The Ultimate Hotel Room Workout

Stay Fit Away from Home

It's easy to let travel derail your workout routine — a long flight and an even longer road trip can make you want to face-plant straight into the bed as soon as you arrive. After all, you don't have your go-to gear, your hotel might not have a gym, and hey, you're on vacation — you'll get back on track when it's over, right? Not so fast.

Exercise can be part of your vacation with this excuse-proof hotel room workout that can help you squeeze in a killer workout whenever, wherever.

Fitness expert Jessica Smith designed this on-the-road, hotel room, total-body workout to help you stay fit and energized with minimal space and no equipment.

How it works: Perform 1 set of the prescribed number of reps for each exercise without resting in between moves. Once you've completed the last exercise, rest 1-2 minutes and repeat the entire circuit 1 or 2 more times.

Split Squat to Cross Crunch

To begin this hotel room workout, you'll start in a split stance with your right foot forward, hands clasped behind your head. Keep most of your weight on your right leg as you lower into a squat, letting your left knee drop down to almost (or lightly) touch the floor.

Press up out of your squat and draw your left knee in front of your body and across to your right shoulder, turning your right elbow into your knee. Return to your starting position. That's one rep. Do 15 consecutive reps on one leg and then repeat on the other side.

Narrow Squat and Scaption Raise

Begin standing tall with your feet together, arms extended in front of your chest, palms pressed together. Push your hips back and lower into a squat, squeezing your knees together, and hold. Open your arms into a 'V,' pulling your shoulder blades down and back as your arms open. Return your arms to starting position, that's one rep. Repeat 15 times, staying in your squat the entire time.

Cardio Burst: Single-Leg Run

For an added burst of cardio to your hotel room workout, you'll begin in a lunge position, with your right foot forward and your left arm bent in front of you, right arm back. Quickly bring your left knee in front of you at hip height as you swing your left arm back and bring your right arm in front. Continue alternating as quickly as you can 30 times. Repeat on the other side.

Dolphin Plank

For this fun plank variation, you'll begin in a modified plank position on your forearms, hands clasped together. Brace your abs in tight and press down through your shoulders and arms as you lift your hips up to the ceiling and your chest back towards your feet. Keep your abs tight as you lower back into your plank position. Repeat 15 times for a quick ab blast in your hotel room workout.

Dip and Leg Lift

Sit with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart. Place your hands behind your hips with your fingertips facing forward. Use your glutes to lift your hips off the floor. Extend your right leg out straight, squeezing your inner thighs together so that your knees stay in contact.

Bend your elbows to lower your hips just above the ground, and lift your right leg into your chest (keeping it as straight as you can). Press back up to the start position. That's one rep. Do 10 reps with the right leg, 10 with the left.

Cardio Burst: Pushup and Run

No hotel room workout is complete without a push-up. Begin by lying facedown with your arms bent, palms on the floor just outside of your shoulders, feet hip-width apart with toes tucked under. Brace your abs in tight as you press your body all the way up into a full plank.

Lift your right foot and 'run' your right knee into your chest and then quickly switch to bring your left knee into your chest. Switch 4 times, and then lower yourself down into your starting position. That's one rep. Try to do 10 reps in a row (you may have to work up to 10 reps or modify the pushup on your knees).

Y-T-I Raise

After your last pushup and run, lower all the way down to the floor and point your toes. Extend your arms overhead, thumbs pointing up. Extend your spine and lift your chest (this is your 'Y'), keeping your toes on the floor. Open your arms out to the sides ('T'), and then reach your arms all the way back towards your feet ('I'), extending higher through your spine if you can. Lower back to the starting position. That's one rep. Do 10 reps in a row.

Side Plank Crunch

Lie on your right side with your knees straight, feet stacked. Prop your upper body up on your right elbow and forearm. Raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders, and place your left hand behind your head.

Slowly lower your right hip to the floor as you rotate your left elbow down to your right hand. Lightly tap your right hip on the floor (don't sit on it) and then lift back up as you open your elbow up and return to your starting position. That's one rep. Do 15 reps on the right, 15 on the left.

Cardio Burst: Kneeling Swim

For your last round of cardio in the hotel room workout, you'll sit on your knees with both arms by your sides. Press your hips back and lean forward from your hips to lower your body as you sweep your arms back behind you. Circle your arms overhead as you press your hips forward and raise up on your knees. Make a full circle with your arms, building your speed as you go, for 30 repetitions in each direction.

Plie Pulse Extensions

Lie on your back and bring your heels together with feet flexed, knees open to the sides. Lift your head and shoulders off the floor and reach both arms by your hips, off the floor.

Press out through your heels and extend your legs straight at a 45-degree angle, squeezing your inner thighs together. Brace your abs in tight, and lower your legs as far down as possible without arching your lower back.

Lift your legs back to your 45-degree angle, and then bend your knees back into your start position (keeping your head lifted the entire time). That's one rep. Repeat 15 times.