The 4-Move Circuit That Beachbody Trainers Swear by for Summer Travel
Maybe your AirBnb doesn't have an elliptical, let alone free weights. Or your day is jam-packed (with, you know, lounging poolside)—so by the time you want to get a workout in, it's too dark outside to go for a run.
"What's really cool about all the moves we do is that they're made for every fitness level, from beginners to someone who works out a ton."
Beachbody super trainers and Core De Force creators Joel Freeman and Jericho McMatthews totally get the struggle, which is why their moves are more of an anytime, anyplace style—with no equipment. (But no, that doesn't mean it's easy.)
"What's really cool about all the moves we do is that they're made for every fitness level, from beginners to someone who works out a ton," Freeman says. "The most important thing is to just get moving."
Here, Freeman and McMatthews share their favorite moves to get your heart rate going when you're stuck in a hotel room.
Try this hotel room workout
Move through each exercise without stopping, only resting after the fourth one. Repeat the circuit five times.
1. Squat, squat jump
"This move is great because you're getting a good cardio response," McMatthews says. "With each jump you're raising your heart rate, and at the same time, a squat is a resistance move working your quads and glutes."
How to do it: Start standing with your feet hip-width apart. Anchor your heels and dip down as far as you can, and come back up, keeping your core tight the entire time. Then, repeat the movement, adding a jump when you come back up. Repeat the move for 45 seconds.
2. Hip drive through
"With hip drive throughs, you're not only getting your heart rate up, but it's good for your agility too," Freeman says. "It's important to work your dexterity because that's something you lose a little as you get older."
How to do it: Start on your back. Put your legs up in the air, knees bent, and tuck your left foot under your right knee. Using your core, rock back and then roll up to a stance with your right foot and left knee planted in the ground, squeezing your glutes. Roll back down to your back, switch legs (right foot under your left knee), and repeat. Continue this move for 45 seconds.
3. Sit-up escape
Freeman says this is another one of his favorite moves because, like the hip drive through, it's an agility move that really gets your heart rate up. "It's higher intensity than some other moves people are tired of doing all the time anyway, like curls," he says.
How to do it: Start lying on your back with your left leg straight out and your right leg bent, with your foot flat on the ground. Pull yourself up using your core, bring your hands down to the outside of your left leg. Then put your hands down on the mat, and flip your body so your feet are facing the opposite way they were were before. Repeat on the other side. Continue this move for 45 seconds.
4. Bridge reach over
"The cool thing about this move is that it's working your body and brain in a way [they're] not used to," Freeman says. "But as you build muscle memory, your body adapts and it becomes easier." Basically, this is that unexpected challenge that works muscle groups you might otherwise neglect.
How to do it: Start in a sitting bridge position, with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Your hands should be flat on the floor on either side. Push yourself up reaching your right hand all the way over and across the left side of your body. Come back down to the start position. Repeat the move on the other side. Continue for 45 seconds.
Originally published June 29, 2017. Updated May 27, 2018.
Of course, you don't need to work out in your room if your hotel has great wellness perks. Here are a few that pull out all the stops—or book one of these weekend retreats for a mind-body reboot.
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