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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 6:24 am
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Exercising While Travelling

I have found travel to be a great way to get cardiovascular exercise as there are always opportunities to walk, use stairs, etc.

The problem I run into while traveling is getting my strength training in. What exercises do all the FTer's who travel frequently do to keep in shape? Obviously these need to be exercises you can do pretty much anywhere with little or no equipment. Anyone have an on-the-road regimen they can recommend?
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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 6:52 am
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Every city has gyms that will let you work out for a nominal daily fee (usually $10). You can find creative ways to include this in your expense report You can usually walk to them if you are in the city or drive to them. I have memberships at Golds and Ballys and usually find them in the cities I travel to. My experience has been that the staff at the front desk at most hotels also have recommendations for gyms that are close and the hotel has an arrangement that will allow you to work out at them. Most evenings are too crowded so i will work out early mornings.
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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 7:07 am
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it's tough - motivation-wise - to workout while travelling anywhere other than a gym.

In the hotel room, put your feet on the bed and hands on the floor, and the press-ups you do will work out shoulders and chest.

The chair at the hotel room desk? sit on the floor, lift your hands onto the seat, push yourself up and down - great for triceps.

Abdomial excercises - planks are good, given that you don't need a mat for support like you would/should with reguar sit-ups.

But on the whole - a hotel gym's much better.
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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 7:16 am
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Push ups and sit ups.

I rarely do them while I am at home (where I do cycling on the road and weights in the gym), so this keeps me in shape and is a bit of a change of pace....

If my hotel has a gym, I'll try to hit the weights. I very rarely do the other stuff, like treadmills (you never get anywhere)....
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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 7:25 am
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Originally Posted by akasim
Every city has gyms that will let you work out for a nominal daily fee (usually $10). You can find creative ways to include this in your expense report

Thanks for the advice. Never even thought to check out the local gyms when my hotel lacks one...
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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 8:31 am
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I bring this with me when traveling:

http://www.perfectpushup.com/
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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 12:23 pm
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I have an all clubs membership at a gym chain. I find one when traveling. I rarely do anything in a hotel. They don't have enough space/things/heavy things to make it worthwhile. I try to at least do some deadlifts while on the road. It's a quick way to hit a lot of muscle groups.
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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 12:26 pm
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Originally Posted by Concorde69
Thanks for the advice. Never even thought to check out the local gyms when my hotel lacks one...
Yes, this has always worked for me as well. I've never had difficulty finding a gym on the road.
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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 12:50 pm
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Matt Furey

Do a google search for Matt Furey and/or Combat Conditioning. I guarantee these bodyweight exercises will kick your you-know-what! Hindu pushups and squats, neck bridges, etc. They really work well.
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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 1:03 pm
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The ability to exercise while traveling sometimes depends on the quality of hotel you stay at. Many of the nicer hotels have quality fitness centers. For instance, the Hilton San Francisco has a great fitness center(almost like a health club).

I did a thread in the Hilton forum a while back about hotel fitness centers if anyone is interested.

Which Hiltons have the best fitness centers

and the press-ups you do will work out shoulders and chest.
Press-ups? Never heard them called that. Anyway they also work the triceps.
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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 1:09 pm
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Originally Posted by ByrdluvsAWACO
The ability to exercise while traveling sometimes depends on the quality of hotel you stay at. Many of the nicer hotels have quality fitness centers. For instance, the Hilton San Francisco has a great fitness center(almost like a health club).....
I agree, and it's the very exceptional hotel or resort that has a decent weight room. Sometimes even 5* resorts don't have a good assortment of free weights, benches, etc.
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Old Aug 18, 2008 | 3:36 pm
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I nearly always stay in hotels that have gyms, although many of the European ones tend to open too late on weekend mornings to be of much use for me. While I agree with the posters above that the strength-training machines are rarely very good, I can usually make do with a few free weights, a mat, a bench and a ball.
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Old Aug 19, 2008 | 3:46 am
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Push ups and running alone will keep you in great shape if you do them religiously and strenuously. Good to throw in ab work too, and strong abs will also help with running and push ups.

I've found a new routine that I really like:

run 5 mins-50 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-collapse in a pool of sweat

Obviously some people will do more or fewer push ups. Do it without resting between sets and it will really kick your butt.
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Old Aug 19, 2008 | 3:51 am
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Originally Posted by RI2KH2SU
I've found a new routine that I really like:

run 5 mins-50 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-collapse in a pool of sweat

Wow. +1 for effort alone.

Most concierges will be able to guide you towards quality running routes from your hotel. My only problem is fitting the running shoes in my rollaboard, especially when traveling for work.
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Old Aug 19, 2008 | 7:40 am
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I do push ups and some jogging every possible morning, but would also add some variety to your anaerobic part. How about some exercise for the stomach, back and calves etc.?

Originally Posted by RI2KH2SU
Push ups and running alone will keep you in great shape if you do them religiously and strenuously. Good to throw in ab work too, and strong abs will also help with running and push ups.

I've found a new routine that I really like:

run 5 mins-50 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-run 5 minutes-40 push ups-collapse in a pool of sweat

Obviously some people will do more or fewer push ups. Do it without resting between sets and it will really kick your butt.
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