That is why all of these workouts in our travel rundown can be done without equipment or shoes. See self, working out while traveling can be easy!

The Hotel Room Workout

Let's start with a workout that was, literally, made for hotel rooms.  

Duration

The entire workout should take about 15-minutes.  

Works

The workout is great for the core and legs. There are plenty of planks in this exercises and nothing takes lots of movement or space. There are six exercises, ranging in time from 30 seconds to two minutes. Only one circuit is needed to burn 100+ calories!

Workout to Reduce Bloating

There are two parts of a tropical vacation that I hate 1) leaving 2) having that post-airplane bloat. This workout cannot solve problem one, but thank goodness, it pulverizes problem two! 

Duration

20-minutes that can count as a cardio workout but will not take up the usual cardio workout space.  

Works

This workout gets to the core with some nice twists and jumps.  

Commercial Break Workout

Since this workout is for commercials, it does not take up much space and can either be completed while watching commercials or all together in a circuit. The Elevated Push-Ups can be done on a chair, or even by dangling those tootsies off your bed.

Duration

This workout was made to be completed during the commercials of one, 30-minute show. If you are watching something a bit longer, you can always double-up for a bit more of a burn. The workout will take 16-minutes if done as a complete workout without commercial breaks. 

Works

There are four circuits, each working a different area for a full body workout. It will really get legs, arms, and the lower abs.  

Plank Workout

Planks are one of my favorite exercises while traveling. They can be done about a million different ways and work the entire body. These guys also only take up as much space as we do, horizontally.  

Duration

Depending on how long you hold each pose, the entire plank-tastic workout should take about 15-minutes.

Works

This will works the arms and core like madness. The down dog stretches between each exercise will strengthen the back while stretching the legs.  

Arms Like Michelle Obama

Get ready to wear those strapless dresses and adorable tanks to your hearts desire! A few rounds of these and your arms will have no jiggle left.  

Duration

The entire workout will take about 25-minutes. If you want to increase the burn, hold each pose for ten seconds longer. To reduce the exercise time, hold each pose for five seconds less than directed. 

Works

Your arms. All of them. Everywhere.

Must-Do Tracey Anderson Workouts

Tracey Anderson is, by far, one of my favorite trainers. She is a personal trainer for people like Kelly Ripa, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Madonna- needles to say, her workouts are intense! These two workouts are some of my new favorites from her. These can be done at home, in a gym, or in a hotel room while traveling. You can definitely do both of these in a row, but be warned, you will be sore. This is a fantastic full body workout!

Tracey for Goop

Tracey Anderson recently did a complete workout how-to for Gwyneth Paltrow's website, Goop. This workout does use equipment, but it will help tone the whole body in no more than fifteen minutes. Oh goodness, a fifteen minute power workout by Tracey Anderson. Yes please!  

Ultimate Thigh Slimmer

This workout is a definite must-do if your thighs are your problem area. These thigh exercises will help slim and tone without adding too much bulk. I love this workout. It is quick, simple, and gets results. Try completing this workout after the Goop workout for a super intense, slimming workout.  

My thighs are one of my greatest problem areas and this is quickly becoming one of my favorite go-to workouts!  

Inner Thigh Workout

This inner thigh workout by Cassey Ho is super quick and will leave your inner thighs burning. The workout is comprised of two moves, repeated about four times... I lost track after two. This workout is a must try on it's own or with some of Cassey's other videos. You can also do this after a cardio workout or run, or before your yoga session as a quick warm-up. Be prepared though, this is four minutes of pure inner thigh insanity!  

Shape Magazine Workout Review: Yoga with Britney Spears

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I know, I know, we are about half-way through the month and just doing the cover girl's workout in the June issue of Shape Magazine. It has looked like a good workout, but I have been so happy with all of my usual yoga vids, that this one has taken the back-burner until now. My only hope is that this review will help one person who is on the fence about purchasing or not purchasing this month's issue.  

Let me first say that I love, love, love, the sports bra that Britney is wearing in the exercise demo! I also so love the fact that she is the one demoing all of these poses. For some reason, it is rare to see the actual celebrity doing they workout that they are recommending. I love seeing her do the poses she says she loves!  

The interview with Britney is pretty standard, no in depth secrets shared or big surprises, but it was good all the same. I am still trying to envision Britney Spears driving a mini van, but that was the biggest bomb shell. As you may have guessed, the workout Britney chooses is a yoga workout. It was created by her yoga trainer, Elizabeth I, and works legs, arms, and abs. The flow itself looks pretty simple with lots of poses most people are familiar with, but should give those three areas a good toning.  

The Workout

I will first say that anyone who manages to write a how-to for a yoga routine has my respect. Yoga videos are much easier to follow and flow much better than any written form of yoga that I have seen. This flow is one of the easiest written forms of yoga that I have ever followed. I loved the idea of counting breaths rather than seconds, and it was very easy to understand how long each breath should be.  

The actual poses were all very common with exception to the last. The last pose is a camel pose. These are a bit more advanced and I did not quite understand why it was with such a simple flow. It would be the perfect introductory yoga flow if not for the camel hitched on at the end.

Elizabeth recommends doing the entire flow one to three times. I completed two flows after my usual run. The run got me warmed up and the yoga flows were a great way to stretch and cool down. I would recommend trying this flow if you already have the June issue of Shape Magazine and have 1) Not done much yoga before or 2) are using it as a post workout cool down. If you do not have the June issue yet, save you money and hold off until July.