I've started on a 3x a week weight training program, based on the one described by Steve in his post "The Conceptual Side of Weight Lifting." However, due to travel for work, I'm often on the road (usually without access to a gym) on one of the 3 training days.

My core program is:

1) Squat (or exercises working that plane, like Deadlift, etc.),
2) Upper Body Push (e.g., bench press), and
3) Upper Body Pull (e.g., row)

At home, I have multiple options for each of those types of exercises--which are the first things I do, and which make up the core of my program--and I fill in at the end of the session with whatever extra lifts I feel like doing that day.

My challenge, then, is how do I get that core in using only items found in your average motel room? Push-ups are one option for the upper body push exercise. And I've done squats with my computer bag and luggage over my shoulders--not optimal in terms of weight, but it's something. But I have not been able to figure out how to work the row muscles.

Any thoughts are most welcome. Thanks.

I travel a lot for biz and I know exactly the frustrations you run into.

Go out right now and buy yourself a set of resistance bands. You can do umpty dozen different kinds of push/pull routines with a good set of resistance bands and a sturdy chair or door ... you can even use them to augment squats, although I still feel like I get a better workout with a bar.

You can buy them individually or in sets. I use this one the most often (the heavy): SPRI ES502R Xertube Resistance Band with Door Attachment and Exercise Charts (Blue, Heavy), but there's also a medium one and an extra-heavy one as well.

Ah, good suggestion. Thanks.

And thanks for the link--they're not even particularly expensive, are they?

Jim

Yeah .. they're pretty cheap. I think you can get the set of 3 on amazon for around $30. And they pack in your carryon luggage easily.

Someone gave me a set as a gift one year when I was complaining about working out while travelling and I think they're one of the best gifts I ever got.

I don't know the technical name of this exercise, and I've only done it once so I may not be able to describe it well, but WOW it was difficult to do and can probably be reproduced easily while on the road.

In the gym, I held a kettlebell in my hands in front of my chest with both hands. I then simultaneously squatted while pushing the weight further away from my chest, without letting it sag toward the ground.

As you rise out of the squat, you pull the weight back closer to your body.

Find any small, ~10 lbs object in your motel room and try it out.

Check out the TRX, there are videos on youtube. I just bought one, but I haven't had it long enough to really give a review.

Thanks, astrolab and WilTX.

I'll give the kettle-ball exercise a try with whatever random object makes sense for it. Sounds like a good movement.

I don't know what TRX is--I assume some sort of equipment. I'll look for a YouTube video.

Cheers,
Jim

that's a good program like i ever read it at turbulence programs, right ???..

I'll typically work on "functional stuff" while on the road.

That means a lot of unilateral work (easier to overload a single leg squat, for instance, than it is to overload a bilateral squat), rotation, stability, etc.

Single leg squats
Single leg deadlifts
Bulgarian split squats
Pushups with rotation
Glute bridges
Prisoner Squats
Planks

Back is hard to hit but bands are a fine tool to help that problem and load other movements.

These are the kinds of things you'll see me doing along with a butt load of pre/rehab stuff such as quadruped hip circles, birddogs, cat-camels, x-band walks, clams, ankle mobility drills, thoracic mobility drills, etc, etc.

Essentially, assuming I'm not traveling too frequently, I'll typically use the travel time to deload from the higher intensity work and focus on imbalances and mobility which are often neglected.

Thanks, Steve. I like the idea of making my on-the-road training day each week about something else, rather than have it just be an under-realized version of what I do at home.