I find myself frequently traveling as a student attending university outside her home state. When I do travel, I try to book hotels that list “workout facilities” on their amenity page. As I pay my way through college, I am short on funds meaning I can’t afford hotels with designated workout spaces. So that leaves me with working out in my hotel room which can give me anxiety if I’m being honest. I advocate being contentious and courteous to those around you, regardless of your situation. It can be tricky to do a late-night workout in your room. As many know, jumping jacks aren’t the most considerate for the people sleeping in other rooms. However, as I struggled on my journey to find ways to get my cardio in while not receiving noise complaints, I have compiled different workouts below that will burn calories while keeping your neighbors happy.

Calisthenics and bodyweight workouts

For the last part of 2017, I followed the V Shred program. I’ve found most of Vince’s workouts can be done without making loud noises. As I experienced the program I learned more about calisthenics and bodyweight workouts. As I practiced different exercises given to me in a layout by V Shred, I found that I could get an amazing sweat in while shaking off my jetlag.

It’s amazing what my body is capable of with repetition and mindfulness while working out. I want to stress that everyone’s body isn’t the same. As I’m not a personal trainer or licensed physical therapist, I recommend you take my list below with an open mind and do what feels right for your body. In all honesty, finding the moves that work best with your body and listening to it is the best intention to set while practicing exercises. Remembering your body and mind is a great way to see results without injury so just remember it isn’t a sprint to the finish line. Think of it as a marathon.

Legs

Glute Bridge (4:00): on your back, bend your knees and lift your hips up and down

Downward Dog Leg Lifts: In a plank position walk your feet toward your hands to make a V shape. Start in that position and lift your leg straight behind you and bring it back down. Alternate legs.

Lunges

Forward: stand in place and place one leg forward into a lunge. Bring the front leg back to meet your other leg. Switch legs and repeat.

Walking with knee raise: Start with a normal lunge but continue moving forward by bringing your back leg forward and lift knee high before placing it down into another lunge.

Reverse lunges: stand in place and

Pulse lunges: step forward like a normal lunge and pulse on that leg up and down.

Squats

Bodyweight squat (2:45): no weights needed

Sumo Squat: basically a wide-legged squat

Arms

Pushups

Side-to-side Pushups: Pushup, move to your right, pushup, move back.

Pushup to side plank: pushup, rotate to the right side, and lift into a side plank. Go back down to pushup and switch to the left plank.

Tricep dip: Use a chair or the floor. Extending legs makes it more challenging

Abs

Dead Bug: On your back have arms and legs stretched straight up. Move the opposite arm and opposite leg to the floor and alternate.

Reverse Crunches: on your back tuck your legs up and use your lower abs to lift your legs off the floor.

Toe Touches (1:35): on your back lift your legs straight in the air almost 90 degrees and touch your toes.

Bicycles (2:11): slower pace means more burn

Rollover Crunches: lay on your back with your legs bent. With straight arms and hands on your legs slowly lift with your abs until your hands surpass your knees. Go back down and repeat.

HIIT workouts

I know consistency is key but I tend to feel unmotivated doing the same routine week after week. The workouts above can feel repetitive but that doesn’t stop me from trying other body movements that will get my heart pumping. I discovered HIIT workouts during my athletic career in early college. It was reinforced when my all-time favorite workout inspiration and friend suggested a playlist she uses for her workouts. I met Aly during my Disney College Program in 2016-2016. During that time she had a consistent routine that included HIIT workouts that are low-impact, high-intensity, and thirty to ninety minutes long. Currently, her go-to YouTuber is Millionaire Hoy.

Recently while looking for silent HIIT workouts, I discovered Emi Wong. She has a couple specific videos that are intended for quiet workouts. After trying her out I became a fan. Her “no jumping” videos span ten to thirty minutes long but feel consistent in intensity.

Yoga

The last suggestion I have for you today is to find a yoga instructor or brand to fall back on when it feels like you’re out of options. I recommend yoga workouts because they can tone your muscles with your body weight and static holds or quick reps while flowing through poses. Practicing yoga doesn’t require a lot of space and I found extra towels in my hotel room work great as a mock yoga mat when I leave mine at home. For me, I found a calling to Psyche Truth on YouTube which focuses on overall wellness. They have videos spanning many wellness topics but their yoga videos don’t disappoint.

In California, I was introduced to the Spark Yoga family through my friend Creekstar. The best way to describe Spark Yoga is Disney energy meets pilates and yoga. The owner Steph used to be part of the Anaheim Disney cast and when she moved to San Luis Obispo, she took that vibrant energy with her to her studio. Each workout with all the instructors feels motivating with different intensity levels. After I left California, it felt obvious to me to continue paying for my subscription after they loaded videos online. Their upbeat attitudes, welcoming environment, and killer yoga workouts keep me coming back for more even if I’m states away.

Stretching

As my childhood gymnastics instructor used to say, “stretch before and after every workout.” Taking care of yourself is key and you can seriously injure yourself by not stretching. Especially after a rigorous workout. Even if it felt like an easy day, it’s still important to let your body stretch and relax the muscles. Let your body come down from the high and intensity through calm movements. Not stretching after your workout is like building your engine up to 70 mph and taking a sharp turn without slowing down. Your car will wear and tear just like our bodies.

When it comes to home workouts, do you prefer YouTubers like Chloe Ting, Jeff Cavaliere, or Yoga with Adriene? Perhaps you prefer yoga brands like Alo Yoga, Fabletics, or LuLulemon. Let me know in the comments below.

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