Healthy On The Road :: Hotel Hallway Exercises

[trip style = any]

{Editor's Note: This month I was talking with Leah, Trip Styler's Healthy On The Road'er about the many ways to stay fit while traveling, and inspired by bootcamp-style workouts using any space for exercise, we both agreed that beyond using the gym, pool or running outdoors, the hotel hallway is a great venue for a routine.}

Your hotel hallway: one more way to stay healthy on the road, one more reason to leave your excuses at home! At HOTR we've suggested how to stay fit without leaving your hotel room, now we challenge you to expand your territory---into the hallway! Crazy? Not really, read on...

How

• Circuit training can be challenging in a hotel room. In the hallway, you can more easily incorporate exercises such as lunges, squat pliés, moving jumping jacks, crab walks/bear crawls, leap frogs and of course the trusty band {just be sure to secure it on YOUR door handle!}
• Pick at least three exercises and perform each for 30 secs to 1 min {repeat 3 to 5 times}
• Brave this new frontier with a partner, and take turns leading a new exercise
• Incorporate the stairways into your circuit {e.g. power walk every level of your hotel and the flights of stairs in between (more challenge: go up the stairs by 2)---no elevator allowed!}

Reasons To Try The Hallway

• More space to move faster {the higher your heart rate…the better/more efficient your workout}
• Rarely filled with people
• Great for circuit training
• Opportunity to perform continuous reps

Beware of

• Making your neighbours feel lazy
• Raising unnecessary alarm when spotted lunging down the hallway
• Crab walking into the cleaning cart

So, if you can muster up the courage to take the step over the threshold, you may just discover a few more ways to stay HOTR.

{When she’s not training clients or being trained by her dog Zuzu, Leah writesHealthy on the Road, published the first Wednesday of every month.}

More Healthy On The Road Exercises For The Rhythms Of Life 5 Reasons To Go Summer Hiking Back At It Give The Pool A Chance – A Workout In The Water The 20-min Exercise Itinerary Healthy DIY Plane Snacks Hotel Room Exercises {You can do in your underwear}

[photo by @tripstyler]

The Savvy Traveler :: Marissa

[trip style = active & adventure + wine tasting + beach]

Marissa is a loyal student of any task she takes on---be it fashion design, tai chi, triathlons or travel. After a recent e-introduction to this 29-year-old traveler, I was impressed by her energy, drive and the personal challenge she set to visit 30 countries by the time she's 30. A serious athlete her whole life, she doesn't let jetsetting slow down her pace, in fact, the local forms of working out she picks up along the way only add to her active lifestyle and fuel ideas for her business. Nine to five she's a fashion designer who studied in Italy and at the Parsons School of Design in NYC, and has since founded her own line of activewear. Now at the helm of BORELLI Design she creates apparel inspired by her life on the go. Meet April's Savvy Traveler, Marissa, and find her online on Twitter and Facebook!

1/ Your top 3 trip styles and why?
[trip style = active & adventure] I have trouble relaxing, even when I’m on vacation. The best places I’ve visited so far for fitness and adventure are New Zealand; Moab, Utah; Vietnam {hiking the rice patties in the hilltop village of Sapa is a killer workout} and Lake Tahoe, California.

[trip style = wine tasting] I never pass up a wine tasting trip. In Napa we stop by two to three wineries post spa at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn or Indian Springs Resort.

[trip style = beach] Out of the 29 countries I’ve visited, so far 23 have involved a day or week at the beach. Anguilla and Captiva Island {off of Florida} have the softest sand I’ve ever felt. My mind is clearer and more creative when I’m near the water. I run or walk along the beach daily in San Diego.

2/ How do you stay in shape while traveling?
I stretch while waiting to board my flight or do squats in the hallways. My favorite way to see a new place is to explore on a run or a hike. I see getting lost in a destination as a good thing, and often find local gems off the beaten path. I refuse to go to the gym while traveling. Instead I try out the local workouts, for example, in India I took a yoga class and attended Laughing Club {works all the muscles in your belly while teaching you why Indian people are so happy}.

3/ What is the ONE THING, you won't travel without?
A Borelli scarf. It's the most versatile accessory I own. On the plane I use it as a scarf or a blanket---airline blankets are useless and scratchy. If I'm at the beach, its built-in SPF 20 provides sun protection. Post hike or waterfall jump I throw it on as a skirt or dress and it dries in minutes! While I'm away, I wash it in my hotel room's shower or sink and lay it out to dry. The more you wash it the softer it becomes!

4/ Last trip, next trip & what destination{s} are on your radar?
Last trip: Cabo San Lucas. We stayed at the Villa La Estancia for a week. I took the SUP (stand up paddle board) out daily and we celebrated my 29th birthday dancing on a boat at sunset.

Next Trip: Belize. Four days in a resort, three days at a yoga retreat. I will be researching textiles for Spring/Summer 2013 and attempting to relax.

On my radar: Completing the 30 by 30 challenge in Iceland. I’m excited to hike a glacier and volcano in the same day.

5/ Either/or...
Beach or pool? Beach, no question. The perfect combination would be a hot tub in the sand after a swim or wakeboarding session.

Mojito or margarita? Mojito. We grow our own mint because we like as much and mint and lime as the tongue can handle, with just a pinch of sugar.

Big or boutique hotel? Boutique. The smaller the better. In Mykonos we were the only people at the hotel and were invited to dine with the owners! It felt like our own home.

Walk or cab? I rarely take cabs, even when I lived in NYC.

Checked bag or carry-on? A bright red Swiss Army carry-on I picked up in London. I spent five weeks in New Zealand, Australia and India with only a carry-on!

More Savvy Travelers
Jason, Living To Travel
Shaun, Packing Like A Rock Star
Christina, Taking Care Of Biz

{If you know anyone who should be featured in our once-monthly The Savvy Traveler series, drop us a line!}

[photo c/o marissa]

Healthy on the Road :: Nordic Walking

[trip style = active]

Have Poles Will Travel Nope, we're not talking about traveling to the Sweden or Norway to walk 'till you drop, but rather packing collapsible poles in your suitcase for an efficient and effective travel workout! The term “Urban Poling” has caught on as the practice of Nordic Walking in urban centres. But walking poles aren’t confined to urban use---whether your travels take you on city streets, seawalls, or a hike through the Himalayas, a pair of poles can go with you.

The Reputation is on the Rise Nordic Walking is an activity that has been practiced in Scandinavia for years and is true to the Scandinavian reputation for commonsense and healthy living. The good news is that the trend is quickly catching on in North America and participation is on the rise. Without walking any harder or faster, people report feeling more energetic when walking with poles---not too shabby for a full-body workout that doesn’t leave you sweating profusely or short of breath.

Benefits of Urban Poling

• Easy to pack: Collapsible, telescoping poles can conveniently be tossed into your suitcase.
• Convenient: You need to walk every day, so why not pack your poles and add the additional benefits of upper body strengthening.
• Easy to learn: Urban Poling is simple and suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.
• Efficient: Nordic walking increases caloric energy expenditure by approx. 20%.
• Core strengthening:  The selling feature for many! Poling engages your core and improves strength and posture.
• Easier on your joints: Urban Poling reduces stress on your joints, especially your knees.
• Readiness: Hit-up the cross-country ski season already in shape---now you're fully channelling the Scandinavian ideal!

Note: For those with mobility challenges, recovering from an injury, or dealing with a chronic condition such as arthritis, Urban Poles can provide you with the additional stability and support you need. If you fit into any of these categories it is recommended you consult with a physical or occupational therapist before commencing a poling program.

If you would like more info, assistance in ordering and purchasing, or a 1:1 consult before travelling, please contact Leah Munday at OTfit. Learn more about Nordic Walking and purchasing a pair of poles at Urban Poling.

[Healthy on the Road posts are published on the first Thursday of every month.]