I'm not a believer in excuses, especially when it comes to fitness and exercise. If you simply don't want to get up and get your sweat one, fine. Just be honest and say so.
But spare me the laundry list of excuses for why you 'can't' or why you 'just don't have time.' Even if that exercise is only 15 to 20 solid, Badass-to-the-wall minutes on a hectic day, find a way to fit it in. It's better than having done nothing at all.
When you have a fitness strength or weight loss goal or a competitive race coming up, finding time is especially important if your job requires regular travel.
Your exercise and fitness routine needs to be just that: a routine, done regularly. No matter where your job requires you to be, or for how long.
A fellow Badass who travels frequently for work recently asked me about the best strategies for being a "Road Warrior," or a Badass on the Go. So today I share several suggestions, and a "hotel room workout," for all of you Traveling Badasses. (No, not THAT kind, Badasses! Geez get yer minds outta the gutter!)
This workout uses your body weight and a couple of typical finds in a hotel room: A desk chair and an ottoman. If your temporary digs have a great or even decent workout room, even better. Use it. And zip it with the excuses!
Ok, here we go:
Road Warrior 101
- Research: Before you book your hotel, research its workout facility. Some hotels have pretty Badass offerings that will ensure you can stick to your home routine. And research the surroundings: Are there good running routes nearby?
- Get it out of the way: If you're there on business, odds are the day begins with breakfast and is busy with meetings through dinner. So take advantage of the front desk wake-up call and set it early enough that you can fit in at least a brief workout before the day starts.
- Don't veer too from your home diet: If you usually have a banana, a protein shake or protein bar before you workout, bring a supply along to last for your trip -- or buy some when you arrive and stash it in the hotel mini-fridge. If you usual eat oatmeal for breakfast, make it in your hotel room with an oatmeal packet, one of those coffee mugs they supply, and hot water from the in-room coffee maker (Just pour water in and turn the power on, leaving the coffee and coffee filter out). And when you're having that client or boss dinner, consider the next morning's workout plans as you consider another glass of wine or a heavy entree.
- Make do, be flexible, and be creative: Listen, the travel and work gods may well conspire against you during your trip. So it's up to you to find that inner Badass mojo and just make do. Maybe that means waking up earlier than usual or ending the day with a workout -- or doing a "quickie" in between that last afternoon meeting and the working dinner. Whatever. Just find time, even if it's only 15 or 20 minutes.
- Pack toys: Those resistance bands and smaller bands don't take up space in your luggage or carry-on. They fit right into your briefcase, in fact. So pack them and use them.
Side lunges, biceps curls, shoulders -- the possibilities are endless. All from the comfort of your hotel room.
OK, now let's get to work with this Badass Road Warrior Workout:
1. Pushups, 25: Do regular pushups, knees up off the ground, or do pushups with knees on the ground.
2. 30 seconds of high knees, 30 seconds of mountain climbers
3. Tricep dips, 25: Using the desk chair as your 'bench', put your palms at the
edge of the chair (fingers facing forward, elbows close to your side.) Do 25 dips, keeping your legs out front with knees slightly bent and your butt close to the chair.
4. 30 jumping jacks
5. Descending pushups, 25: Put your feet up on the ottoman and walk your hands out on the floor until you're in pushup position. Do 25, keeping your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
6. 30 seconds of jump lunges
7. Descending tricep pushups, 25: With your feet on the ottoman, get into pushup position except keep your hands closer together. Lower down and push back up with control, feeling the work in your triceps more than your chest.
8. Squats, 50: With feet hip width apart and the chest up, lower down into a deep squat and come back up for 50 reps.
9. Alternating lunges, 50: Start in a standing position, feet hip width apart. Step the right foot forward and lower into a lunge. Your torso should be upright, and make sure your knee isn't bending over your toes as you lunge. Step back into starting position and lunge with the left. Do a total of 50, or 25 on each side.
10. Clock lunges, 25 each leg: Imagine you're standing in the middle of a clock. Lunge forward with the right leg into '12 o'clock.' Step back and lunge the right leg to the right side, or '3 o'clock.' Now lunge it back to 6 o'clock, and last lunge it back and to the left - 9 o'clock. That's one rep. Do 24 more.
Repeat for 25 reps on the left leg.
11. Jump lunges/split jump, 30 seconds: Start in a lunge position, right foot lunging forward. Jump up, and in the air switch your legs so that you land with the left foot lunging forward. Keep the chest up, jumping with control.
Now repeat the circuit once or twice more, depending on when that meeting is.
And if they're serving fruit and danish at that meeting, opt for the fruit. Your
Badass will thank you for it!
Coming tomorrow: How Badass is your Workplace?
