Hey Everyone!
You’ve probably read your fair share of vacation content over the past few months, but today we’re talking road trips as we wind down summer and squeeze in those last minute getaways! As we’re all too familiar, vacation time often means facing the stress of being out of our normal fitness and health routines. In past blogs, we’ve discussed topics like staying on track on vacation, but today we want to talk about how we can get in that physical activity- especially when we’re extra limited on space and resources! That’s the nature of all road trips, but we can still find some ways to get some movement in that will help you power through the journey!
Extended car rides can be tough on your body. You might feel cramped and stiff, and even get headaches and fatigue from being in the car for too long. Really- how is it possible to get so tired and sore from sitting all day?
Well, the best way to avoid these common complaints is to get your blood moving in any way possible. Here are some sourced ideas that we love:
On the Road:
With the following moves, you won’t even need to pull over (unless you’re the driver of course)!
Isometric holds: While sitting up tall, pull your belly button into your spine. Hold for 2 breaths and slowly release. Repeat 5 times to get the core activated and abs working.
Glute Presses: Squeeze your glutes together as hard as you can for 5-10 seconds and release. For a little extra work, place something soft between your legs, like a travel pillow to really activate the inner thighs.
Seated Side Bend: Sit tall, with your hands behind your head and your fingers clasped. While keeping your spine straight, slowly bend to the right. The more you bend, the deeper the stretch on your side. Hold for a short increment of time. Coming back into a neutral position, switch to the left side. Repeat for a desired number of sets.
At a Pitstop:
Make sure that at any stop you’re utilizing the time and space to get some blood flowing. In a few short stops, you’ll practically have a full workout in!
Lunges: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. While engaging your core, step forward with your right leg. Start to shift your weight forward so the heel hits the floor. Lower your body until the right thigh is parallel to the floor. If mobility allows, lightly tap the left knee to the floor while keeping weight in the right heel. Press into the right heel to come back up in a starting position.
Rear-enders: With your chest lifted and core engaged, lift your knees high to tap your toe to the bumper of your car. Move quickly, alternating each leg. Keep tapping your toe to the bumper for a short increment of time. Repeat for a desired number of sets.
Marching with High knees: Lift your knees higher and march faster to make this exercise more of a challenge. If space is available, consider marching around the parking lot or a nearby grassy area to get your heart rate up. Start with a few minutes and build up from there.
If you’re going on a road trip soon, we hope some of these tricks work for you! Whether you’re headed off to some outdoor adventure, or you’re ditching your fitness routine for the week, let’s keep our bodies moving in the small ways that we can so that we can feel great all vacation long!
