Sometimes, making it to the gym just doesn’t make sense when you’re on vacation. One of the most important things for staying healthy is being consistent in your efforts, which means making time for your fitness routine even when on vacation. With the right mindset and motivation, you can turn your hotel room into your own personal gym. If you want to stay fit while visiting Vegas, try out these exercises that can be done right in your hotel room – no equipment or crowds!
Push-Up: Get on an all-fours position with your hands shoulder-width apart. Move your feet outward, until your body forms a straight line from neck to toes. Lower yourself with your arms until your chest and thighs are just barely touching the floor, then rapidly push yourself back into the starting position.
Chair Dip: With your legs straight and a chair, bench, bed, desk, or table behind you, place both hands flat on that surface, and lower yourself down until your elbows are at 90 degrees. Then, push back up until your elbows are straight again. The higher your feet relative to your hands, the more challenging this movement is.
Door Frame Row: Place your chest and feet against one side of a doorway. Grab on, and lean back until your arms are straight (or you hit the other side of the doorway). Then, pull yourself back to vertical using your back and biceps. For added challenge and more range of motion, do this with one arm and the doorway to your side.
Suitcase Row: This exercise is an improvised equipment movement when done in a hotel. Use a suitcase to do a one-armed row (like you would with a dumbell) by bending at the hips and knees until your hand is firmly grasping the side handle of the suitcase while it’s sitting on the ground, and then pulling it up towards your chest until it touches, keeping your hips, knees, and shoulders square. Add or remove heavy items from the suitcase to adjust difficulty.
Squat: With your feet shoulder width apart and your toes pointed straight forward or slightly outward, bend at the hips and knees, keeping your knees out and your back relatively vertical, until your hips are below your knees. Then, push through the middle of your foot (not your heels or toes) as you stand back up.
Lunge: With your feet shoulder width apart, take one long step forward. Then, bend at both knees until your back knee is almost touching the floor. Push back up into the starting position. These can also be done backwards (one large step back to start), or in a “walking” fashion, where you continuously take large lunging steps forward.
Step-Ups: Put one foot on a sturdy raised surface, like a bed, chair, or bench. Step up onto the surface, then gently step down by doing the same movement in reverse. The higher the step, the harder this becomes.
Bridges/Hip Thrusts: Start on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Push your hips upward and squeeze your glutes to lift your pelvis as high as possible, then slowly lower yourself back down. If you have trouble feeling this in your glutes, moving your feet closer together while keeping your knees pointed outward.
Donkey Kick: On all fours, kick one leg into the air, keeping your knee at a 90 degree angle and your back flat (you should be using your glutes and hamstrings, not your lower back). Hold for a strong glute squeeze at the top, then lower down.
Planks: On your elbows and toes (imagine a push-up position, but on your elbows) hold your entire body in a straight line with your abs engaged and your glutes and thighs squeezed together, for 10-60+ seconds.
Sit-Ups: Lie on the ground with your feet flat and your knees bent. Use your abs (not your hip flexors, lower back, or arms pulling on your neck) to lift your torso up until you’re in a sitting position. You can pin your feet under a heavy object for an easier time.
Burpees: From a standing position with your feet shoulder width apart, place each hand a foot or two in front of your feet, and then hop your feet back into a push up position. Lower your chest to the ground, then push yourself up rapidly, hop your feet back forward into a squat position, and jump into the air.
Jumping Jacks: This exercise is simple, but remains one of the best, easiest, aerobically-focused movements you can do without any equipment or space. Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides, and then jump while raising your arms and spreading your feet, landing in an X position. Jump again and bring your arms and feet back to start.
When you book a room at the D, you are also booking your own personal gym right in the heart of Vegas. When doing hotel room exercises, always be careful to not have any obstructions in your way and to use props carefully to avoid injury. Pack some light workout clothes to make your workouts more comfortable, and always keep some water handy! Staying healthy in Vegas is easy when your fitness can be done right in the comfort of your room.
