Exercising can be tough when you live the truck driver lifestyle, but we all know health is important for a prosperous life. While you may not be able to make it consistently to one gym, there are many ways truck drivers can exercise while on the road.
Running
The tried and true exercise that’s existed since our ancestors were running from predators 600,000 years ago. It will always be popular because it’s practical and all you need is a pair of shoes and proper attire for the weather. One of the biggest benefits runners experience over non-runners is they can see the countryside. If you’re looking for a way to stay fit on the road while taking in the environment of the current region you’re staying at, running is the right option for you.
Running in the winter may be problematic. Fortunately, there are plenty of additional fitness options still to come.
Find a national gym
There are a few national and even international gyms scattered throughout the United States. Gyms such as Planet Fitness and Anytime Fitness are located in almost every state of the country. If you drive a consistent route, research the cities along the way and look for common gym names. Membership to these gyms usually grant members access to every location in the country at a fixed rate.
Bodyweight
Your body is heavy, so use it! Not only will you benefit from jogs and sprints, but bodyweight circuits are a great way to build lean muscle and burn off excess fat. There are hundreds of bodyweight exercises one can do to stay in shape. Exercises such as push-ups, burpees, jumping jacks, bodyweight squats, and core circuits are just the tip of the exercise iceberg. These hundreds of exercises can be structured in hundreds of variations and allow you to maintain long-term health no matter where you are.
Use exercise accessories
It always helps to add exercise accessories to your bodyweight routines. Here are a few common accessories that can take your routine to the next level.
Jump ropes are a simple and effective way to burn calories. They cost roughly $20 but are a great sidekick to a running, core, or bodyweight workout.
Weighted jacket: Weighted jackets simply add extra weight to bodyweight exercises, increasing the intensity of the exercise.
“Resistance Bands are just oversized rubber bands. Are they even worth it?”
The short answer is “yes.” The long answer is “absolutely.”
A set of quality, rubber resistance bands costs $50 at most but will improve your workouts tremendously. In addition, they can be used during stretching exercises to increase intensity, or even used in stability work and rehabilitation of minor injuries like soreness and pulls.
Kettlebells: The most costly accessory on the list, kettlebells can be easy to travel with and add even more exercises to your tool belt while greatly increasing intensity. Most quality kettlebells cost around $50 each, but you only really need a few to add variation to your workout. Adjustable kettlebells are also a practical way to buy multiple kettlebells for the price of one.
There’s an app for that
In addition to accessories, applications can be downloaded from your phone’s app store to provide even more workout routines. You’re not paying for a gym membership, so you might as well pay for an application! That being said, there are a few free fitness apps that provide users with tons of bodyweight workouts for free.
Rolling Strong is a health and wellness app specifically intended for professional truck drivers. It provides solutions to stay healthy by educating drivers on nutrition, fitness, and sleep. It will even help you find fitness spots near you! While Rolling Strong is a paid app, it is free to enroll in the wellness program for all FCC drivers and only $5 for family members of FCC drivers. If you’d like to learn more, you can follow this link for more information about Rolling Strong.
Freeletics Bodyweights hold the highest ratings of all the bodyweight workout apps. Users input their age, goals, fitness levels, and BMI and the app then generates the best workout programs based on the individual user, not an umbrella program. In addition, users can manually browse the app for individual workout routines.
BodBot allows users to filter their workout type based on equipment, fitness level, and other categories. Whether you’re at a gym or not, the app can generate a workout to fit your circumstances.
You Are Your Own Gym. The name of this app is telling—all you need is your own body for an adequate routine! You Are Your Own Gym gives users the options to choose between an individual workout, or follow a plan, all while tracking their own personal progress. The workouts can range from 2 minutes to longer than a half hour.
Homeworkout is a free app where users can input what days they wish to exercise and their goals. The app is challenge oriented, offering users the option to choose between challenges based on their skill level. The app will keep generating increasingly difficult challenges to help users improve their fitness levels.
Yoga
Contrary to popular belief, yoga is extremely difficult. Consisting mainly of isometric holds, yoga increases flexibility, builds muscle, and improves cognitive health!