Stay Fit on the Road: The Traveler's Workout

By Tony Horton

You travelin' folks can find it difficult at times to set up your laptops and jump around to Power 90^® or P90X^® in your hotel rooms. Quite often, the people in the rooms below you aren't as thrilled about your fitness as you are at 7:00 AM. I created a workout for road warriors who don't want to miss a beat while they're traveling. The original title was "The Warrior Workout." Then I was calling it "The Hotel Room Workout." But this didn't seem right because you can do it anywhere. The people in those rooms below weren't always fans of this one either. The new title is "The Traveler's Workout," because all you need is a space the size of a small workout mat, and you can do it anywhere in the world.

The workout is made up of four rounds, with four exercises in each round. There is a fifth bonus round with four moves. The first exercise in each round is always a 1-minute cardio move. The second exercise is always core/abs. The third is legs, and the last move in each round is always upper body.

Here it is:

Round 1

1. Run in Place: ~1 minute
2. Elbow-to-Knee Crunch: ~1 minute (just like in Power 90)
3. Squats: ~30 reps (just like in Power 90)
4. Push-Ups: Maximum reps that you can do while maintaining good form

Round 2

1. Jumping Jacks: ~1 minute
2. Hip Rock Raise: ~30 reps (Power 90 version or P90X-style)
3. Step-Back Lunges: ~30 reps (From a standing position, step back into crescent pose, minus the arms. Alternate legs.)
4. Military Push-Ups: Maximum reps that you can do while maintaining good form

Round 3

1. Tires on Fire: ~1 minute (running in place with wide legs and high knees)
2. Crunchy Frog: ~30 reps (see P90X)
3. Run-Stance Squat Switch: ~30 reps (looks like squats but you're switching feet to a fighter's stance on every rep)
4. Wide Push-Ups: Maximum reps that you can do while maintaining good form

Round 4

1. Fast Feet: ~1 minute
2. Mason Twist: ~30 reps (see P90X)
3. Plié Squat with Calf Raise: ~30 reps (Do wide squats with toes raised at the top. Reach up with both arms at the top.)
4. Switch-Hand Push-Ups: Maximum reps that you can do while maintaining good form (One arm does a military push-up while the other arm is doing a wide push-up. Switch after each rep.)

Bonus Round

1. Wacky Jacks: ~1 minute (see Power Half Hour^®)
2. Roll Up/V Up: ~30 reps (more P90X stuff)
3. Super Skater: ~20 reps each leg (from P90X)
4. Side Tri-Rises: Maximum reps that you can do while maintaining good form (from P90X)

All these moves are found in Power 90, Power Half Hour, or P90X. If you don't have Power 90, Power Half Hour, or P90X, don't try to figure out some of this stuff. Just do anything you want as long as you keep the sequence of cardio, core, leg, and push-up moves the same.