The Traveler’s Workout

As always, check with your physician before beginning an exercise program.

Intended Audience:

The purpose of this workout is to provide a simple exercise option for those who travel frequently and wish to remain consistent with their exercise regimen. One of the biggest challenges to fitness success is a work schedule that varies on a weekly basis and involves heavy travel. Having a workout plan that can be performed anywhere, with easy to travel fitness equipment, allows us to stay on track despite our varied, hurried lifestyles.

Goal of this program:

The goal of this program is to strengthen all major muscle groups and to enhance cardiovascular fitness, if desired.

This exercise routine alternates cardiovascular training (via jump roping) with strength training, using short time intervals of 30 seconds to one and a half minutes. If you have not used a jump rope in quite some time, you will be surprised to note how very difficult it is! Jump roping is a “plyometric” exercise which results in both feet leaving the floor, requiring a secondary absorption of the impact, and then a repeated “re-jump.” This pattern of jump, absorb impact, jump again, is ideal for athletes and runners, but is quite good for all exercisers to get a “high intensity” cardiovascular workout. Like all fitness regimens, even jump roping will become easy if you practice it frequently enough. However, due to the high intensity nature of jump roping, it is only recommended for fitness enthusiasts in good cardiovascular condition, who are experienced at working at the high end of their Target Heart Rate Training Zone.

If you wish to use jump roping for your cardio fitness, work up slowly to high intensity exercise by pushing yourself for short periods of time on the treadmill, bike or other cardio equipment so that your heart rate is at the high end of your Target Heart Rate Zone- 80-85% intensity. For more information on your Target Heart Rate Zone, see pop-up window.

If you do not wish to include cardiovascular exercise, just follow the Strength Training Exercises below, performing as many sets of each exercise as you would normally perform with your at-home/gym exercise routine. In other words, if you are a new exerciser, perform one set of each exercise; intermediate to advanced can perform 2-3 sets as desired. Should there be an exercise which is too challenging for your current fitness level, merely skip it and move on to the next exercise.

Frequency: N/A

Duration: N/A

Tools:

You will need an elastic tube with handles, an elastic band for the ankles and a heavy jump rope made of thick rope or plastic (if cardiovascular conditioning is desired in addition to strength training).

Instructions for the Cardio/Strength Interval Program:

1. Begin with a gentle warmup of:
   • Woodchopper
   • Cross Body Reach
   • Standing Rotations
2. Then, going in the order shown below, perform 30 second – to 1 ½ minutes intervals of jump roping in between two consecutive strength exercises shown below. It is not necessary to perform more than two sets of each if you are alternating them with jump-roping.The order below may be slightly different than you may be used to; it is designed to keep you from having to get down on the floor in between every jump rope interval. Where it is necessary to get down on the floor, be aware that your heart rate will still be elevated, and if necessary, take a moment to allow your heart rate to decrease before you go to the floor.Over time, as you become more accustomed to the jump roping intensity, increase the interval of the jump roping to one minute, and then up to 1 ½ minutes.

Strength Training Exercises:

1. Standing Row – Elastic Tubing- both arms- 12-15 reps
2. Standing Elastic Sidewalk – 10 steps in each direction.
3. Plank Holds – 15-45 secs
4. Standing Chest Press – Elastic Tubing – 12 reps
5. Stationary Lunges – 10 reps per leg
6. Standing 1 Arm Row – elastic tubing – 10 reps per arm
7. Biceps Curls – elastic tubing – 10 reps per arm
8. Goblet Squats – 12 reps

The remainder of the exercises will be on the floor. You may discontinue jump roping if you do not want to go to the floor with a slightly elevated heart rate.

1. Single Leg Bridges – 10 reps/leg
2. Push-Ups – 10-12 reps.
3. Dead Bugs – 20 reps
4. Cool down your body with an extended period of stretching

As with any exercise routine, a proper cool-down and period of extended stretching is necessary post exercise. If you have used the jump rope, make sure to stretch the calves well, as jump roping works the calves quite a bit.

Note: all exercises are described in the Exercise Encyclopedia section of this website.