The traveller's best fitness weapon

When I was packing to move overseas it occurred to me that my set of 3, 5, and 8 pound hand weights PROBABLY weren't going to travel well, particularly after I had to remove several articles of clothing and shoes just to keep my checked luggage under 50 pounds...and then do the same for my carry on baggage. I am by no means a light packer.

That being said it might interest you to know that about a year and a half ago I lost 25 pounds. It wasn't for the first time (I'm not proud), but it is the first time I've managed to keep it off (I am proud) and I wasn't about to let that change because I couldn't carry my damn hand weights or because none of my Canadian workout DVDs weren't going to work in the UK (I love you Jillian Michaels!).

Enter the saviour of my sanity (no workouts make K. a dull girl) and the traveller's best fitness weapon - the exercise cable (observe above).

No weights required! This cable, with some creativity and my own body weight, has allowed me to do a majority of my exercises.  I'm not entirely sure where I got this one (Walmart?) or how much I paid for it (not much?) but I initially picked it up because I needed one for an exercise program I was doing a while back (Jillian Michael's Body Revolution).  I use the term exercise program VERY loosely because I did not, nor did I ever intend, to use the DVDs as a 'program,' but I have done all the workouts in the program and used to work them into my routine regularly - that is, before I came to the UK and am yet to purchase a DVD player compatible with the Canadian format (I brought all my exercise DVDs with me).  Mostly, I've just put together a few different workouts that use cable exercises from JM's Body Revolution to keep myself feeling good.

Exercise cables are relatively easy to find (Amazon anyone?), so for those of you that are looking for a travel friendly, low equipment home workout, I highly suggest buying one to experiment with. There are lots of resources to find ideas (YouTube anyone?) on how to use them.

I've posted one of the full body workouts I've been doing below just in case you're curious, though I personally find videos with workouts much more helpful than looking at a list of words. But if you are interested and you're unsure of what each exercise is, I've tried to use common names for them so you can look them up online. Hopefully it will help you get some ideas of your own. Enjoy!

(Disclaimer: I AM NOT A DOCTOR! This is an intermediate workout that works for me but...always consult a doctor before starting an exercise program, familiarize yourself with proper form and exercise at your own risk people! Etc, etc, blah blah blah)

Warm up (generally includes dynamic arm and leg stretches and jumping jacks - move your body gently!)

Circuit 1 (front of body):
20 push-ups
15 tricep dips
20 sumo squats
30 second boat pose
30 second jumping jacks
(repeat x2)

Circuit 2 (front of body)
15 cable chest presses (stand with your back foot on the cable and your other foot one step in front, press cable forward into a chest press)
20 cable tricep presses (stand with your front foot on the cable and your other foot one step behind, keep your arms relatively straight but don't lock your joints and press the cable straight back behind your torso, don't overextend!)
10 frog jumps
30 second plank
30 second skiers
(repeat x2...are you starting to see a pattern?)

Circuit 3 (back of the body)
20 standing cable rows (stand with both feet in the middle of the cable, bent slightly at the knees and waist, back straight, and pull the cables back into a row with elbows going up and out to engage your back and upper shoulders)
20 cable bicep curls (stand with both feet in the middle of the cable and pull up with your biceps)
20 jump squats
20 morning glories
20 hip lifts (aka butt lifts when you lay on the ground and plant your feet and lift your butt...it's straightforward people)
30 second mountain climber
(repeat x2)

Circuit 4 (back of the body)
15 Superman's
30 seated cable rows (sitting on the floor wrap the cable around your feet and pull the cable back, with elbows going back, tight to your sides and behind your torso, and down to engage your biceps and back muscles)
20 donkey kicks on each side
30 second full warrior three pose on each side
30 second butt kicks
10 burpees
(repeat x2)

Don't forget to cool down with static stretching!

How do you keep fit on the go?

Safe travels.
-K.