Holistic Fitness Practitioner

Sunday 30 November 2014

The Hotel Room Work Out

You're busy and on the road, travelling from one hotel to the next.  You have been sitting in meetings all day, your body is tired, and unmotivated when you finally return to the hotel. So before you head for a drink or sit in front of the TV for the rest of the night, motivate yourself to do some basic exercises that require only your body weight.  In 20 minutes you can get your blood pumping through your body and you will begin to feel energized and re-motivated. 

If you don't like exercising at night try this work out first thing in the morning to give yourself a jumpstart, begin the day feeling energized, and clear headed to make it through the meetings. 

Follow this routine and complete 2-5 sets in a circuit format. Rest 60-90 sec after each set and take no more than 15 sec between each exercise. Remember that form matters more than the number of reps completed. Only complete exercises to form failure not a specific number.  

1. Squat to 1/4 Squat
  • reps 10-15
  • tempo 2.1.2.1
  • 1 rep includes full squat and the 1/4 squat
2. Push Ups 
  • reps 8-15 reps
  • tempo 2.0.1.0
3. Squat Hops to Soft Landing
  • reps 8-12 reps
  • tempo 2.x.x.0
4. Push Ups Narrow Arms 
  • reps 8-15
  • tempo 2.0.1.0
5. Plank Position with Torso Rotation
  • reps 5-10 each side
  • tempo 2.0.2.0
6. Side Plank Holds
  • reps 2-4x each side
  • tempo 15-30sec holds
7. Horse Stance Dynamic 
  • reps 10-15 each side
  • tempo 1.1.1.1
8. Prone Cobra
  • reps 5-9 total
  • tempo 10sec hold, 5sec relax

*A NOTE ON TEMPO

Tempo is in seconds. 2.1.2.1. The first number means it should take you 2 seconds on the downward or eccentric part of the movement as in the dropping of a squat.  The second number represents the pause at the bottom of the movement, so how long you hold at the bottom of the squat isometrically.  The third number represent the upward or concentric part of the movement, and the fourth number represents the pause at the top of the movement or the reset position. So a 2.1.2.1 tempo for a squat should take you 2 seconds to drop into the squat, 1 sec count pause at the bottom, 2 seconds to come back up in the squat and then a 1 sec reset at the top before you perform your next rep. 

Squat to 1/4 Squat

Start with feet shoulder width apart and toes facing straight forward or slightly pointed outward.  Drop into a full squat (past 90 degrees) then come up 1/4 distance or just above 90 degrees then drop back into full squat then stand all the way up.

Push Ups

Start in a plank position from your hands with neutral spine (hip, shoulders are in a straight line, head in neutral as well).  Drop down and make sure to get a full range of motion, dropping the torso past a 90 degree elbow bend. If this is too difficult do it from your knees.

Squat Hops to Soft Landing

Start in same position as squat above.  Then you are going to drop down into a squat to 90 degrees and then hop, just high enough that your toes come off the floor. When landing you want to make as little noise as possible and end in the 90 degree to 1/4 squat position making sure that your legs are doing the absorbing. Link the hops together with the squat for best results.

Push Ups Narrow Arms

Start in plank position from your hands with neutral spine (hip, shoulders are in a straight line, head in neutral as well).  This time your elbows will be close to your sides as if you are squeezing a piece of paper between your arm and side. Drop down and make sure to get a full range of motion, dropping the torso past a 90 degree elbow bend. If this is too difficult do it from your knees.

Plank Position with Torso Rotation

Start in a plank position with forearms on the floor with elbows lined up directly under your shoulders.   Make sure the head and spine are in neutral.  From here go into a slightly wider foot base than normal, being sure to stack the heels over the toes.  Then you are going to rotate over one shoulder and extend the opposite arm until the fingers point up to the sky.  Try your best to get your shoulders stacked. Also as you rotate attempt to keep the heels stacked over the toes.  If this is too difficult do it from your knees.

Side Plank Holds

Lie on your side with your elbow directly under your shoulder and your legs extended straight so you have a straight line from your ear, through shoulder, hip, knee and ankle.  Once you are lined up press your side up to the sky keeping your alignment.  Once their look straight forward and hold.  You can extend the top arm to the sky as well.  If this is too difficult bend the knees to 90 degrees.

Horse Stance Dynamic

Begin on hands and knees. Be sure to keep the hips stacked over the knees, and shoulders stacked over the wrists.  Keep elbows pointed straight back towards the thighs through entire exercise.  Make sure you are in a neutral spine with belly button drawn toward spine.  Extend opposite arm and leg so that they both go into full extension. Then bring them back towards your centre trying to touch your elbow to your knee. Keep your hips and shoulders horizontal to the ground.  Do one side at a time.

Prone Cobra

Lie face down with arms at side palms on floor, with toes together and heels apart, lift head, torso and arms off floor as high as you can, keep chest open by externally rotating at the shoulder so palms face outward, and keep head in neutral don’t flex neck backwards, keep glutes (butt) relaxed so that toes stay together on floor and heels maintain separation from each other.