#BaptistHealthy In Motion: Exercise on the Go

It can be hard to stick to yourfitness routine while traveling.  ChantisMantilla, Ph.D., community health manager at Baptist Health South Florida,offers a few tips for maintaining yourfitness 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 feetshoulder-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, thenreturn to the initial position.
• Repeat frontal, side and back movement10-15 times on each leg.
• Remember to keep your abdominals engaged.
• Avoid bending forward at the torso duringthe 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 lockingknees; avoid knees passing your toes.
• Engage abdomenthroughout the movement.
• Gaze forward andmaintain a straight back.
• Squeeze pelvic floorthroughout and use the power from your squat to drive the movement.
• Squeeze yourshoulder blades together and down your back at the bottom of every rep.

Exercise 2: Squat to Overhead Press

• Stand up straight withyour core tight.
• Keep your head and chesthigh as you drop down into reverse lunge while performing biceps curl.
• Lower your handsand rotate your chest to face front, return to standing.
• Stand with your feet shoulder-widthapart and hold your fists at each shoulder (or can use water bottle, resistancebands or dumbbells if available), elbows pointing down.
• Bend your knees and push your hipsdown and back, as if sitting in a chair.
• Push through your heels to stand while pressing the weightsoverhead 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 withyour core tight.
• Keep your head and chesthigh as you drop down into reverse lunge while performing biceps curl.
• Lower your handsand 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 standwith your feet hip-width apart.
• Step back withyour left foot, and bend both knees to lower your body until your right knee isbent at least 90 degrees.
• Rotate your upperbody toward your right leg and curl to your chest.
• Your arms come straightas you raise back up to the starting position.
• 10-12 repetitions on each side.

For moreinformation on free wellness classes and healthy lifestyle tips please checkout our Community Health page at BaptistHealth.net/wellness.