Spending a long flight on an airplane might mean you’re on the way to having the time of your life on vacation—but all those hours sitting down in cramped quarters can be hell for your body once you’re up and out of that tiny seat. Those first few steps off the ramp can be painful, so you want to get active to get the blood flowing again.
Running in the Cold., founder of Le Sweat and a Master SoulCycle Instructor, shakes out that long trip stiffness with a set of airport-friendly bodyweight exercises that can double as a quick, do-everything full-body workout.
“Flying is very taxing on the body,” she says. “From the stuffy cabin, the recycled oxygen, and the altitude, you should stay away from an intense workout directly following a flight. But something as easy as this will help in getting you back to equilibrium.”
Atkins says the routine will help to “re-mobilize the body from sitting so long, fire up the core, pump up the blood flow, and could just give you that second wind you need when traveling.”
If you’re bold enough to get active in the terminal after you touch down, just drop your bags and make sure you have some room to move around.
Perform the exercises below as a circuit. Do 12 reps of each move with little to no rest, until you finish three rounds total.
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Squat + Oblique Crunch
Perform a bodyweight squat, keeping your hands to your head. As you rise up, lift one leg and crunch down to touch the same side elbow to your knee. Repeat on opposite side.
Squat + Crossbody Crunch
Perform a bodyweight squat, keeping your hands to your head. As you rise up, lift one leg and turn your torso toward that knee. Repeat on opposite side.
Push-up
Start in a high plank position, shoulders over wrists, core, glutes, and legs engaged. Bend elbows to lower chest to the floor. Your elbows should point back at a 45-degree angle. Keeping core engaged and hips in line with the rest of your body, push back up to the starting position.
Mountain Climber
Get in a pushup position, holding a plank with your weight on your hands and toes. Keeping your spine straight, drive one knee up toward your chest, then back. Repeat with the other leg.
Standing Ab Crunch
Reach your arms overhead. Kick up one leg, keeping it totally straight, as you crunch down to touch your toe with both hands. Repeat on other side.
While you’ll definitely want to use this circuit in the airport, it can also serve as a quick workout whenever you want to get the blood moving with minimal equipment or effort. Want to learn more moves from Atkins? Check out our series full of her workout tips, Advertisement - Continue Reading Below.
A Part of Hearst Digital Media-CPT, PES, a senior editor at Men's Health, is a certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.
