How to Do an In Flight Fitness Workout

Keeping yourself active during a long haul flight not only gives your body some much needed movement but also helps to lower your risk of blood clotting (also known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT)). The easy-to-follow routine outlined in this article will keep your body supple and refreshed; try to practice the routine every hour to an hour and a half on a long flight, if possible.

Steps

1. Sit in your seat with your feet flat, hip-width apart and directly underneath your knees. Lift your heels up so that only the balls of your feet are on the floor. Hold this position for five seconds and then lower your heels. Repeat this movement 10 times, making sure that your breathing is natural and at a regular pace.
   
2. Lift the balls of your feet so that only your heels are on the floor. Hold this position for five seconds and then lower your feet. Repeat 10 times.
   
3. Stretch your legs out under the seat in front of you. Lift one leg slightly so that it is straight, and rotate your foot clockwise at the ankle 15 times and then counter clockwise for another 15 times. Repeat this action with your other leg.
   
4. Raise both hands straight up over your head, as far as you can. With one hand, grasp the elbow of the opposite arm and gently pull to one side. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
   
5. Place your right hand over the left shoulder. Place your left hand behind your right elbow and gently press the elbow toward shoulder. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side for 15 seconds.
   
   • Only perform this stretch if there is no one sitting next to you (or if the person next to you is a close friend or relative who doesn't mind), as this will cause you to extend your arm in front of them.
     
6. Try some muscle contraction exercises. In a confined space, contracting muscles can be an excellent form of exercise without moving too much.
   
   • Contract your abdominal or gluteal muscles. Hold them in place for a few seconds, then release. Repeat this as many times as you feel comfortable during your flight. This will help to strengthen and tone your muscles.
     
   • Contract your pubococcygeal (PC) muscles while sitting in a manner similar to Kegel exercises. These muscles stop the flow of urine and the exercises help to improve bladder control. For men, this exercise can help ameliorate erectile dysfunction and improve sexual performance. For women, try Kegel exercises while seated.
     
7. Exercise while waiting for the bathroom. This is a good opportunity to stretch and move while standing in line.
   
   • Stand with your feet slightly apart and your hands stretched out in front of you (if it's possible), or place your hands on your hip. Bend down at the knees and do a sit up. Come back to standing position. Repeat about 5 times. Doing this helps to flex the knees and gets blood flowing through the legs and hips.
     
   • Stretch. Stand with your feet together and bend down at the waist to touch your feet. This stretches your, relieving back muscle tension.
     
8. Stand up. If the aisle is completely empty, stand in the aisle. Grasp armrests on either side of you. Tighten your abdominals and lift legs straight in front of you, using only abdominals and arms to lift legs. Do not jump. Repeat for sets of 10. Beginners, try smaller sets for this. It works quads, thighs, and abs all at once.
   

Video

Tips

• Always be considerate of the people sitting next to you, in front of you, and behind you. Practice airplane etiquette. Try not to disturb others, whether by bumping into their chair, obstructing their view of a movie, or invading their personal space.
  
• If your seat does not allow you to exercise, then try to stand up periodically to walk up and down the aisle and use your legs. As noted, some of these exercises can be performed while you're standing up (as you're waiting for the restrooms to become available, for example), so you needn't feel limited by the space.
  
• It can be helpful to print off this wikiHow in small print to keep in your wallet or passport holder; that way, you can read through the exercises while traveling, until you can remember them for yourself. Or, keep a copy on your phone or laptop.
  
• It's also a good idea to practice these exercises in the airport as well as on the plane: before, in-between, and after flights. Doing this is a good way to stretch sore and tired muscles.
  
• Keep well-hydrated during the flight. Ask for more water if you need it. Try to avoid alcoholic drinks when flying, as these tend to dehydrate you quickly.
  

Warnings

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a rare condition but is very serious for those who are vulnerable to it. Those who are more vulnerable include the elderly, pregnant women, people prone to varicose veins or other medical conditions. Speak with your health professional prior to flying to ascertain if you're in a high-risk group and to find possible ways to reduce the risks, as well as using these exercises.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Be Comfortable on a Long Airplane Trip
  
• How to Practice Airplane Etiquette
  
• How to Avoid Jet Lag
  
• How to Exercise While Sitting at Your Computer
  
• How to Exercise While Watching TV
  

Sources and Citations

• Original source of article, VideoJug, http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-do-an-in-flight-fitness-workout - A video of the in-flight workout exercises. Shared with permission.
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Do an In Flight Fitness Workout. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.


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How to Lose Weight Performing an Exercise Agilities Programme

These agilities can help you drop pounds and pounds, and you only have to do this work out once a week to see results! It's a quick, easy way to drop a few pounds a month of your abs and thighs.

Steps

1. Understand that there are six stations in these agilities.
   
2. Do each station for 30 seconds, increasing the time by about 5 seconds (if you want) each week.
   
3. Do this work-out at least once a week. Do all the stations, no breaks in between, and then take a break.
   
4. After you get some water and rest for about 3 min, you repeat all 6 stations. Do the stations 4 times. This is a great work-out.
   
5. Get started. Here are the six stations:
   
   • 1st station. Do jump squats. All you need to do is stand with your feet about shoulder width facing forward, jump up, and then when you come back down, have your feet facing out. Repeat that over and over again.
     
   • 2nd station. Perform sit-ups. Do not do neck-ups, as that is cheating. You have to at least get your shoulders off the ground.
     
   • 3rd station. Do lunges. Simply lunge forward alternating feet each time. Don't take either heel off the ground, and go as far forward as possible.
     
   • 4th station. Perform push-up crunches. Go into a push-up position. Bring one leg up to your head, (bent), almost like a crunch on the side of you body. Alternate legs.
     
   • 5th station. Do quick Steps. If you don't have stair steppers, just use stairs. Just touch the tip of your feet to the top of the stair, alternating as fast as possible.
     
   • 6th Station. Finish with push-ups. Just do consecutive push-ups. Do them on your knees, but keep your back completely straight.
     
6. Perform this regularly to improve strength and drop your weight.
   

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How to Achieve Overall Fitness

Everyone wants to achieve a level of fitness that makes us look like a Greek statue or some hero in a story. The truth is though, most people do not know how to achieve overall fitness. Read this guide for general tips and detailed ideas.

Steps

1. Create for yourself a proper diet. A good diet consists of complex carbohydrates, protein, and essential fats. The ratio should be 60-70% complex carbs, 20-30% protein, and 10-20% essential fats. Good sources of complex carbohydrates are whole grain foods and whole wheat foods. Sources of good protein are whey protein drinks (nothing fancy, something cheap will work) and lean meats along with fish. Essential fats can be found in olive oils, fish, flax seed, and peanuts. Remember, always check a nutrition label if available, if it says saturated fat above 7 grams or trans fat at all, avoid it.
   
2. Master the art of proper exercises. Never do an exercise with an absurd amount of speed, or lift too much so that you can barely finish 1 repetition. Moderation and intelligence is the key.
   
3. Understand that weights are not the only way to build strength and muscle. Use a favorite exercise of old timers out there, the push up, or press up. In addition to the press up, incorporate other body weight exercises (i.e chin-ups, pull-ups, prisoner squats). For endurance, do an exercise with repetitions above 12. For strength add resistance to a body weight exercise and do 6-11 repetitions.
   
4. Know that when using weights, you want to go heavy and do 6-10 reps of a given exercise. This ensures that the muscle goes into an anabolic mode and builds as much muscle as possible. Always work with a weight until you can do 11 repetitions. Once you can do 11 reps of a given exercise, add 5 pounds to further stimulate muscle growth.
   
5. Want to skip right to a six pack? Chances are, you have well-developed abdominal muscles, it is just that you have too much body fat covering them. Lower body fat by doing cardiovascular work such as sprints, Fartlek training, biking, hiking, distance, or even raking a lawn! Anything that gets your heart beating will burn calories. Also, decrease the amount of calories you take in daily by 200-500 for weight loss. If more then 1 kilogram a week is being lost, revise your diet or cut back on the amount of cardio training you are doing.
   
6. Gain muscle by increasing your intake calories with a high nutritional value, so that does not mean eat chips. Stick to a healthy diet as mentioned above and simply increase your daily calorie intake by 200-500 calories. To ensure you are getting enough calories, check the next two steps for a precise equation.
   
7. Determine your activity level. Very light (sitting activities, driving, etc.) 1.3, Light (walking, golf, sailing, etc) 1.6, Moderate (walking with extra weight, jogging, light swimming, biking, calisthenics, etc) 1.7, Heavy ( walking with extra weight uphill, rowing, digging, soccer, basketball, climbing, obstacle course, etc) 2.1, and finally Exceptional (running/swimming races, carrying very head loads, hard rowing, cycling uphill, etc) 2.4 Apply your activity level to the next step.
   
8. Determine amount of calories burned daily use this equation. 6.95 x Weight + 679= calories burned while inactive. Now let 'A' equal your activity level. Amount of calories burned while inactive x 'A'= maintenance calories, or amount of calories needed in a day. A full equation should look like this, 6.95 x 145 + 679= 1687; 1687 x 1.7 = 2867. Now, to build muscle, add 200-500 calories. To lose weight, take 200-500 calories away from that amount.
   
9. Add these hip extensor exercises to your workout. Donkey kicks, supermans, prone back extensions. Limit the amount of hip flexor exercises to twice a week tops. Hip flexors are worked by exercises that lift legs off the floor (i.e. reverse crunches, leg raises, flutter kicks, legs levers, etc). Overworking hip flexors will lead to lower back problems. Limit amount of hip extensor exercises to twice a week as well. Mostly stick to true abdominal exercises (sit ups, crunches, Vee up).
   
10. Get a good night's sleep!
    

Tips

• Only workout 3 days a week. Example, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, workout; Tuesday and Thursday do cardiovascular if you so choose. Saturday and Sunday use as rest days.
  
• Drink plenty of water! At least 64 oz. 1 cup (8oz) eight times a day.
  
• Only eat 0.8 to 1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Determine required protein by multiplying 0.8-1.0 times body weight. The body can only use so much protein at a given time.
  
• Adding resistance to calisthenics ( body weight exercises) is easy. Do the exercises more slowly or pause at the climax and descent of the exercises, or wear a backpack filled with books or weights to increase the challenge. Resistance is key to build muscle size.
  
• Use compound exercises if lifting weights (squats, bench press, dead-lifts and so on).
  
• Alter the classic squat or press up to work different muscle groupings. Holding your arms closer together during a push up or doing a handstand pushup targets several different groupings of muscles. A squat on one leg focuses on different muscle groups then on two legs. Be creative.
  
• Get 8 hours of sleep
  
• Never do more then 30 minutes of cardiovascular daily. Too much will burn off muscle. It takes approximately 15 minutes of exercise before your heart reaches a rate at which calories will start being used for energy. Your total cardio workout should be 45 minutes.
  
• With great gains in muscle mass, there will also be minor amounts of fat gain. Your weight may also increase because muscle weighs more than fat. Suck it up for now, you can burn the fat off later for a six pack.
  
• Never let anyone tell you that you cannot build muscle with calisthenics alone or that it is possible to build muscle without gaining fat.
  
• Add a warm-up followed by stretching before an actual workout. A warm-up can be jump rope, jumping jacks, or some cardiovascular for 5 minutes. Follow up a workout with a cool-down, which is more stretching. This prevents injuries and adds more increases in muscle gain!
  

Warnings

• Do not continue an exercise if it causes excessive amounts of pain, a burn is fine but chronic pain is bad.
  
• Can't do a particular exercise at all? See a personal trainer for alternatives.
  
• Do not workout if sick.
  
• Do not workout if overtired.
  

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How to Become Fit in Middle School

Are you scared of not being fit? Is there something that you want to improve? Or is it just your lack of power? Either way, welcome in to my article of the secret of fitness.

Steps

1. Find your BMI. If you are in 17-27 then you can skip the next step. It is essential to match your weight with your average or close to the average for a more fit body.If you are overweight, go to step two, if underweight go to step 3.
   
2. Lose weight. Being overweight will not only disable your full fitness potential, it also tells that your diet is "Not good". Try some calories that burn 10 calories a minute if you are serious about it, and try that for 30-40 minutes a day, and just cut off any chocolate or chips from your diet. Don't lose heart, you are not alone, 30% of the American children are over weight.
   
3. Gain weight. DO NOT go on a junk food strike or cut down on exercise. Just try to eat more HEALTHY food, and raise your BMI to 17, you can do this, I know you can.
   
4. Cut down on junk food. There is a chance you can be over weight, or even worse: get a heart disease. Try to eat it 3 servings a week, then 2 servings, then a serving, then once a month, after once a month you can proceed.
   
5. Eat healthy food. Eat more eggs (yolk is the best part), it has great amounts of protein, also try to eat some dairy products for calcium which is also great for getting fit, proceed once you have a habit of this.
   
6. Start out with 30 minutes of exercise, in the lower body. Try to do some lighter ones, and increase in time and intensity once you are capable of your current level of workout, expect a week or two. proceed once you can do a hour of moderate exercise.
   
7. Get a habit. Try not to do it every day, as muscles get bigger after healing, try it 5-6 times a week, and make the seventh and or sixth day rest (weekends).
   
8. Do step six on the upper body. You should train your upper body too, it is another source of power, proceed once you can reach the same goal as step 6 for the upper body.
   
9. Make a routine. I do this: Mon,Tues,Thurs: punch bag, wed,fri: run. If you can, try to make it balanced on the body like my workout, and try not to skip it. proceed once this is a habit.
   
10. Put new twists. Now you got the routine AND the base, what's left: your twists. A exercise is not useful once easy, so get a heavier punching bag, and try to improve a 30-40 pounds on your punching bag, proceed once you can punch 20 or 30 kg.
    
11. Put new twists, just on the lower body. Try a nine minute mile, then a eight minute, finally, a seven minute. Proceed after a seven minute mile.
    
12. Find your major. Now you have improved your strength, try to find which half of the body is easier.
    
13. Focus on the harder one first (minor). you may want to equal your strength out, ex. in a 5 day schedule try: 3 days on minor 2 days on major, proceed once routine is established.
    
14. Add more twists. The thing that increases your fitness is the twists, maybe you can put them in numerous but small milestones or few but huge goals. Proceed once able to punch 40 kg and in a 6 minute mile.
    
15. Increase your stamina. Increase the intensity or the time, but not both. You don't want a 5 hour long exercise that is uber intense
    
16. Keep it up.
    

Tips

• Try using this scale, how you feel when you work out
  
  • 1. relaxed: probably just like sitting on a desk, no pain or sweat.
    
  • 2. wimpy: can keep it up for another three hours, no pain at all, ex. walking.
    
  • 3. mild: can probably keep up for a long period of time, and can talk normally, you won't even have to sweat for another hour.
    
  • 4. almost moderate: can keep up for somewhat more, and a few drops of sweat after a long time of it: ex. housework
    
  • 5. moderate: you can keep it up for some time, and you are sweating after some time, some pain. ex. a jog
    
  • 6. hard: you feel tired, and sweat after 5 minutes, you can barley talk. ex. heavy jog.
    
  • 7. very hard: you feel like it's too hard, you can only talk short words, and sweat after 3 minutes or so
    
  • 8. tough: you feel like giving up, you can only say words with less than two syllables, and you don't want to talk at all.
    
  • 9. intense: you feel like throwing up, you can only grunt like a pig, and sweat after a minute. ex. a constant full power sprint.
    
  • 10. extreme: you feel like you will just die, and you can't even talk, much less, breath without huge gasps, and sweat is almost instant. ex. a extremely long sprint (2 miles) non-stop
    
  • 11. dangerous: you feel like just stopping your body altogether, and your muscles are bursting, you struggle with breathing, you want to just black out, your body just can't handle it, it is actually very dangerous to do, and you can just collapse, you can't notice anything except the sport and the pain.
    

Warnings

• Don't go over the 9, it can potentially harmful
  

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