The Quick Hotel Workout
October 27, 2014 // Fitness, Wellness
6 Days. 19 states. 4,200 miles. My cross-country road trip was taxing on my body, especially sitting for most of each day. I needed to create a quick workout I could use at any hotel. Here’s what helped me keep my strength on the road.
My dad and I made the trek from Warren, Rhode Island to Los Angeles, California earlier this month. I was optimistic that I could find a way to exercise, but I had no way of knowing how. Luckily, all the hotels we stayed in had some sort of fitness center.
Things became tricky since each fitness center had its own take on gym equipment. Some only had cardio equipment. Some had no free weights. One had a Smith Machine, which was a nice surprise. Ironically, almost every fitness center had an overhead bar that could be used for pull-ups. It was clear I needed to be flexible with my exercise selection, so I put together a simple strategy for my hotel workouts. It went as follows:
———————————————-
My Quick Hotel Workout Strategy
5-8 Rounds
3-4 Exercises
(1 Push, 1 Pull, 1-2 Lower Body)
6 Repetitions Per Exercise
Rest half the time of the circuit duration
(2:1 /Work:Rest)
———————————————-
I made two separate workouts so I could be prepared for any fitness center ensemble. The first workout requires a heavy set of dumbbells. The second workout is a bodyweight circuit. Both follow the same variables listed in the strategy. The idea behind the strategy was efficiency. As much as I would have loved a solid hour of exercising, we had a schedule to keep. My workouts had to be finished within 30 minutes, so this strategy allowed me to work the compound movements in a timely fashion. As a bonus, performing this type of strength circuit will challenge your respiratory system.
I highly recommend using either of these workouts on your next travels:
———————————————-
Workout #1
Dumbbell Strength Circuit
*5 Rounds
*4 Exercises
Goblet Squats
Push Presses
Bent Over Rows
Deadlifts
*6 Repetitions Per Exercise
*Rest half the time of the circuit duration
———————————————-
———————————————-
Workout #2
Calisthenic Strength Circuit
*8 Rounds
*3 Exercises
Chin-Ups
Push-Ups (or Dips)
Bulgarian Split Squats
*6 Repetitions Per Exercise
*Rest half the time of the circuit duration
———————————————-
Notes
*Workout #2 was supposed to be one video sequence. Assume there is no rest between all 3 exercises.
*Yes, I had this filmed inside of my gym in Los Angeles. I didn’t have time to make a gigantic selfie video set-up on the road.