Chances are, you’ll be traveling somewhere this holiday.Possibly, staying in a small, overpriced hotel room—with an equally small and unimpressive hotel gym. As much as you’d like to blow off your family and stick to your regular workouts, that’s not an option. But you do have resources.
Don’t let holiday travel derail your training schedule. Stay fit on the road with the ultimate carry-on workout. The following workout is suited to the sparsest hotel room or guest room, and you won’t lose progress while you’re away. Even if your hotel (or in-laws’ house) isn’t equipped with a gym, you can still get an effective workout by using your own body weight and the furniture.
The Workout
Squat Press
Sets/Reps: 3×10
- Stand with the feet shoulder-width apart core tight holding a weighted object at your chest.
- Inhale and unlock the hips, bringing them back as the knees begin to bend.
- Keep the chest and shoulders upright, and continue until the hips are slightly less than 90 degrees from the ground.
- On the way back up, engage the core and drive through the heels to return to standing and raise the weighted object upward until the arms are fully extended overhead, and then lower back to the chest.
Russian Twist
Sets/Reps: 3×10
- Sit on the floor with the knees bent and feet together and lifted a few inches off the floor.
- With the back at a 45-degree angle from the ground, move the arms from one side to another in a twisting motion.
Spiderman Lunge
Sets/Reps: 3×10
- Start in the top of the push-up position.
- Keeping your hips down, and bring your foot up and place it just outside your hand position on the same side.
- return the foot to the starting position, and repeat with the other leg
Mountain Climbers
Sets/Reps: 3×10
- Assume a press up position so your hands are directly under your chest at shoulder width apart with straight arms
- Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles
- Lift your right foot off the floor and slowly raise your knee as close to your chest as you can
- Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg
- Continue alternating.
Back Lunge
Sets/Reps: 3×10
- Stand with your feet together and the ball of your right foot on a towel
- Slide your right foot behind you; let your left leg bend at 90 degrees.
- Bring your foot back to the start; focus on pulling up with your left glute.
Side Lunge
Sets/Reps: 3×10
- Keep your chest up.
- Shift your weight through your midfoot and heel.
- Lunge as low as your flexibility allows.
Hip-Ups
Sets/Reps: 3×10
- Lie on your back, legs extended 90 degrees off floor, arms by your side, palms down.
- Raise hips off the ground, bringing feet straight up.
- Return to start position.
Feet-Elevated Crunch
Sets/Reps: 3×10
- Lie on your back and raise your feet off of the floor with your legs bent as if sitting in a chair (but while lying down). Your thighs should be perpendicular to the floor.
- Place your hands behind your ears.From this position, do a crunch by collecting your abs tightly and raising your shoulders 3-5 inches from the floor. Keep your chest and face pointed toward the ceiling.
Split Squat
Sets/Reps: 3×10
- Stand in lunge or stride position with back foot on an elevated surface (like a fireplace or chair).
- Bend front knee to lower into lunge until thigh is parallel to ground; keep front knee behind toes
- Extend hip and knee to drive up to start position; repeat for specified reps
- Perform set with opposite leg
Feet Elevated Push-Up
Sets/Reps: 3×10
- Begin in Push-up position with your feet on an elevated surface (like a fireplace or chair).
- Keeping your body straight, lower your chest to the floor. Pause and push back to the starting position, keeping core engaged.
Tricep Dips
Sets/Reps: 3×10
- Slide your butt off the front of the chair with your legs extended out in front of you.
- Straighten your arms, keeping a little bend in your elbows to keep tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints.
- Slowly bend your elbows to lower your body toward the floor until your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle. Be sure to keep your back close to the bench.
- Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press down into the bench to straighten your elbows, returning to the starting position. This completes one rep.
