Travelcise! Exercise for the Busy and Hard at Work

Life in the city is busy-and business travel is a big part of that business. People often complain that they cannot keep up their workout routine because they travel so much for work. I say, "That's no excuse!" You can do an entire workout right in your hotel room (or at least within the hotel building)-while packing next to nothing.

One of the best, most effective exercises can be done almost anywhere-the push-up. It works the chest, arms, core, quadriceps and back. If you only have time to fit one exercise into your day, I say make it two sets of push-ups. You can make a push-up less difficult by elevating your hands (or doing them on your knees), or more difficult by elevating your feet. No equipment necessary!

Tricep dips are another exercise you can do right in your hotel room-all you need is a sturdy chair. Put your hands close together on the seat of the chair and your feet in front of you. Bend your elbows straight back, lowering yourself almost to the floor. Make sure the only joint moving is the elbow joint. If you are not feeling a good burn in the triceps, you are not doing it right.

Squats are great for the glutes (that's your rear end) and quadriceps (front of the thighs). You can do a regular squat or use a step to add a little extra oomph. To get a little outer thigh work while doing squats, use the step to squat, and then extend the bottom leg as you come up. A proper squat is just like sitting on a chair-only without the chair. Your back stays in a neutral position, and you never let your knees extend over your toes.

Calf raises can be done anywhere by standing on a level surface and then raising up to your tip toes. For extra challenge, balance your toes on the end of a raised surface and lift up.

Everyone knows about sit-ups. What many do not realize is that 15 sit-ups done properly-on each set of muscles-is more effective than 50 done improperly. For each sit-up, focus on the stomach muscles coming together-kind of like a mouth. Exhale on your way up, and keep the neck muscles relaxed. A tiny crunch is all you need if it is properly done. By elevating your feet on a bed or chair so your calves are perpendicular to the floor, you move the concentration to the middle abdominals. Lower stomach muscles are exercised by elevating the legs (i.e. bicycles crunches or double leg lifts).

The rest of the body can easily be exercised by using a resistance band-a thick rubber strap with a handle on each end. Resistance bands are strong, versatile, inexpensive-and easily fit into your suitcase or carry-on. The thicker the band, the more resistance and challenge it provides.

By standing on the resistance band with both feet, a handle in each hand, and your elbows "hinged" to your side, you can complete bicep curls. The band offers resistance both on the way up and the way down. You can adjust the difficulty of the curl by loosening or tightening the slack in the band.

A great exercise for the upper back with the band is a row with a squat. Wrap the band around a steady surface (i.e. bedpost, parking meter, lamp post, etc.). With the handles in hand, step back far enough to get good resistance. Keeping your arms and hands right by your sides, pull back on the band, bringing your arms to your waist-elbows behind you. As you straighten your arms for release, use the resistance of the band to do a squat.

For shoulders, again, step on the band in a squat position. Hold onto the handles palms up and by your shoulders. Use your quads to power your arms/shoulders up over your head into an overhead press.

By setting your alarm clock just 20 minutes earlier (or using just a little bit of your television viewing time), you can easily get a complete workout by using things around your hotel room and a resistance band.

And, of course, don't forget to pack your running or walking shoes. Almost all travel destinations have a sidewalk and places to explore!