Weekends are best spent road-tripping somewhere new (or revisiting your favorite spots over and over). But hours spent in the car can be rough on your body and throw your fitness routine off-course.
We teamed up with Conor Murphy and Austin Malleolo, coaches at Reebok CrossFit world headquarters, to create a combo of stretches and bodyweight exercises you can do on the road. These moves can be done in a parking lot, at a rest stop, or at your final destination to keep your body in tip-top shape.
Full-body road-trip workout routine
Stretching exercises
If you’re just feeling stiff or sore, stretch it out with these exercises. Hold each move for 30 seconds and complete 2–3 sets:
Strength exercises
If you just want to bust out a quick bodyweight workout, perform 10–15 reps of these exercises for 2–3 sets:
Have time for the whole shebang? Perform all 7 exercises in order for 2–3 sets for a complete total-body workout.
1. Hatch hip stretch
All that sitting doesn’t do your hips any good.
How to do it:
- Start with the rear hatch open.
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, lift right leg up, and lay shin across the trunk, parallel to the bumper. (Knee should be as much in line with ankle as possible.)
- Lean forward slightly (as far as flexibility will allow) to feel a deep stretch along your outer right hip.
Hold for about 30 seconds, then switch legs.
2. Trunk hamstring stretch
Loosen up your legs in just a few minutes.
How to do it:
- With the hatch open, stand facing the car and lift right leg so heel rests on the edge of the trunk.
- With core engaged, lean forward as far as possible until you feel a stretch along the back of right leg.
Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds. Then stretch left leg.
Pro tip: You can use the trunk door for support if needed.
3. Hatch back stretch
When your back body needs some love, try this move.
How to do it:
- Open the hatch and stand facing the car, about 2 feet from the back.
- With a slight bend in knees, hinge at hips and raise arms overhead to grab the bottom of the door.
- Send hips back and lower chest toward the ground until you feel a stretch along your back and through your lats and hamstrings.
Hold for around 30 seconds.
4. Elevated push-up
When you’re on the road, a regular push-up just won’t do. This elevated version offers an added challenge, which means fewer reps and more time for fun.
How to do it:
- Open one or both of the car doors.
- Start in a high plank position with wrists under shoulders and feet resting on the floor of the car, keeping core engaged so your body forms a straight line from head to toe.
- Slowly lower chest down to the ground, keeping elbows tucked in toward ribs (not splayed out wide).
- Press back up to the starting position and repeat.
Try completing 2 or 3 sets of 10–15 reps.
5. Air squat
Don’t just park your butt in the seat. Work your butt during breaks with a set of squats.
How to do it:
- Stand with feet just wider than hip width, with hips stacked over knees and knees over ankles.
- Extend arms straight out for balance.
- Send hips back and bend knees to lower your body.
- Keeping chest lifted, squat until knees are bent to 90 degrees or lower. Rise and repeat.
Go for gold by performing up to 15 reps. Aim for 3 sets.
6. Wheel sit-up
Feel like you’re spinning your wheels? Give this move a try.
How to do it:
- Lie faceup on the ground with knees bent and toes tucked under either side of one wheel to help lock down your feet.
- Place fingertips lightly behind ears (but be sure not to pull on your neck).
- Press your low back into the ground and engage your core to lift shoulder blades and back up toward knees. Slowly lower back down, one vertebra at a time.
See if you can do 10–15 reps for 3 sets.
7. Bulgarian split squat
Before you’re ready to split and head to the next stop, it’s time for a split squat.
How to do it:
- Start with the hatch open, facing away from the car, about 2 feet from the back bumper.
- Reach your right leg back and rest toes on the edge of the trunk.
- Keeping core engaged and back tall, bend left knee to lower your body until left thigh is about parallel to the ground and right shin forms a parallel line with your back.
- Press into right heel to drive back up to the starting position.
Go for 10–15 reps, then switch sides. Aim for up to 3 sets.
Thanks to Chevrolet for letting us shoot this workout with its Bolt EV, an all-electric vehicle that can travel a whopping 238 miles on one battery charge.
Photography: E. Lee White Photography
Location: Mohonk Mountain House, a Victorian castle resort in Hudson Valley, New York, equipped with Level 2 charging stations for electric cars, complimentary with your stay.
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