Shape Shifters: Stay Fit on the Road without Ever Leaving Your Hotel Room
Frequent travel can do a number on your waistline – sitting through long flights, constantly eating out and tight schedules means you may not have time to hit the gym, even if your hotel has a top-notch facilities like the ones at the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport, with its 25-meter long pool offering a stunning view of the T3 runway, state-of-the-art Technogym equipment – including high-tech treadmills, cross-trainers, steppers and elliptical machines – free weights, complimentary training, and more.
Fortunately, there are still very easy and effective ways to exercise without even having to leave your hotel room. We got the skinny from the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport’s trainer Wu Chen (吴辰), a 28-year-old Anhui native who and a professional trainer since 2007, who showed us some simple exercises that time-pressed guests can do in their rooms. Follow this simple six-minute hotel room routine during your next business trip to stay fit while working on the move.
1. Jumping Jacks
How it’s done: Most of us remember being ordered to do this common exercise by our grade school gym teacher. But just because jumping jacks are widely known, it doesn’t mean everyone knows how to do them properly. In order for this routine to be effective – and to avoid calf and ankle injuries – you should begin by standing straight with your feet together and your arms hanging by your side. From there, bend your knees slightly, push with the balls of your feet, and push your feet and hips apart while in mid-air. Meanwhile, you should simultaneously raise your arms until your hands touch above your head. After you land (with your feet spread and your arms touching above your head), quickly jump again without pause, straightening your hips before you land again, while also smoothly bringing your hands back down by your sides. Repeat the exercise without pause until completion.
Number of repetitions: 30
Target muscle groups: Your quadriceps (aka. the front of you thighs) are primarily beneficiary of this exercise, but it also works your calves, glutes (aka. your behind) and hamstrings are also affected.
Further tips: Some experts recommend that ambitious participants strap on wrist and ankle weights, or increase with which they do the jumping jacks, to make the exercise more challenging. Other trainers suggest that, as you raise your arms, you also bend your elbows slightly and flex your biceps and triceps, in order to engage those muscles and boost the overall intensity of the exercise.
Bad habits to avoid: Proper form is crucial during jumping jacks, in order to avoid leg and joint injuries. You should keep your legs slightly bent before you land after each jump, thus minimizing the shock of the impact when you land.
Take a 10-second break
2. Lunges
How it’s done: Once again, start by standing with your feet shoulder width apart. Be sure to keep your back and shoulders straight as you step forward into a wide stance (which experts describe as approximately the length of one leg between your feet). Then bend both of your knees to 90 degrees, lowering your hips and in turn engaging numerous leg muscles. Remember that form is key – your front knee should remain perpendicular to your ankle extend beyond that, while your back knee should not touch the floor, but instead hover several centimeters above it. Push with your heels until you back in a standing position, then repeat, alternating legs with every rep.
Number of reps: 20 (alternating legs)
Target muscle groups: Glutes and hamstrings.
Further benefits: One trainer says lunges can be easily modified to suit a variety of goals. Anyone looking to boost their upper body strength, for instance, can do a bicep curl with a dumbbell as they lunge forward. If you’re looking to improve your balance, then you can “walk forward” with your lunges, traversing one end of a room to another, instead of always returning to your starting position.
Bad habits to avoid: An improperly executed lunge can result in painful knee injuries. If hints of knee pain are apparent during this exercise, trainers say you should try a more narrow stance during the lunge, and work your way to a wider stance as your muscles develop.
Take a 10-second break
3. Leg Lifts
How it’s done: Sit on the floor with your legs bent in front of you, and your hands planted on the floor behind you. Push with your feet and hands until your back and buttocks are raised perpendicularly to your arms and legs, leaving your shoulders and knees at a 90-degree angle. Then lift foot until your leg is straight and parallel with your torso. After that, raise your leg higher – try to bring it up to a 90-degree angle from your torso, or as high as you can – before slowly lowering until it’s parallel with your torso again. Repeat ten times and return your foot to a resting position, before switching your feet and repeating the routine ten times again, and then finally lowering your back and buttocks to the floor and sitting in a resting position.
Number of reps: 20 (alternating legs)
Target muscle groups: This exercise mainly focuses on your abdominal muscles, but it also strengthens your quadriceps as your raise your legs.
Further benefits: Remaining in the reverse crouching position throughout this exercise is an excellent way to boost your balance.
Bad habits to avoid: Keep in mind that this exercise is very challenging, and requires considerable balance. If it is too strenuous, trying breaking the repetitions for each leg into five rep intervals instead of ten, or cut the total reps from 20 to ten, until your muscles develop and the exercise proves less challenging.
Take a 10 second break
4. Twisting Leg Lift
How it’s done: Like many of the exercises in this routine, it is suggested that you start the twisting leg lift by standing straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Raise your hands and plan them on your ears, with your elbows bent outwards. Twist your torso to the right while also raising your right knee. Try, as much as possible, to make right knee touch your left elbow. Return to your starting position, and repeat the move with your left leg, alternating between both legs until you have completed 20 reps.
Number of reps: 20 (alternating sides)
Target muscle groups: Abdominal muscles.
Further benefits: Your lower back will also be strengthened as you push to touch your elbow with your knee.
Bad habits to avoid: Posture is important. Keep your shoulders and back straight when you are at your resting position, to avoid straining you back.
Take a 10-second break
5. Plank
How it’s done: This straightforward, but highly challenging exercise has become all the rage as of late, and for good reason. The plank works a variety of muscles and can be completed quickly. Start crouching on all fours, then bend your elbows 90 degrees and place your weight on your forearms. Straighten your legs and raise your torso, making sure to keep your rear-end level, so that your body looks flat enough to walk on. Hold this pose for 30 seconds, before slowly lowering your knees back to the floor to a resting crouch.
Duration: 30 seconds.
Target muscle groups: You name it, the plank helps it. Trainers say your arms’ biceps triceps benefit (because they support so much of your weight during the exercise), along with your pectorals major (aka chest muscles), the deltoids in your shoulders, your glutes and more and hamstrings (which also support much of your weight), and more.
Further benefits: Unlike lunges or jumping jacks, the plank has no joint injuring impacts.
Bad habits to avoid: It is important to keep your body straight during the plank. Aside from a tendency let our hips “pike” too high or “dip” too low, many of us might inadvertently tip our hips instead of keeping them straight because one side of our bodies is invariably stronger. By keeping our hips equidistant, your entire body can benefit from this exercise equally and you will also avoid putting strain on your lower back.
Take 10-second break
6. Cobra Pose
How it’s done: This beginners’ yoga pose is an excellent way to stretch your lower back. Yogis begin this pose by lying on the floor in a prone position, then stretching their legs back until the tops of your feet are resting on the floor, while simultaneously planting the palms of your hands on the floor next to your shoulders. Keeping your elbows tucked tight next to your body, press your legs and feet into the floor, inhale, and press your palms against the floor, straightening your arms and raising your upper body. Continue elevating – drawing back your shoulder blades, puffing out your chest and tilting your head back all the while – until your feel a slight strain in your lower back. Hold the position for half a minute and then slowly lower your upper body back to the floor.
Duration: 30 seconds
Target muscle groups: Lower back.
Further tips: For an added challenge, try pointing your toes at the end of the 30 second duration. Instead of lowering your upper body right away, push with the balls of your feet and your palms, until your hips are fully raised and your body resembles and upside down “V.” Flatten your feet, and then breath deeply and attempt to lower your shoulders as much as possible. This added pose is an excellent way to stretch your calves and hamstrings.
Bad habits to avoid: Be sure to breathe in deeply and slowly while holding this pose. Heavy panting will place unwanted strain on your muscles.
Take a 10-second break
7. Glute Crunch
How it’s done: Lie prone on your back. Bend your knees and plant your feet flat firmly on the floor. Raise your buttocks and lower back as high as you can, then slowly lower your buttocks back to the floor.
Number of reps: 20
Target muscle groups: Glutes (a.k.a. your butt).
Further benefits: This exercise will not only firm up your behind – and make you look all the more appealing in yoga pants. It will also help you avoid hip and hamstring injuries, because your glutes are a very powerful stabilizing muscles.
Bad habits to avoid: Be sure to raise and lower your behind and lower back slowly and smoothly during this exercise. Controlled form is far more beneficial for muscle building than herky-jerky lifts and dips, especially because the latter can lead to back strain. If you find yourself getting shaky during this exercise, then reduce the number of reps until you build your strength up.
Take a 10-second break
8. Pillow twist
How it’s done: Get into a lunge position with your right leg forward to start this exercise, while simultaneously holding a pillow in your straightened arms. Twist your torso as far as you can to the right, then return to your starting position. Complete ten reps, then switch legs and repeat until all 20 reps are completed.
Number of reps: 20 (alternate sides)
Target muscle groups: Forearms, torso, legs.
Further tips: Squeeze the pillow with your hands as tightly as possible while twisting your torso, to simultaneously strengthen your forearms, wrists and hands.
Bad habits to avoid: Remember the tips for a proper lunge – keep your forward leg 90 degrees, and don’t let that knee surpass your foot.
Useful Exercise Apps
If some of these exercises aren’t to your liking, or if you prefer to have visual and audio prompts while working out, then try some of the following mobile exercise Apps:
The New York Times’ “Scientific 7-Minute Workout”
12-Minute Athlete’s “Hotel Room Workouts”
Shape’s “Ultimate Hotel Room Workout”
Men’s Fitness’ “The Vacation Workout”
Nerd Fitness’ “20 Minute Hotel Workout”
As the first international business and convention hotel at the airport, Hilton Beijing Capital Airport offers five-star comfort and unique convenience for people in transit, business travelers, trade fair visitors and event organizers. With 322 luxurious guestrooms, all with 3.5-meter-high ceilings and finished to the highest standard with sound-proofed floor-to-ceiling windows and comprehensive in-room facilities, the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport is one of the largest hotels in Beijing. Guests can enjoy an extensive range of food outlets featuring the most distinctive Chinese regional cuisines as well as classic Western and Asian dishes in their choice of four stylish restaurants, with a total of 32 private dining rooms.
For more information on how to book your room, and avoid the stress and anxiety of rushing to the airport at the last minute, click here.
Photos: Courtesy of the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport and by Uni You
This post is sponsored by the Hilton Beijing Capital Airport.
