Hotel Workouts - Portable Fitness Training In Your Room

While preparing for the British Columbia Championships in 2003, I found myself in the largest blackout in Canadian and American history. This meant that I would be without power, with translates into no gym, fresh chicken, or even gas for a taxi to get anywhere.

It was Aug, 2003 just a few weeks from my figure show. I was in shock when I heard that I would be stuck in a hotel, stranded in Toronto, Ontario between flights as I traveled from Nassau, Bahamas to Victoria, BC Canada. My new 'home' was actually in Mississauga, and to create a workout, I relied on the only power around.
My 'will power'.

Here are the basics I always use when it comes to staying fit anywhere, and at anytime!!

• Pushups for your chest and front delts. Great for getting your heart rate up.
• Squats for your glutes, quads and hamstrings. Also raises your heart rate fast.
• Dips from a chair with feet on the floor. Works your triceps.
• Crunches (reverse, side and regular), working your abs.
• Skipping or jogging on the spot for 2 - 3 minutes for getting the sweat flowing. Be sure to always have a skipping rope in your suitcase. It's something you can trust where is a lack of power to run a treadmill.
• Lunges for your glutes, quads and hamstrings, and keeping your heart rate up.
  
  Repeat circuit at least two more times for a total of three sets. Do up to five sets.

The other part of 'The looking and feeling great equation' is eating right. It was very hard finding the right foods without power, but do your best. Come contest time you will thank yourself! If you can get to grocery store, you will find canned tuna, protein bars, and in the deli there may be foods that are safe to eat such as rice, and salads. Be sure to also drink lots of water. Use this time to break from the television and read. You can be sure the newspapers are full of facts and speculations on why you are in the dark!

If you have a show coming up, or want to train just for your health and well being, use this workout anytime you are in a bind, or have little time to spare. In just 15 - 20 min, you would have done your heart, mind and spirit a favor!

The end result for me, was placing 2nd in the figure short class. On July, 3rd 2004. I competed at the Canadian Nationals in Brantford, Ontario and place 9th out of 28 extremely talented athletes.

- By Fawnia Mondey