Dreading the long car rides, heavy suitcases, and seemingly inevitable back pain that often comes with traveling for the holidays? We’ve all been there. Between sitting for hours, hauling heavy luggage, and skipping your usual workouts, it’s not surprising that many people feel stiff or sore by the time they reach their destination.
At BEYOND PT, we help our patients “train” for the holidays just as they would train for any other physical challenge. Check out some tips below to continue feeling your best despite the holiday travel!
Tip #1: Warm Up for your travel as if you were warming up for a workout.
Warm-ups are a strategy to help us move and feel our best, typically before a workout or other strenuous physical activity. We don’t typically think about travel as physically strenuous, but it can be! Lots of sitting in uncomfortable positions, followed by lifting a heavy bag, can be pretty strenuous!
If you’re a current patient of ours, your mobility exercises are a great place to start for a quick warm up before traveling.
Tip #2: Sneak in movement any way that you can!
Prolonged sitting is one of the main reasons that travel can feel painful. If you’re going to be sitting for a long period of time, try some seated pelvic tilts!
(If you don’t know what pelvic tilts are, check out this video!)
If you’re waiting to board an airplane, get your steps in before the flight takes off! Spend some time standing and walking before you are locked into your chair for the flight.
Tip #3: Stay consistent.
This is a tough one. Oftentimes, we skip our workouts before traveling because we are so busy packing. When we are at our destination, we skip our workouts because we’re spending time with family. Then when we return home, we need another few days to recuperate before we return to our programs.
While this makes sense, it can be extremely helpful to get some movement in during this period of time, even if it is not your usual routine. We love a quick 15-minute mobility flow, or a condensed full-body circuit to keep your body feeling good despite a disruption to your typical workout routine.
Check out this quick 45-minute full body workout we love to do during the holidays!
Tip #4: Lift with your legs.
When lifting your suitcase into the car or at baggage claim, you want to use your leg muscles to lift most of the load. Grip the suitcase in a secure way, ideally with your knees bent. Take a deep inhale. As you exhale, think of driving your feet into the ground to lift the suitcase up.
If this is heavier than anything you typically lift, remember that it’s ok to ask for help!
Tip #5: Training matters!
Think about this: would you run a marathon without training ahead of time? Absolutely not!
When it comes to lifting heavy objects, we don’t often see it the same way as running a marathon. That’s mostly because lifting heavy objects, like a suitcase, is part of life – we have no choice but to lift that suitcase into the car.
That is exactly why we need to be lifting heavy things in our workouts regularly. We KNOW we will encounter moments where lifting something heavy feels unavoidable – whether it’s a heavy suitcase, moving the coffee table out of the way to vacuum, or lifting the stroller up a curb. Without training regularly, injury is more likely to occur. We need to make sure our bodies are prepared for anything life throws at us. Chat with us if you’re unsure how to safely get started with a strength program to help you train lifting heavy objects!
In Summary:
Traveling for the holidays does not have to leave you feeling sore or in pain. With some preparation, the right strategies, and consistent movement, you can enjoy the holidays pain-free.