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Hotelroomworkout

The 15-minute Hotel Room Workout

24 Feb 2020

With Christmas now behind us and the New Year in full swing, some of you might be thinking about how you can fit exercise around your routine now you’re back at work.

Exercise while travelling or away from home isn’t always easy or practical - especially if you’re staying overnight in a hotel and don’t have time to go to the gym or the correct equipment.

It can be disruptive and can have an impact on people’s daily routine.

That’s why Imago Venues – Loughborough University’s conference and events arm – have teamed up with experts from the university’s School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, to create a 15-minute workout you can do in your hotel room.

Mountain climbers Equipment: Floor space

This exercise will act as a warm up.

Begin the workout with one minute of mountain climbers using the floor space.

To perform the exercise, start in the plank position with the arms and legs straight. Whilst engaging the core, bring the right knee forward under the chest with the right foot just off the ground. Return to the start position and then switch legs, bringing the left knee forward. Keep switching and up the tempo until it feels like running whilst in the plank position.

Mountain climbers work the whole body, including: the shoulders, biceps and triceps, chest, abdominal muscles, quadriceps and hamstrings.

(One minute)

Press ups Equipment: Floor space/bed

Start on the floor chest down, with the palms on the floor shoulder-width apart and the balls of the feet just beneath the toes on the ground.

Push up, keeping the back straight and the elbows pointed towards the hips.

The weight should be supported by the arms. Lower the body back into the starting position and repeat.

If push-ups are difficult, the knees can be placed on the floor to support the weight or the hands can be placed on the edge of the bed to support the weight.

Press ups work the upper body, specifically targeting the chest, shoulders and triceps.

(One minute)

Squats Equipment: Floor space/bed/chair

Start with the feet slightly wider than the hips and toes turned outward.

Tense the abdominal muscles to engage the core. Inhale and push the hips back and sit into the mid-foot.

The knees should be bent until the thighs are parallel with the floor.

Then exhale and press into the mid-foot to straighten back into the start position.

The legs, hips and torso should rise at the same time. Beginners should squat onto a chair/edge of the bed to begin with.

To make the exercise more difficult, single leg squats can be performed.

Squats help to strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, buttocks and abdominals.

(One minute)

Crunches Equipment: Floor space / Towel

Place a towel on the floor to provide cushioning.

Lie on your back with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.

Place the hands behind the head so the thumbs are behind the ears and elbows are out to the side.

Tilt the chin so that the gap between the chin and chest is only a few inches.

Gently tense the abdominals and curl up so that the head, neck and shoulder blades lift off the floor.

Hold for five seconds and then return to the starting position. Avoid pulling on the neck with the hands.

Crunches help strengthen the core region of the body.

(One minute)

Lunges Equipment: Floor space

Stand tall with the feet hip-width apart. Engage the core taking a big step forward with the right leg and start to move the weight forward.

Lower the body until the right thigh is parallel to the floor and the right shin is vertical. The right knee should not go past the toes of the right foot.

Press into the right heel to drive back up to the starting position and then repeat on the other side.

Throughout the exercise, make sure the upper body is upright and does not drop.

Lunges work the hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and buttocks.

(One minute)

Repeat the circuit exercises three times.

Matthew Roberts, a PhD student in Physiology, in the University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, at Loughborough University, said: “All of these exercises can be done in the comfort of your own hotel room, when there aren’t facilities available. The exercises will be effective for burning calories and building muscle mass for the full body. Now there aren’t any excuses for not doing your workout when there are no facilities to use or if you don’t have time to go to the gym.”

Notes for editors

  • Imago Venues are Leicestershire's premier venue brand, combining year-round conference venues and hotels with Loughborough University’s campus facilities.
  • They provide high-quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation, along with world-leading sports and leisure facilities.
  • Its portfolio includes Burleigh Court Conference Centre and Hotel, Holywell Park Conference Centre, The Link Hotel, the Elite Athlete Centre and Hotel, and Loughborough University campus.
  • Multi-award winning venues including M&IT Gold for Best Academic Venue, Best UK Conference Centre, Best F&B Supplier, and Best Training Venue at the Academic Venue Awards.
  • Imago Venues are a wholly owned subsidiary of Loughborough University and Gift Aid their profits back to the University, contributing over £1m per year towards research and academic excellence on campus.
  • Imago Venues is part of The 5% Club which is a movement of more than 800 employers providing 'earn and learn' opportunities to develop the skills and talents people need to become more employable and create meaningful careers.

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