Traveling — even for fun — can be tough on our bodies. Hours spent in airline seats, heavy meals and long stretches of touristy walking or standing can leave muscles and joints stiff and achy.
I asked two well-known fitness trainers, Elisabeth Halfpapp and Fred DeVito, for some simple exercises that travelers of any age or condition can do on the move, no matter where they may be. Ms. Halfpapp and Mr. DeVito (who are married) were pioneers in the “barre” exercise movement, which is a workout routine designed around the wooden rail that ballet dancers use for stability during practice. Their first piece of advice: Everywhere you look you can find a stand-in for an exercise barre.
“Try to look for anything that can be used as a barre,” says Ms. Halfpapp, who along with Mr. DeVito co-founded Exhale Spa, which offers barre and yoga at 20 locations in the United States and Bermuda. “Especially with jet lag and time change, you can do these stretches just to recirculate the body and get yourself back to a balanced state of flexibility and strength.”
When Ms. Halfpapp was traveling near Dublin, an old stone wall on a hill inspired her and her companions to do a standing thigh stretch, using the stone wall as a barre. A tree, an ornate bridge, a park bench, the railing on a cruise ship — all work as makeshift exercise barres perfect for stretching and strengthening a traveler’s tired body.
Ms. Halfpapp recalls a family trip to the Amalfi coast, where everyone (even those who don’t take part in regular barre workouts) used a rail that overlooked the sea as a makeshift barre. “We were all so enamored by the view and the energy,” she said. “It was more of an out-of-body experience, doing these stretches, feeling them and then being distracted by the amazing views. The view kept us longer in the stretches.”
Here are six simple barre stretches you can take on the road, as long as you have something to hold on to. If you like, you can do three sets, counting to eight each time and alternating legs and sides as needed.
CreditHiroko Masuike/The New York Times
The Stretch: V Thigh Strengthener
How to Do It: Hold on to the barre and step an arm’s length away from it. Place heels together, turning feet out into a “V.” Gently bend knees a few inches, then raise heels a few inches. You can pulse up and down for eight counts.
What It’s Good for: The stretch works your thighs and glutes, the largest muscles in your body, which means you’ll burn more calories. “It’s an energy booster,” says Mr. DeVito, who, along with Ms. Halfpapp, wrote “Barre Fitness: Barre Exercises You Can Do Anywhere for Flexibility, Core Strength and a Lean Body.”
The Stretch: Standing Thigh Stretch
How to Do It: Place your left hand on the support and soften your knees. Lift and bend your right leg, grabbing your foot and holding for 30 seconds. If you can’t hold your foot, just bend the raised leg while resting your hand on your thigh. Alternate sides.
What It’s Good for: Stretches the top of your thigh (quadriceps) and hip flexor muscles. “Hip flexors get really tight when you’re sitting and traveling,” Ms. Halfpapp said.
The Stretch: Ice Skater
How to Do It: Hold on to your support, an arm’s distance away. Lift one leg opposite the barre and lean forward so your torso and your leg are parallel to the ground. If you can’t extend your leg straight, just bend it so only your thigh is parallel to the ground. Hold for eight counts and, if you’re feeling ambitious, lift the raised leg up and down in gentle pulses. Try it on the other side.
What It’s Good for: A weight-bearing exercise great for bones and balance. Take a mindful moment and imagine yourself as an ice skater gliding along the ice.
The Stretch: Standing Plank
How to Do It: Face the support and place palms shoulder distance apart. Keeping legs straight, bend your elbows about six inches toward the bar and keep your body straight. Hold for 30 seconds.
What It’s Good for: Strengthens upper body and abdominal muscles, and can improve posture. “When we travel we get a little weak in our cores,” Mr. DeVito said.
The Stretch: Figure 4 Stretch
How to Do It: Face the barre and hold with both hands or stand next to it supported by one hand, whichever is comfortable. Take your right ankle and place it above your left knee so you create the shape of the number 4. Bend your standing leg slightly and hold for eight counts. Alternate sides.
What It’s Good for: Stretches hips, glutes and lower back. A great exercise when you’ve just gotten off a plane or a long train ride. “When you’re sitting in a plane or car, we tend to slouch into the seats, and then the hip flexors get really tight,” Ms. Halfpapp said.
The Stretch: Crescent Stretch
How to Do It: Place your left hand on the support and stand with the barre at your side. With your feet together, reach your right arm up over your head (like a dancer). Lean toward the barre and stretch your side, holding for eight counts. Repeat the sequence, then turn around and do the other side.
What It’s Good for: Stretches your core, shoulders and hips. “We usually become one-sided when we’re carrying things on vacation,” Ms. Halfpapp said. “This will help relieve any tightness you have on the sides of the body.”
