Fusion Medical Staffing provided this article.
Let’s face it: some of us are morning people, and some of us need a little jumpstart to get going. Long work hours and time spent adventuring can make us feel a little sluggish when the alarm buzzes, but as a travel nurse, you want to make sure you’ve got your best foot forward before your shift starts.
It can be hard to find any time to take care of your body at all when you’re a travel nurse – you’re in a new city, a new living space, and you might not have your regular gym equipment. These quick exercises are a perfect match for how to stay fit while traveling in addition to starting the day feeling fresh.
6 Quick and Easy Exercises To Help You Wake Up
Warrior Pose
You may recognize the warrior pose from any introductory yoga class. This is a great way to start off your morning travel nurse workout, feel powerful, and streeeeeetch out that spine, which is a little bit compressed after you’ve spent eight hours in bed (give or take).
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and raise your arms above your head, parallel to your body. Step one foot forward slightly, moving the opposite foot backward to come into a lunge position. Press your torso downward and stretch your arms up to the sky. Repeat with the opposite leg.
Side Plank
Side planks help strengthen the core, hip, and shoulder muscles, so they’re a great way to start off targeting multiple muscle groups at the same time.
Put your forearm on the mat under your shoulder, perpendicular to your body. Stack your upper leg directly on top of your lower leg, extending the knees and hips. Raise your body toward the sky, straightening your waist. Hold position. When you’ve done an equal number on each side, feel free to reward yourself with a healthy snack.
Squats
Some people consider squats the royalty of exercises, although others would choose to avoid that particular kingdom. Squats work your buttocks, quads, hamstrings (front and back of your thighs), adductors, hip flexors, calves – all sorts of big important muscles to keep you stable and practice your balance. These will definitely wake you up.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider if that’s more comfortable. Push your seat downward, keeping your back and hips straight, as if you’re sitting in an imaginary chair. Stand and repeat. Just be careful with your knees!
Bicycle Crunches
Technically, they’re not sit-ups. Crunches go way faster, it’s easier to work the core abdominal muscles you’re trying to target, and you can multitask when you get your legs involved!
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your head as if you’re preparing for a standard crunch position. Then, raise your shoulder blades off the ground and bend your knees to 90°. Pedal your legs back and forth in the air, alternating your elbows to opposite knees, like riding a bicycle.
Donkey Kicks
This exercise is a less common move, but works great. It targets your gluteus maximus as well as the gluteus minimus, which stabilizes your hip and pelvis. It also works your core muscles, so you get more bang for your buck!
Position yourself on all fours, with hands underneath your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep one knee bent at 90° degrees and flex the foot as you slowly kick back your leg parallel to the ground. Lower the knee back to the other knee and repeat.
Add Bird-Dog Pose:
With this position, you can get more out of your workout by extending the arm opposite of your kicking leg and balancing on the mat.
Lunges
Almost done! Lunges are sort of like trust falls between you and your ankles. When you do lunges, make sure you’re going slow and steady to avoid losing your balance or injuring yourself.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step one foot forward slightly, moving the opposite foot backward. Push your hips forward to deepen the stretch in your thigh and hip muscles. Repeat with the opposite leg.
You know how important it is to take care of the human body and mind – start with yourself.
We hope you found these 6 quick and easy exercises to help you wake up helpful. Do you have any quick and easy exercises to share? Comment them below.
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