Traveling is something a lot of people look forward to and it’s almost mandatory during the holiday season. Whether you are going out of the country or a few states away, traveling is exciting…and you get to leave your worries and stress at home! The one thing that is never fun, unless you splurge and are flying first class, is the actual plane ride. We are not discounting the miracle of flight, but we are saying that sitting in a narrow plane seat is not the most comfortable place to be.
Plane seats are by no means roomy, and you have to minimize your movements to avoid disturbing the person or people next to you. You don’t have to let your body get stiff and your back doesn’t need to be sore because we have a plane exercise that can be done from the confines of your seat. Well, you can do this exercise whether you are on a plane or not!
Step #1
Sit up with your back straight and feet flat on the floor. Try to feel the weight of your feet against the floor. Rest your hands on your knees and gently rock back and forth until your weight is evenly dispersed between your sit bones. This is the starting position.
Step #2
Roll behind and in front of your sit bones, alternating between these two positions four times. Rest on your sit bones after the last one.
Step #3
It may sound odd, but move your belly back and forth, toward the back of the seat and the seat in front of you. Go back and forth four times before returning to the starting position.
Step #4
Move your ribs back and forth just like you did with your stomach. Go back and forth four times and return to the starting position.
Step #5
Lift your chest and then collapse your chest four times before returning to the starting position.
Step #6
Round your entire spine and roll towards your sit bones. Finally, let your spine expand forward and roll in front of your sit bones. Repeat this four times and then return to the starting position. You have just completed the exercise routine.
You don’t have to follow this routine to a “T” because you can incorporate different movements, positions, or body parts that you like. If you feel that dropping your neck down and then rolling it back will benefit you, do it! Travel safely and avoid getting stiff in that airplane seat.
