#BaptistHealthy In Motion: Exercise on the Go

It can be hard to stick to your fitness routine while traveling.  Chantis Mantilla, Ph.D., community health manager at Baptist Health South Florida, offers a few tips for maintaining your fitness routine while you’re on the road.

• Kick-off your day with this easy total body circuit training, incorporating strength, balance and flexibility (see video and text below).
• Warm-up by marching in place for a few minutes and complete 2 to 3 rounds of 10 to 12 repetitions.
• Take stretching and walking breaks every 20 minutes.
• Research the hotel or nearby fitness facilities and pack accordingly.
• Bring your workout gear with you. 

Video by George Carvalho and Irina de Souza

The first exercise, known as the Balance Trifecta, focuses on frontal, lateral and back leg raises to strengthen the muscles in your hips, thighs and legs. These exercises are easy to do, but it is important to use proper form to prevent injury.

Exercise 1:  Balance Trifecta

• While standing straight, keep your feet shoulder-width apart with hands on your waist.
• Lift your right leg (front, side, behind) while squeezing your abdominals and glutes — then lower your leg.
• Raise your left leg and lower it, then return to the initial position.
• Repeat frontal, side and back movement 10-15 times on each leg.
• Remember to keep your abdominals engaged.
• Avoid bending forward at the torso during the exercise.

The second exercise, known as the Squat to Overhead Press, fires up all your biggest muscle groups at once and gets your heart rate up. This exercise targets shoulders, abdominals, glutes, hamstrings and calves.

Tips:

• Avoid locking knees; avoid knees passing your toes.
• Engage abdomen throughout the movement.
• Gaze forward and maintain a straight back.
• Squeeze pelvic floor throughout and use the power from your squat to drive the movement.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together and down your back at the bottom of every rep.

Exercise 2: Squat to Overhead Press

• Stand up straight with your core tight.
• Keep your head and chest high as you drop down into reverse lunge while performing biceps curl.
• Lower your hands and rotate your chest to face front, return to standing.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold your fists at each shoulder (or can use water bottle, resistance bands or dumbbells if available), elbows pointing down.
• Bend your knees and push your hips down and back, as if sitting in a chair.
• Push through your heels to stand while pressing the weights overhead until your arms are straight.
• 10-12 repetitions.

The third exercise, Step, Twist and Curl, is a reverse lunge and biceps curl. The exercise targets biceps, core, obliques, quads, hamstrings and glutes.

Tips:                          

• Stand up straight with your core tight.
• Keep your head and chest high as you drop down into reverse lunge while performing biceps curl.
• Lower your hands and rotate your chest to face front, return to standing.

Exercise 3:  Step, Twist and Curl!

• Hold your fists (can use water bottles, dumbbells, resistance band) at your sides and stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Step back with your left foot, and bend both knees to lower your body until your right knee is bent at least 90 degrees.
• Rotate your upper body toward your right leg and curl to your chest.
• Your arms come straight as you raise back up to the starting position.
• 10-12 repetitions on each side.

For more information on free wellness classes and healthy lifestyle tips please check out our Community Health page at BaptistHealth.net/wellness.

Tags: exercise & fitness