View Cart (1)
Editor’s note: this article was originally found on Thrillist. Click here for the original article.
Are you heading home for the holidays? Do you need to fly in order to get home? Then this post is for you.
Flying and jet lag goes hand in hand no matter how far you are flying. Luckily, some basic movements performed before you get into your seat and listen to the airline safety instructions can help prepare your body to fly and recover from a flight.
Start 3 days before you fly
Three days before you fly you should start preparing your body. Get enough sleep and get some exercise (only about 30 – 45 minutes per day in the days leading up to your flight). If you’re a regular at the gym, consider tapering your workouts before a long flight. Going too hard at the gym right before flying will prevent your body from properly recovering.
When you get to the airport
Sitting isn’t good for your body and it is isn’t always possible to walk around the plane during your flight. After you make it through security at the airport, walk the concourse for 15 to 30 minutes before your flight starts boarding. Walk as if you’re late for your flight (even though you definitely arrived in plenty of time).
After you walk around it is time to stretch it out. This will help prevent your muscles from getting stiff during the next few hours of sitting. Stretch out the following muscles:
- Calf stretch – face a wall, place your palms against the wall, and step your right foot forward, pushing the ball of your foot against the wall with your heel on the ground. Lean forward into the wall as you press your right heel into the ground until you feel a stretch in your right calf. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.
- Quad stretch – stand with your left shoulder about a foot from the wall and place your left palm on the wall lightly for support. Bend your right knee, lift your right foot behind you, and grab the top of your foot with your right hand. Keep your right knee pointing toward the ground and use your hand to pull your foot toward the same side glute. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds before switching legs.
- Hip flexor stretch – Stand with your feet hip-distance apart with your hands on your hips. Take a big step forward with your right foot, planting your heel. Bend both knees slightly and sink into a staggered stance, then scoop your tail bone under as you press your hips forward until you feel a stretch through the front of your left hip. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and switch legs.
- Seated figure-4 stretch – Sit on a sturdy chair (respect your fellow flyers and take a seat that is open on both sides!) place your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-distance apart. Lift your left foot from the ground and cross your left ankle over your right knee, allowing your left knee to open outward to form the number 4 with your right leg. Place one hand lightly on each knee and sit up straight in your chair before tipping forward from your hips until you feel a stretch through the outside of your left hip and glute. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, deepening the stretch as much as you can, before switching legs.
- Chest opener – this stretch is great for when you’re waiting to board! Stand with your feet planted hip-distance apart and your arms at your side. Clasp your hands together behind your glutes and press your palms downward, drawing your shoulders back as you simultaneously look up to the ceiling, stretching your chest wide. Hold for 30 seconds.
While you’re on the plane
The best thing you can do while you are on the plane is to keep moving. This can be difficult if you’re in the window or middle seat and you don’t want to be THAT person or if you’re going through turbulence. If you can, get up and walk every 30 minutes. Follow that walk with these exercises:
- Extend and roll – extend your right leg, lifting your foot from the ground, then roll your ankle 20 times (10 circles each way). Repeat on the other leg.
- Ankle see-saw – sit tall in your seat and lift your heels from the ground, pressing through the balls of your feet to rise high on your toes. Lower your feels back to the floor, then lift your toes from the ground, pressing through your heels. Continue this motion for 20 times.
- Shoulder shrug and roll – sit tall and shrug your shoulders as high as possible, drawing them toward your ears. Hold for five seconds, release, and repeat. After two shrugs, roll your shoulders forward five times, then roll them backward five times.
- Yes and no – Draw your chin to your chest before you look up to the ceiling where the air vens and call button are. Repeat 5 times. Then shake it out by turning your head all the way to the left and then all the way to the right. Shake your head 5 times. You are basically over-exaggerating a nod and shake of your head with these movements.
- Seated spinal twist – Sit tall and cross your right thigh over your left. Place your left hand on top of your right knee, then twist your torso to the right, placing your right band on your seat behind you as you look back over your right shoulder. Hold for 5 seconds and repeat on the other side.
- Forward fold – sit tall in your chair with your feet hip-distance apart. Tip forward from the hips, keeping your back straight, folding your chest over your thighs. Allow your head to hand loose between your knees and hold the position for as long as you feel comfortable doing so.
Editor’s note: please respect the people around you while performing these exercises. Everyone is close together on a plane and no one wants their personal space invaded!
Immediately after your flight
Despite exercise before and during your flight, you may still feel stiff in your quads, hips, shoulders, and chest. Walk briskly to get your blood pumping again (or to get your baggage before someone mistakes it for theirs!). Go through the same pre-flight stretches to loosen up those shortened muscles. That way, when you see your mom, you’ll be ready to help her cook the holiday meal!
A big thank you to our friends at Thrillist for their original article. Click here to see it.