Are you ready…for the Third Installment of our series?
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Well–ready or not–it’s #WellnessWednesday, and that means we’ve got 5 more tips just for you, Trucking Nation! Or should I say, Traveling Health Guru Nation! You’ve already started your wellness journey and given yourself an inner tune-up, but now…
It’s time to get pumped up! Tear the sleeves off that t-shirt! Call your friends and start selling tickets to the gun show. (I mean your biceps, of course!) Because you’re going to be a lean, mean truck-driving machine!
We know truckers don’t have tons of time for exercise, nor extra space for toting bulky exercise equipment. So here are five ways to get ripped on the road with little equipment needed! You’ll mostly use yourself and your truck!
- 1. Isometrics: Behind the wheel! For this first exercise, you won’t even need to leave the driver’s seat! (Although, the truck should be parked!) Isometrics are performed in a static position, so you aren’t performing any dynamic movements like you would with other exercises. That makes it perfect for those with limited space! To improve upper-body strength, grip the wheel with both hands and try to push them toward each other for 10 seconds. Then release. Believe me, after 10-20 reps, you’ll be feeling the burn! For improving core strength, sit up straight and pull your belly button back to your spine, hold for 5 seconds, and release. Repeat 20-30 times each day for wash-board abs!
- 2. Jump Rope: Okay, this one may remind you of playing in the schoolyard, but there’s nothing childish about the results you can get! Jumping rope can be hardcore exercise, improving both cardio and muscle tone simultaneously. Plus, they cost $5 or less and take up no space in your cab! To hop to the next level, try jumping rope for 5 or 10 minutes straight, whatever you’re comfortable with, always landing on the balls of your feet. Your heels should never touch the ground, and your calves will thank you! If you’re feeling extreme, try mixing things up by hopping on one foot, alternating each jump, or you can jump holding one leg up, knee bent at a 90 degree angle. Improving your wellness is actually a hop, skip, or jump away!
- 3. Resistance Bands: Yet another affordable, easy-to-store piece of equipment. Best of all, resistance bands are versatile. They’re sold in various sizes, lengths, and resistance levels so you can customize your workout, whether you’re a beginner or a buff babe! And the kinds of toning exercises you can do are nearly endless. To make your truck work for you, wrap a band around the door handle of your truck and do some bicep curls or leg lifts. Once you feel comfortable, invest in a tighter band to increase resistance. You’ll always be increasing your strength, and before you know it, you’ll be Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- 4. Bodyweight: Use your own body for a workout, what could be cheaper or more convenient! Go back to the basics for some good, old fashioned sit-ups, push-ups, lunges, and squats. But why not do it trucker style! Using the step outside of your cab door, you can do these exercises at a new angle, increasing the challenge! For extreme push-ups, place your hands on the step and keep your feet on the ground. Do push-ups a normal, except now you can lower your head below the palms of your hands, increasing the difficulty of the push-up as well as the payoff!
- 5. Run for Your Life! All you’ll need to get started are some supportive running shoes. Always stretch before running, and breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth. Start out slow, just running twice a week until your endurance increases. Your first day do short intervals, running for 30 seconds, then walking for 30 seconds. Once you’re comfortable, step up your intervals, running for 1 minute and walking for 1 minute. 15-30 minutes of heart-pumping action is ideal, and keep increasing your intervals as your cardio improves. To push it to the limit, (past the point of no return) set a mini-goal for yourself. Just choosing a sign–or sandwich–in the distance to run to will actually push your body further than running aimlessly. When the zombie apocalypse happens, you’ll thank me!
It’s important to keep things fresh and not get bored on your wellness journey. If your routine starts to feel stale, mix it up and broaden your horizons. YouTube is full of free exercise tutorials; why not try yoga, pilates, or zumba? You never know what will work for you until you try it!
So break out those leg warmers, Trucking Nation! And let the ExpressTruckTax Team know how you’re staying fit on the road; your tips may be featured in our #WellnessWednesday series!