The holiday season means long car rides heading home, visiting family and traveling around. With these long drives come restless leg syndrome and the urge to use those muscles, but the confined space definitely limits your movement. There are still options to get a workout in without even unbuckling your seatbelt. These simple exercises will get your muscles working just as well as a gym workout.
1. Butt Clenches
This one may sound a little strange, but if you want a muscular butt, sitting on it and driving all day won’t help. If you add this exercise to your drive it will. While you’re sitting, relax your glutes. Then, squeeze them together and hold for 15 seconds. Make sure it doesn’t interfere if you’re driving by only moving your left leg in and not moving your right. Relax again for 30 seconds, then repeat as many times as you’d like.
2. Ab Pulls
Similar to the butt clenches, this one is just flexing your muscles and releasing. With this one, tightening your muscles will feel like you’re pulling your stomach in to make your favorite skinny jeans fit. Hold it for 30 seconds, and rest for 30 seconds. After a few reps of this exercise, you won’t have to squeeze to make those jeans fit!
3. Tricep Pushes
If you aren’t the one driving, this exercise is perfect for your triceps (that muscle on the back of your arm). Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor so your knees are at a right angle. Put your hands by your hips, flat on the seat with your elbows bent. Straighten your elbows so you lift your butt off the seat a little. Hold yourself up for 10 seconds, then lower yourself back down. Let your arms rest and wiggle them out a little, then repeat.
4. Seat Pushes
If you’re driving, this is the way for you to exercise your triceps. Hold the steering wheel at 10 and 2 (like your parents taught you) and grip a little tightly with your elbows loose and bent. Straighten your elbows and push against the steering wheel, pushing your back into the seat. Hold this for 10 seconds, rest and repeat. Don’t do this exercise unless you’re on a long, straight road, and always keep your eyes on the road!
5. Calf Raises
With this exercise you can actually get a better workout than if you were standing. Sit up straight with your feet flat and knees at a right angle. Put a weight on your knees like a cooler, backpack, textbooks or even just your computer. Point your toes so your calves are flexed and immediately put your feet flat again. Do 30 reps. If you aren’t feeling anything in your calves, put more weight on your knees.
Use these moves as you travel for the holidays. When you get to your destination you’ll have worked out enough that you won’t worry about whether you should really have a second plate of food! Each of these hits a key spot for women and are easy enough to do in the car. Just remember to be safe and keep your eyes on the road at all times, collegiettes!
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