8 Exercises For The Traveler In You

Keep the body mobile and tension free while traveling with this great set of stretches and exercises.

Try to complete these once an hour for the duration of your travel and follow the guidelines on how long to do each one.

1. Shoulder Shrugs

From your seated position, lift your chest and sit up tall. Slowly lift your shoulders up towards your years and then lower back down. 

Repeat 15 times.

Benefits: Shrugs improve blood flow to the head, neck and shoulders reducing the chance of tension headaches.

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2. Neck Stretch

Sitting up tall, gentle hold one side of your end and then ease the head down towards the shoulder and hold until you feel a stretch down the side of your neck. 
Hold for 30 seconds and repeat twice on both sides.

Benefits: Neck stretches reduce tension through he neck and shoulders 

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3. Chest & Back Stretch

Gentle place your hands behind your head, keep the spine upright slowly pull your elbows back and squeeze your shoulder blades together until you feel a stretch across your chest.

Now gentle lean to one side to bring the stretch down into your lower back and waist. 
Hold all parts of the stretch for 30 seconds each. Repeat all parts twice.

Benefits: A great stretch to open up the chest and reverse the tight and rounded position in the upper body that happens when we travel long distances

4. Seated Twist

Move forward towards the front of your seat. Place your hand on opposite thigh and then gentle pull yourself around to the side, lifting your chest and then looking back towards the seat.

Hold this position for 30 seconds on each side and repeat twice.

Benefits: Twisting at the spine is wonderful for increase mobility and reduce stress.

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6. Back Stretch

From your seat, sit tall link your hands together and push them up towards the roof. 

Hold this tall position for 1 minute.

Benefits: Release tension around the lower and mid back, great when you have been seated for long periods of time.

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7. Seated Calf Raises & Ankle Circles

Start by lifting your heels up from the floor and lowering down, repeat this 20 times. 
Now lift one foot and circle 10 times to the right and 10 times to the left, repeat this other foot.

Benefits: When travelling and sitting for long periods of time the feet and ankles can swell as the blood flow is reduced, walking around regularly and completing these exercises will help to increase the blood flow and reduce the risk of the blood pooling in the lower body.

8. Standing Hamstring Stretch

Find space in the gangway, stand with your hips facing forward. Step one foot forward and now tip forward from your hips. Keep the spine long and as you lower you will feel the stretch down the back of the thigh. 
Hold this for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side. Do this twice on each leg.

Benefits: A seated position will always shorten the hamstring muscles which can cause lots of discomfort around the lower back and hips. These stretches will help to reduce the risk of this happening when traveling.

Author: Gareth Nock