16 October

Learn Great Workouts for Truckers

Phrases like “I don’t have time to go to the gym.”  or “I don’t want to pay for a gym membership.” are now past.

How many times have you heard these excuses? You don’t even have to be talking to a truck driver to hear these come up in regular conversation. So when you add in an ever-changing schedule with no nearby gym, it may seem as though consistent exercises for truck drivers is next to impossible.

But the fact is, you can get in a great workout without ever going to the gym. In fact, there are plenty of exercises for truck drivers that are easy to do. Check out the video to see for yourself.

27 percent of long-haul truckers sleep six or fewer hours a night;

34 percent have nodded off while driving.

Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

There are plenty of exercises you can do inside the truck or just outside of your truck. The best part is you don’t need any fancy equipment to do given exercise. You can take a look at some recommended exercises which will improve your physical and mental health.

 

5 Basic Exercises for Truck Drivers

Push-ups – Push-ups are a very basic exercise that can really go a long way to tone your body when done correctly. A couple of good things about push-ups are that they use your own body weight as resistance and don’t require a huge amount of space or weight. As long as you can extend your legs back while having enough space to keep your arms shoulder width apart, you can do a push up. Best of all, you can get in a few sets of push-ups in just a few minutes at just about any time (as long as you’re on a break). Push-ups are a great exercise for drivers to work in the next time they’re waiting on a load.

Dips – Truck drivers can get in a solid triceps workout by getting in a few sets of dips. You can use a couple of tires for support as you lower your body by bending at the elbow. Also, you can lean on the trucks front or any other part which provides you enough space for your hands. What happens if it’s raining outside? No problem, consider using the passenger seat and driver seat for support to do dips while staying dry inside. Keep your arms closer together and your body upright to maximize tricep work or widen your arms and lean forward to get in some chest work as well.

Sit Ups – Why not wake up 10 minutes early to get in a few sets of sit ups? After all, you can do them right in your sleeper. You’ll find all kinds of advice from fitness experts on how to do a sit up to build “ripped abs,” but the key is to make sure you aren’t putting unnecessary strain on your back. When it comes to sit ups for truck drivers, our advice is to find a comfortable space in your truck and a technique that works best for you.

Walking – Even walking some laps around your truck can help get your heart rate up enough to help you achieve goals such as losing weight or lowering your cholesterol. Next time you’re at a truck stop, consider taking some time to walk before you get back in your truck. To help you stay on track, make it a habit of choosing the parking spot furthest away from the door. This will force you to get in some walking and serve as a reminder that a few more minutes of exercise can go a long way. Start off by walking at a steady pace and work your way into more intense power walking by raising your knees up to your chest so you can really get that heart rate going.

Resistance Band Exercises (rowing)– By investing around $15 in a resistance band, you can open the door to many other truck driver exercises that can be done using your truck as a prop. In the video above, Jerry demonstrates how he hooks the resistance band onto the truck door to do some rowing exercises. A resistance band can be used for exercises that target major muscle groups such as: abs, back, chest, legs, shoulders and arms. When it comes to exercises for truck drivers, resistance bands can be your best friend and really make no gym – no problem!

So, there you have it! No gym is no excuse to forget exercise – even for truck drivers.

Please remember, there’s always something you can fit into your schedule no matter where you are. Your body fill be fit and you will feel much better about yourself after you’ve finished exercise. In order to be professional take care of your concentration and body health.

Even 45 percent of crashes caused by trucks occur due to physical factors that affect the driver or driver recognition factors.

Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health