How to Exercise Subtly on a Plane

If you’ve ever been on a long flight, you know how quickly you can become antsy. Muscles start to cramp, extremities go numb and you just need some activity! Unfortunately, you’d look pretty silly if you started to count jumping jacks in the middle of the aisle or pulled a dumbbell out of your briefcase and started to lift weights. If you’re prone to feeling restless, here are a few ways to exercise subtly on a plane.

Heel and Toe Lifts
Since you’re already in a sitting position, heel and toe lifts are a great way to exercise subtly on a plane. You can do it for as long as you want and you won’t disturb the person sitting next to you. Simply maneuver your body so that you’re sitting straight in your seat with your shoulders back and your feet planted firmly on the ground. First, lift your heels off the floor, keeping your toes planted, and raise them as far as you can. Hold for a count of three, then let your heels fall back to the floor. Repeat this twenty times, then switch to your toes, following the same procedure. If you need extra tension, try placing your backpack or your laptop on your knees.

Knee Crunches
This is also a good way to exercise subtly on a plane, though it might not be quite as subtle as heel and toe lifts. For this exercise, start in the same position as described above, but don’t leave anything on your lap. Slowly raise your knees toward your chest as though you are doing backward crunches. Hold for 7-10 seconds, then release back to the floor. This will work not only your abdominals, but also your buttock and thigh muscles.

Ankle, Wrist & Head Rolls
Another way to exercise subtly on a plane is more for easing tense muscles than to gain any strength-training. Your ankles, wrists and neck are probably stiff from sitting in the same position for several hours, especially if you’ve been reading a book or watching the in-flight movie. To combat the stiffness, simply alternate rolling your ankles one at a time. You probably won’t have much room, so cross your legs to give yourself some space. Do the same for your wrists, and then for your neck. Rotate your joints slowly, focusing on getting as much range-of-motion as possible.

Shoulder Hunches
Your shoulders are likely to become as stiff as your other muscles, so you can also exercise them subtly on a plane. Simply sit straight up in your seat with your shoulders thrown back and your head facing straight ahead. Slowly flex your shoulder muscles by drawing them up toward your ears. Hold the position for five seconds, then drop them back down to their original position. To vary this exercise, roll them forward and back as well.

Power Bands
If you’re thinking ahead, you might want to bring power bands with you to exercise on the plane. Power bands are the large rubber devices that you often see used in exercise videos. They add resistance to any exercise and can really help you to stretch in-flight. Just be careful that you aren’t disturbing your neighbor when using them.