Picture this: You’ve finally booked the tickets for that vacation you’ve been dreaming up for months. You have your itinerary planned, restaurants picked out, and cute outfits packed.
Experts in This Article
certified personal trainer and fitness director at Fit Athletic Club
One thing you may not plan for, though? A major buzzkill—stiff muscles and joints after your eight-hour flight or cross-country drive.
Luckily, there are a few easy moves you can do in the comfort of your hotel room once you check in. Known as a mobility workout, these are light exercises combined with stretching that can melt away the stress and stiffness that accumulates during travel (so you’re better equipped to sightsee the next day).
Here are the benefits of incorporating a hotel room mobility workout into your travels, plus a 10-minute routine you can get started with.
The benefits of a hotel room mobility workout when traveling
First, let’s get straight on what a “mobility” workout is. It typically involves movements that incorporate two types of stretching:
- Static stretching (when you hold a stretch for a period of time)
- Active stretching (when you move your body through a range of motion that causes your muscles to loosen up)
“A mobility workout also consists of moving our joints through their active range of motion with little to no weight,” says Kyle Farley, CPT, certified personal trainer and fitness director at Fit Athletic Club.
When you’re traveling a lot, it can be difficult to find the place or time for a gym workout. However, mobility exercises can be done without equipment—even in your hotel room.
“This style of exercise is great for joint health, posture, and injury prevention,” Farley says. “Our muscles can become stiff from sitting for long periods of time. Stiff muscles may cause our joints to be out of proper alignment.”
If your joints are out of alignment, it may lead to neck discomfort, lower back stiffness, knee pain, and even muscle fatigue.
“When one muscle is tight, the opposing muscle is pulling back trying to balance it out,” Farley says.
Exercise can also help offset the fatigue or anxiety that can come with travel. A trip that incorporates staying active can have notable perks for your health: A one-week vacation with regular exercise improved overall well-being, sleep quality, and heart rate variability (which is related to heart health and stress resilience) in a 2022 study published in BMC Public Health.
Plus, the benefits of hotel room mobility workouts go beyond keeping you limber during travel—they can actually keep you healthy throughout life. Loss of mobility impacts up to half of those age 65 and older, per Harvard Health Publishing.
What’s more, 12.1 percent of American adults have a mobility disability that makes it very difficult for them to walk or climb stairs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Although aging or health problems can cause loss of mobility, routine mobility exercises are the best way to avoid further loss of movement.
“This style of exercise is great for joint health, posture, and injury prevention. Our muscles can become stiff from sitting for long periods of time. Stiff muscles may cause our joints to be out of proper alignment.” —Kyle Farley, CPT
A 10-minute hotel room mobility workout
Once you check in at your hotel, kick your trip off on a positive note with this simple routine created by Farley.
1. Static hip flexor stretch
- 1.Start in a half-kneeling position with your left foot forward and your left leg at a 90-degree angle, and your right knee on the ground and your right leg at a 90-degree angle.
- 2.Shift your weight forward slightly until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip. For a deeper stretch, squeeze your glute on the side of the kneeling leg.
- 3.Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
2. Active runner’s lunge with T-spine rotation
- 1.Start in a half-kneeling position with your left foot forward and your left leg at a 90-degree angle, and your right knee on the ground and your right leg at a 90-degree angle.
- 2.Place both hands on the ground inside your front foot.
- 3.Lift your left arm and rotate your upper body to the left. Twist until your left arm is fully extended up toward the sky.
- 4.Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- 5.Complete 5 reps on each side.
3. Active lower back stretch
- 1.Lie on your back with your legs extended.
- 2.Pull your right knee toward your chest with your left hand, then let it fall across your body while keeping your right shoulder on the ground.
- 3.Hold for a moment, then return to the starting position and switch sides.
- 4.Complete 5 reps on each side.
4. Static pigeon pose
- 1.Start in a tabletop position with your hands and knees on the floor.
- 2.Bring your right knee forward and place behind your right wrist.
- 3.Lower your right hip, shin and ankle to the ground.
- 4.Slide your left leg back until it’s straight.
- 5.Lower your upper body toward the ground to deepen the stretch in your hip.
- 6.Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
5. Static wall pec stretch
- 1.Stand facing a wall. Place your left hand on the wall at shoulder height with your left elbow bent.
- 2.Slowly rotate your body away from the wall to feel a stretch in your chest and shoulder.
- 3.Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
6. Static neck stretch
- 1.Sit or stand tall.
- 2.Place your left hand behind your back and your right hand on top of your head.
- 3.Gently tilt your head to the right until you feel a stretch in your neck and shoulder.
- 4.Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
7. Glute bridge
- 1.Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- 2.Extend your arms down at your sides.
- 3.Push through your heels to lift your hips toward the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- 4.Squeeze your glutes at the top, then lower back down.
- 5.Complete 15 reps.
8. Bird dog
- 1.Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees with a flat back.
- 2.Extend your left arm forward and your right leg back, keeping your hips level.
- 3.Hold briefly, then return to the starting position and switch sides.
- 4.Complete 5 reps on each side.
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