Travel can be exhausting! Anyone who's ever traveled knows how tiring it can be to spend so many hours sitting, waiting, and doing nothing. It may sound crazy, but it's true. Your body is in a low-energy output state, so it produces less energy. This means you have less energy through your whole trip, and you end up feeling more tired when you reach your destination.
Don't let this be you! Get in a bit of exercise at the airport, and you'll reach your destination energized and ready to enjoy your trip. Here are a few exercise you can do in the airport:
Luggage Squats – Spending a few minutes waiting in line for TSA screening? Hold your luggage to your chest and perform a few Luggage Goblet Squats. Your leg muscles use more energy than any other muscle group, so you'll fire up your metabolism by doing a few sets of squats.
Speed Walking – If your gate is clear across the airport, you're in luck! You can enjoy a bit of power/speed walking. Don't just stroll to your gate, but pick up the pace. Power walking is a great way to activate your fat-burning metabolism and give your body an energy boost. You can speed walk your way through the airport at your destination and be the first one to reach the baggage carousel.
Light Stretching – Before you board your plane, spend a few minutes engaging in light stretching. Turn your neck from side to side, twist your torso to loosen up your back, stretch out your arms and shoulders, and do a few forward and side bends to get your lower body limber. You'll feel far less discomfort when you finally take your seat on the plane. Make sure to repeat these stretches when you reach your destination.
Luggage Shrugs – Instead of rolling your suitcase, use the handle to carry it. As you walk, shrug your shoulders to your ears. This will get your upper back and traps working.
Bodyweight Workout – You'll find that an airport makes a great place for a bodyweight workout! Do a few sets of Push-Ups, Chair Dips, Squats, Lunges, and Planks, and keep an eye out for a bar where you can do pull-ups. You can get in an entire bodyweight workout without ever leaving the waiting room!
Terminal Jogging – If you've got an hour to kill before your flight, take a lap around the terminal. Leave your luggage with your buddies, break out your music, and get jogging. You'll find the vast expanse of the airport makes for a great place to run.
Airport Yoga – Got an empty waiting room and a few minutes to kill? Unroll your travel Yoga mat and get in some Yoga practice. A few Sun Salutations, a basic Warrior Sequence, and the easier stretches/poses will do wonders to loosen up your muscles and joints.
You don't have to let the airport be a place of exhaustion and boredom! Turn it into your own playground and gym, and you can feel amazingly fit as you travel.
[Image via Getty]
