by | May 21, 2014 | 20 comments

We’ve talked about the benefits of standing, and how sitting for extended periods of time is detrimental to our health. Β But until they make standing cars (!), long car trips make it pretty difficult to avoid extended periods of sitting. Β I drove 16 hours over 2 days on my way to Keystone, and I’ll still drive 2Β hours to Denver, 3 hours to my ranch, and 13 hours back home. Β So, needless to say, a few ways to sneak in just a bit of movement throughout my days were welcome.

workout wednesday

For Workout Wednesday today, here are my Top 7 Ways to Fit Movement Into Long Car Trips. Β Enjoy!

7 ways to fit movement into long car trips

  1. Exercise before you leave. Β Yes, it can seem difficult to wake up early to fit in a workout when you’ll be spending a long, tiring day at the wheel. Β However, it will give you more energy to complete your drive safely, not to mention improve your health. Β Just get it in!
  2. Move around (safely) while driving. Β This website has some simple road trip stretches that I utilized, and I always remember to shift around in my seat, just to make sure I’m not sitting too still for too long.
  3. At stop lights, take the opportunity to (quickly) put the car in park, lift your foot up and roll your ankle, roll your neck, and other things you may not be able to do while driving.
  4. Each time you stop for gas, food, or to use the restroom, make a few laps around the parking lot.
  5. Each time you stop, take a few minutes to stretch! Β My hip flexors get especially tight while driving, so I always make sure to stretch them when I stand up from the car.
  6. Drink a lot of water!!! Β This will make frequent stops more necessary, and will help you fit in #4Β and #5Β more frequently!
  7. Right before each meal, do a mini-bootcamp. Β Of course, you don’t want to be dripping sweat for the rest of your ride, but if you do a quick 5 minutes of jumping jacks, squats, lunges, and some walking, you should reap the benefits of a bit of movement without wearing yourself out.

So tell me in the comments …Β How do YOU fit in some movement on long car trips?

20 Comments

  1. Amy @ Long Drive Journey

    This is great, and since I’ll be taking a huge roadtrip soon, I am going to bookmark this post!

    Reply
    • Megan Lyons

      Yay for a big road trip! I’m excited for you!

      Reply
  2. Morganne @ Nut Butter Runner

    I definitely should had read this yesterday – I was on a 14 hour car ride all day long! Ha. Love your tips!

    Reply
    • Megan Lyons

      Yikes – sorry for the bad timing, Morganne! Maybe it’ll be helpful on your way back πŸ™‚

      Reply
  3. Arman @ thebigmansworld

    Urgh, Megan. Once again, another post which would have been helpful a good 3 months ago πŸ˜‰

    Great tips though, and epic driving for you! I would use my rest stops and walk around 15 minutes or so. Also, for trips around 8-9 hours, I would actually stop after 4 and rest for the day/night there and continue refreshed, incorporating a workout between!

    Reply
    • Megan Lyons

      Yikes! Sorry on the timing, Arman! You’re smart to stop in the middle of an 8-9 hour trip … it kind of makes me re-think the whole 13-hour-trip-in-one-day thing, but I think I’ll power through anyway!

      Reply
  4. Hanna Camille

    Great post! A “mini bootcamp” would definitely provide a nice boost of energy during a long trip πŸ™‚ Wish I had thought of that last weekend on my 10 hour road trip home!

    Reply
    • Megan Lyons

      Bummer on the timing, Hanna! I hope it comes in handy for your next trip!

      Reply
  5. Gary

    I sometimes just put the car in neutral on those flat straightaways and push it for 20 or 30 miles. πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Megan Lyons

      Now THAT would be a great workout, Gary! Even I might not be willing to go that far, though πŸ™‚

      Reply
  6. Sara @ LovingOnTheRun

    Great tips! We have a long move coming up and with a HUGE moving truck and 3 animals I am going to have to use some of these. I have to add if you take your extremely energetic Sheltie on the road with you – she forces you to have to pull over and walk every now and then πŸ˜‰ Hope you are enjoying your vacation!!

    Reply
    • Megan Lyons

      Hey, that’s a great tip, Sara! Yet another reason I need a dog!!

      Reply
  7. Lisa @ Running Out Of Wine

    These are great ideas! My hips get soo tight when I sit in the car for a long time. I hate stopping because it makes the trip longer- but you’re right that it is a good way to stretch a little and get some movement in! I usually drink water throughout the ride as well as coffee.

    Reply
    • Megan Lyons

      Lisa, when I’m driving with my husband, I usually drink less water because he’s like you and hates stopping! I am super efficient, so I can pull over, run into the bathroom, and get back on the road in 5 minutes flat. That’s worth it for my comfort levels :).

      Reply
  8. Becky@TheSavedRunner

    These are all great tips! My in-laws live about six hours away, so we make some long car trips a few times a year, and I always hate sitting that long.

    Reply
    • Megan Lyons

      I hope you can use these tips next time, Becky!

      Reply
  9. Michael Anderson

    YES!

    Car trips are a definite challenge – and I think how I USED to approach them:
    – Sleep in so I wouldn’t be exhausted
    – Drink less so I wouldn’t have to stop
    – Fuel with caffeine and sugar (e.g. Diet Coke and M&Ms)

    But guess what – it didn’t work. I was dehydrated so I felt lousy, my system was messed up from lack of exercise, and I felt like crap from eating junk. All of that travel back and forth to Kentucky last year (sure it was mostly air travel, but still) helped me rethink my strategy.

    So for my recent trips (the occasional 2 hour trips to Rochester and Syracuse, and the trip back to Troy) I used a different approach:
    – Get up and exercise as usual. More energy!
    – Eat and drink well before leaving
    – Water bottles for the ride (not disposible one, of course!)
    – Good stretching at every stop, walk around the area.

    And it is amazing the difference it makes. Sure it is still a car trip, but coming out the other side I was energized and ready to attack the day.

    Great post!

    Reply
    • Megan Lyons

      I love it!! What a great transition!! My family used to have stops planned out on our way to Colorado … McDonald’s for breakfast, Subway for lunch, Dairy Queen for mid-afternoon Blizzard, and Sonic for dinner. No, I’m not kidding! Safe to say that I feel much better now!

      Reply
    • Megan Lyons

      Haha, Deborah, I think you should run around the parking lot just to see what your husband says :).

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Megan Lyons,

the voice behind The Lyons’ Share. I love all things health, wellness, and fitness-related, and I hope to share some of my passion with you. Thanks for stopping by!
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