OCD travel

  • Home
  • About
  • Author
  • Contact
  • LuggageShare
  • Why Share?
  • post

    3 Apr 2014

    5 Exercises to Get Your Body Ready for Travel

    Anytime you break out of your routine, your system will be a little shocked.

    Everyone knows travel can beat up your body – there’s jet lag (zzzzz), intestinal distress (!!!!!), and walking walking walking that makes you tired tired tired.

    But here are some less-obvious punches you might not be ready for.

    [Obligatory caveat – I’m no fitness expert. Consult your doctor before doing anything strenuous. Also, if you know more about exercise than I do, please share your fitness ideas in the comments. Thanks!]

     

    Squatting

    IMG_0933

    Let’s face it: our backsides are pampered here in the States. While traveling you could be faced with any number of toilet scenarios that will shock your delicate sensibilities: creatures swimming (true story), seat covered with ?????, no seat at all, or simply a hole in the ground. 

    Get those legs ready with some squats.

    Bracing

    At some point you’ll end up on a bus that is careening around cliff-side roads that curve left, curve right, curve left again … you get the idea. There’s nothing holding you in place, so your core muscles start to brace to keep you from leaning into the stranger next to you.

    Focus on your core with planks. (Unless you want to get close to the stranger next to you. I’m not judging.)

    Steady-ing

    This is for those times when there’s no seat available on the bus mentioned above. So you’re standing. Around the curves. Maybe there’s something to hold onto. Maybe not. Hope your legs are up to the task.

    Practice your balance with these tips.

    Lifting

    Unless you’re on a tour that includes people carrying your bags for you, you’ll be employing arm muscles that have never seen active duty. You’ll lift your carry-on to the overhead bin. You might lift your full bag to the luggage-organizer-guy on the roof of the aforementioned bus.

    Get your arms ready to lift things above your head by, um, lifting things above your head. Or with these arm exercises.

     

    Guanajuato streetClimbing

    At some point you’ll probably have to climb several flights of stairs with your bag in hand or on your back. Or, if you like quaint hillside colonial towns (like I do), you’ll end up climbing those quaint hillsides on foot – because, to keep the town quaint for us touristy types, the town keeps all ancient narrow meandering roads (or footpaths) as-is. Your legs and lungs don’t always appreciate this as much as the rest of you does.

     

    Get your climbing muscles ready with a treadmill set to an incline.

     

    Have I missed any? And how would you fitness experts prepare for these movements? (Short of simply traveling more, which is always highly recommended.)

    And remember this one thing – it’s all worth it! A little soreness is a small price to pay for experiencing the world beyond your city limits.

     

     

    • 3 Comments
      • Tweet
      Short Url
  • 3 Comments

    • Petrea Burchard

      I remember how much it hurts my feet. Everything else is secondary to that foot pain. So it’s not exactly exercise, but spend extra money on shoes.

      Poor little critter! I’m not going to pee on a critter, nohow.

      03 Apr 2014 07:04 pm (@Twitter)
      Reply
      • Kim@OCDtravel

        Yes, good point Petrea! Shoes are definitely a good investment. The right shoes are worth every penny.

        I’m sure the critter appreciates your bladder control 😉

        04 Apr 2014 09:04 am (@Twitter)
        Reply
        • Fmovies

          off is one of those tiny things that can

          30 Sep 2019 03:09 am (@Twitter)
          Reply

          Leave a Comment

          Posting your comment...

          Subscribe to these comments via email

        • Social Links

        • Travel light.

          Efficient, expansive travel requires less, not more. One bag that serves multiple functions. A sarong that's also a towel, blanket or sheet. Clothing layers that pack small and carry light. A daypack with one-reach access to essentials. A pocket for my Chapstick.
        • My OCD

          can make me feel encumbered and anxious. But the lighter I travel the more liberated I feel (as long as my Chapstick and water bottle are within reach).
        • Join me!

          "Less" requires planning. For me, honing the art of traveling light is a journey unto itself. And I STILL haven't found the perfect travel bag.
        • Topics

          • Books (2)
          • Challenges (4)
          • City/Urban travel (3)
          • Clothes (2)
          • Culture (2)
          • Featured (5)
          • Food (1)
          • Funny (2)
          • Gear (3)
          • Health (3)
          • Intentional (1)
          • Landscapes (1)
          • Logistics (4)
          • Money (2)
          • Packing (8)
          • People (6)
          • Philosophy (9)
          • Prep (2)
          • Supplies (3)
          • Tips (7)
          • Transformational (1)
          • Transportation (3)
          • Uncategorized (8)
          • Volunteer (2)
        • Recent Posts

          • Data-Geek Heaven
          • Guilty as charged … but changing, I hope
          • I ♥ the New Pedestrian-Friendly Times Square
          • More Fun with Maps!
          • Wanna see the real city? Hang with a local.
        • Recent Comments

          • 코인카지노 on Introducing a new series — Travel Opposites
          • 메리트카지노 on Meet the ‘go-light’ guru
          • 메리트카지노 on Hard to pack light when camping
          • Google on Author
          • 샌즈카지노 on Contact
        • Disclaimer

          The content on this site is based on the personal experiences of an OCD-positive traveler. It is not medical advice. If you think you suffer from anxiety, seek the counsel of a medical professional. Believe me, it helps.

        Copyright 2012-2014. All rights reserved.

        Tumblog WordPress Themes by Theme created by Obox