Maximize Your Airport Layover Time! Exercise Ideas from Our Gyms in Reisterstown, Timonium, & Baltimore
Regular trips to the gym can help you stay on track toward achieving your fitness goals. However, it’s not always possible to make it to the gym, especially when you’re on the road.
The good news? Your travel plans don’t have to derail your healthy habits. In fact, it’s possible to burn calories, work up a sweat, and get a full-body workout — with no equipment and in limited space. Read on for six ways to get your workout in during your next layover.
1. Burpees
There’s a reason why this exercise is beloved among personal trainers. It offers some serious bang for your buck. Not only do burpees deliver a cardio workout, but they also tone and tighten. Feeling guilty about overindulging on your getaway? Burpees are also a major calorie-burner, making them an invaluable tool for people hoping to drop a few pounds.
2. Wall Squats
Cozy up to a wall and prepare to give your booty a boost! Essentially a barbell-free squat, this exercise not only works out the thighs and butt, but also strengthens and stabilizes the core.
Want to increase the difficulty level? Widen your stance or try it on one leg.
3. Luggage Rows
Lugging suitcases through the airport is no one’s idea of fun, but what if you could put your luggage to good use as a piece of workout equipment? Just swap out your usual free weights for your suitcase and row your way to more defined lat muscles and increased upper body pulling strength.
4. Mountain Climbers
If you’ve ever worked out with a personal trainer, you’ve probably done your fair share of mountain climbers. Like burpees, they are guaranteed to get your pulse racing while simultaneously giving nearly every one of your muscles a workout.
4. Triceps Dips
All you need is the edge of a sturdy chair (airport benches are perfect!) to transform the backs of your arms. Dips are so effective that the American Council of Exercises includes them on its list of top three triceps-strengthening moves.
5. Incline Push-Ups
Not up for regular push-ups and/or don’t have access to your usual incline lever press machine? Incline push-ups offer a beginner version which targets the pectoral muscles while also engaging the triceps, biceps, and clavicular pectoralis major — all important muscles for injury prevention and joint support.
Looking for a more challenging way to build your body? By elevating the feet instead of the hands, decline push-ups increase the intensity of your workout.
6. Walk
Not only is walking an easy way to burn calories while you’re waiting for your flight, but doing so with your luggage increases the cardiovascular benefit. Airport walking is so beneficial that the Centers for Disease Control created a resource for airport managers aimed at making airports more walkable to travelers. From trimming the waistline to improving balance and coordination, the benefits of brisk walking go on and on.
Airport walking isn’t just good for the body; it’s also good for the soul. Athletic-Minded Traveler managing editor Erin Kaese told USA Today:
“If your psyche can handle the moving obstacles — also known as people — airports are natural walking paths, and designated paths mean one’s thoughts can more easily wander.”
The takeaway for travelers? The next time you’ve got a layover, bypass the bar and instead head to a less-traveled area of the airport, lace up your kicks, and you’ll be good to go. Worried about looking silly? Cross that concern off your list. After all, there’s nothing silly about following through on your commitment to be fit and healthy — wherever you are. For more guidance on these and other bodyweight exercises, sign up for a personal trainer session at Brick Bodies today.
