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Vacation Workouts

Though many hotels offer state-of-the-art fitness facilities for the healthy-minded traveler, there is no need to leave the privacy of your hotel room (or home) to exercise. Howard Head Sports Medicine’s physical therapists share their favorite in-room activities for equipment-free workouts. 

Dips with feet on chair

• Place hands behind back on a dresser, with both feet on a chair.
• Slowly lower hips down until elbows are level with shoulders, return to starting position.
• Repeat 15-20 times, 2-3 sets.

• Place one foot 2-3 feet in front of a bed and place the other foot on the bed.
• Perform a single leg squat, ensuring your front knee remains behind your toes and in line with your foot. Return to starting position.
• Perform 15-20 repetitions for 2-3 sets.

• Start in push-up position, arms slightly wider than shoulder width, extended at the elbows, legs straight and feet resting on a low table, core engaged for a flat low back. 
• Lower down until chest is close to the floor. Return to starting position.
• Repeat 10-20 times, 3-4 sets. 

• Start in a partial pushup position with arms extended, left knee at chest, right leg extended.
• Engage core muscles, bounce up slightly with both feet and switch positions of the feet. 
• Maintain engaged core, keep arms straight and repeat in rapid succession for 30-60 seconds.
• Perform 3-4 sets.  

• Stand in a doorway with forearms resting on door jam, elbows at shoulder level. 
• Step forward with right foot, slowly push hips and chest forward until a stretch in the chest is felt.
• Hold stretch for 30 seconds and then relax.
• Repeat three times. 

• Lie on your side with top foot on a low table, bottom foot underneath the table.
• Tighten your belly button toward your spine and lift your hips off the floor, then lift the bottom leg off the floor.
• Maintain single leg side plank, keeping your shoulders, hips, and knees in a straight line.
• Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on other side.Perform 2-3 sets.

• Walk or jog laps for 10 minutes.
• While holding onto edge of pool, perform flutter kicks — 4 sets of 30 seconds.
• Take two laps freestyle to loosen up the shoulders.
• Take two laps breaststroke to loosen up the hips. 
• Take two laps sidestroke to open up the trunk: Pull with the left arm for a lap, then pull with the right arm for a lap.

• Calf stretch: Standing with feet staggered two foot lengths apart, keep back leg straight and heel flat on surface. Lean forward until you feel a stretch. Perform 4 sets of 30-second holds.
• Posterior shoulder stretch: While seated in hot tub, reach across your body with right arm, place left hand just above your right elbow. Using your left hand, pull your right arm across your body further. Hold for one minute. Repeat on other side. Do three repetitions.
• Stretch hamstrings in sitting position with one leg straight out on a seat. 
• Seated trunk rotation: Bring right hand across body to left knee, reach left arm behind left hip and rotate the trunk for a good core stretch. Hold for 20-30 seconds. Repeat on other side.