Truck drivers like you have one of the most necessary jobs around the world. Without people like you, we wouldn't have food, furniture, and many of our appliances and everyday needs. Because your job is so crucial to the lives of so many people, you don't get as many breaks as you might like, which makes it a lot harder to focus on your health. Good thing for you, though, there are plenty of truck drivers out there that saw this as an issue and wrote down different routines and exercises you can do on a daily basis to keep your health on point while being a truck driver.
There has been a lot of research done as far as health for truck drivers, and though these studies, they noticed that 50% of truck drivers became obese. Now don't get offended; those are just the numbers. But, to be honest, it goes to show how little time truck drivers have to spend on their health. But we can help you get on track. Here are a few truck driver workouts you can do while you are on the road to keep you in tip-top shape.
Use Dumbbells at red lights or in the back of your truck
You will be on the roads for hours at a time; there's bound to be more than a few times where you are stuck waiting for a red light. During this time, pick up some dumbbells and do a few arm exercises. You may even be able to get about 10 minutes in a day of dumbbell workouts. There are two ways you can exercise using dumbbells while you are in the car. The first way is by holding your arm straight out as far as you can and lifting your arm up and down while keeping your arm straight. Another method usually preferred because of the limited arm space is bending your lower arm up and down to your shoulders and down to your leg.
You can also do this in the back of your truck when you have to make a quick stop, or you are gassing up your vehicle for the next run.
Jog to your destinations
Some truckers like to get a bite to eat at a nearby restaurant after they've stopped at a truck stop. If you are one of those types of truckers, get a quick jog in and jog to your destination rather than driving. This should give you at least 15 mins of jogging time, and it helps you lose any extra calories you ate at the place you stopped by.
Extra exercises to so in the back area of your truck (or off-road)
Hopefully, you'll be able to get a lot of breaks and extra time. If so, here are some exercises to do in your spare time.
Do the plank
This exercise is super great because it gets a lot done in little time. You will want to start off doing the plank about 1 minute at a time and then slowly add on 30 seconds as your body gets used to it more.
Do a few Sit-ups
Sit-ups are a quick and easy way to get exercise in. You don't even need any equipment for this; just lay on your back, legs bent with knees in the air, and lift your shoulders off the ground until they touch your knees. You'll want to do 30-50 of these daily to help make a difference. Missing a day or so should be fine as long as you get on track again after taking a break day.
Swing those Kettlebells
Top athletes use kettlebells to train and build muscles in all the right places, which is why it is always recommended. Get yourself a nice set of kettlebells and do a couple of swings with it daily, and you have yourself a tremendous rewarding exercise down.
Use a Mini Trampoline
Maybe the whole exercising routine scares you a bit. Well, if you like to jump, get yourself a small easy to move the trampoline and do a few jumps daily on it. It will boost your metabolism and blood flow. If you include this in your life every day, you'll be less tired while you're driving on the roads, which is a win-win if you think about it.
Lunges/Squats
Get the best results in less time when you apply lunges in your workout routine. Lunges are easy to learn, and they are suitable for stretching out your legs and getting quick muscles in your thighs. Squats aren't only for the butt; they're great for your thighs and leg muscles. Get a few of those in there to help you get the best results possible.
I hope this article helps you apply some new workout routines into your trucking life. I wish you luck on your journey to being a happy, healthy truck driver. I hope to see you soon in our next article.
