Staying Fit on the Road

I get a kick out the emotional attachment people connect to their fitness routines and the specific equipment used. Although I admit to the benefits and my own satisfaction in lifting weights they are such a small part of the picture. In our superficial, "Madison Ave", ruled mentality we are driven to stand out physically. I have parent's coming to me wanting to get their child the needed tools to lead the pack, assuming that the magic pill is weightlifting. My reply shocks them and turns many of them to find a trainer who will tell them that 4 weeks of weight training is going to make their son, grow, get faster, become more skilled, be more aggressive and dominate his peers in his chosen sport. The sad fact about that is they will find a trainer with that ignorant belief sooner than later. My approach is to improve the movement skills (speed, agility and quickness), core strength and functional strength combined with sport specific skill work, if there is any(soccer players need ball skill work while football linemen don't have much skill work . This is all done with minimal equipment (stability balls, medicine balls, mini hurdles, pull-up bar, kettlebells) and maximum variety.

What has this to do with training on the road? I'm getting there now. I have all my clients perform exercises enhancing their athleticism regardless if they are a soccer mom or a golfing 80 year old grandfather because it what we all need , it is fun and the results are fantastic. All of my clients, athletes through grandmothers, perform personalized " Dynamic Wake Up Exercises" that prepare the body and mind for its day. These routines primarily focus on flexibility, core strength, balance, mobility, and a still, focused mind for control and precision of movement and are done with no equipment. For athletes and more ambitious clients the functional strength work and plyometrics are increased to create a vigorous warm-up for them but would be considered a bone jarring torture for others.

With the above repertoire on hand training on the road is not a hassle but an adventure. Recently my daughter, who is a college soccer player, had surgery on her ankle and needed me to nurse her for a couple of days. Not feeling at home in the dorms, I opted for a room at the local Red Lion. Once I got my first break of the day I went to check out "The Exercise Facility". Wow, was I ever blown away. 1 treadmill, 1 stair climber, 1 recumbent bike, 1 weight bench, 1 - 20# dumbbell in this 20 x 15 ft room. Although a bit sparse in equipment there was plenty of space to exercise. I went back to the room and quickly wrote down a workout.

Dynamic Warm-up:

- Hip X-overs x 20 each
- Scorpion x 20 each
- Ankle Dorsiflexions x 20 each
- Body Weight 1 Leg Deadlifts x 20 each
- Alternating 1 Leg Quad/Hip Flexor stretch x 20 each
- Inchworms with a 4 point extension x 10
- Wall Drill/Marches x 20 each
- Stationary Quick Skips x 20 each
- Stationary Carioca x 20 each
- Stationary 2 Inch Runs x 20 seconds
- Alt. Knee Hug Front Lunge & Reach x 20 each
- Alt. Back Lunge & Twist x 20 each
- Alt. lateral Lunge x 20 each
- Alt. Drop Lunge x 20 each

As you can see I believe strongly in the need for a thorough warm-up and this basic Optimal Performance Fitness warm-up does the trick. I go through this warm-up in 12-15 minutes. On a day too busy to get in a workout this performed upon waking serves me well. If you try this on your own you will no longer doubt the possibility of a quality 15 minute work out. This is not only a warm-up but it is the most effective part of a necessary flexibility component in your fitness approach.

Now onto the workout. I created a circuit of exercises alternating between antagonistic and upper and lower body muscle groups. Keep in mind that although the primary movers are located in one part of the body the whole body is involved in all these exercise stabilizing and holding the positions. I set the weight bench at the end of the tread mill to put my feet on while I held the rails to perform horizontal rows. The hindu squats w/ alternating front raise is a modified hindu squat raising the heel but maintaining your body weight centered in your hips while starting the front raise with palms inward and working the motion like kettlebell work. 1 leg stances work on your balance, core strength and hip stability.

Hindu Squats w/ Alt. Front Raise 20# x 20 each ( 40 squats, 20 each, alternating front raises)
Hip Rotations x 20 seconds
1 Leg Hindu Push-ups x 20 each
Single Deadlift w/ 20# DB x 15 each
1 Foot Lateral Quck Feet Hops x 20 seconds each
Alt. 1 Leg, Oppsite Arm Snatch 20# x 10 each
1 Leg Push-ups w/ Alt. 1 arm Lateral Bridge x 10 each side
6 Point Front Bridge- 3 1/2 minutes total
Alt. Front Lunges w/ Single Arm Curl & Press 20# x 15 each
Concentration Crunches x 50
Straight Leg Jumps x 20
Plyometric Push-Ups x 12
Horizontal Rows x 25
Alt. Lunge Jumps x 10 each
Plyometric Push-Ups x 12
Horizontal Row x 25
Knee Tuck Squat Jumps x
Plyometric Push-Ups x 12
Horizontal Rows x 25
Multi-Directional Lunge Circuit (Front, Back, Lateral, Drop, Diagonal) x 20 each

Cool Down: 10 minutes of compound stretches using 10 repetitions for each side with a 2-3 second hold.

This workout took 30 minutes with 30 second rests between exercises used any time I was light headed or having excessive lactic burning. I was in need of a particularly intense training session and didn't feel slighted in the least with this minimally equipped facility. This is a good example of what can be done at home, in the yard, at the beach, in a park or in a hotel room. Find a level that is right for you, adapt to your situation and get in some type of physical activity every day.