If you’ve ever traveled by air, then you know flight delays are inevitable at some point. Staying fit while traveling can be a challenge and it can also be tough to get in the workouts you had planned when you have to take time out to pack before a trip. So why not use that extra time you get from a delay to squeeze in some flight delay exercises?
Whether it’s 10 minutes or a few hours, you can add fitness into your day when you’re stuck at the airport. And if you wear your running shoes as part of your travel outfit, you’ll be able to perform any of these exercises comfortably. But I’ll give you extra credit if you do them in dress shoes or heels.
You can do as many or as few of these exercises as you like. To stay fresh and keep from sweating, I suggest you do these slowly and with frequent breaks to prevent breaking out in a sweat.
What kind of flight delay exercises can you do at the airport to maintain fitness and pass the time?
Walk
Walking is always my go-to when I’m in an airport. It’s even better when that airport has a map with a walking route and mileage. Having a light carry-on or a carry-on with wheels will make walking around the terminals much more enjoyable. If you have a bag that you have to carry over your shoulder, be sure to switch shoulders every once in a while to prevent tightness.
Squats
Since squats don’t require a lot of room to execute, you can do them anyway while keeping your carry-on next to you.
Chair squats can be done anywhere by squatting down as if to sit down, then straightening up before touching down on the chair.
Or you can do wall squats by getting into a squat position while leaning your back against a wall and holding the position.
Walking Lunges
You’ll need some space to move forward in order to do walking lunges. If you do have the space for this and you have a carry on with wheels, then you can perform the walking lunges while rolling your carry-on next to your side.
Stairs or Step-Ups
If you find a flight of stairs or even just a step or two, you can incorporate these exercises into your flight delay.
With a rolling carry-on, you can keep the carry-on next you while using one step to do alternate step-ups. If you have a light bag, then you can carry it while walking up and down the flight of stairs.
Hip Abduction
While standing next to a chair or wall for balance and keeping your bags nearby, balance on one leg and lift the other leg up to the side. To target the glute medius and minimus, keep your leg and foot turned out and squeeze the glute as you lift your leg to the side.
Chair Tricep Dips
This is a great one to try while sitting in the chairs. Hold onto the edge of the seat while you lower and raise yourself in front of the seat. You can keep your legs either bent or out straight.
Push-Ups
You can do regular push-ups on the floor, but if you do I suggest washing your hand immediate after. Who knows what’s been on that floor.
If you’d rather keep your hands clean, you can do wall push-ups or incline push-ups against a chair.
Stretching
If you’re lucky enough to get stuck in an airport with an exercise studio, then you’ve struck gold. You’ll be able to roll out a mat and loosen up with some of your favorite stretches or get in a few core exercises.
Make the most of every moment, even the unexpected ones.
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