P90X Plyometrics - In A Hotel Room

As you may know, you need some space to do P90X Plyo right, but with a little ingenuity, you can get a heck of a workout in the small confines.

You need a space about the height of your body by 1.5-2 times your height.  E.g., if you're 6 feet tall, you need a space about 6 feet by 9-12 feet.  You can get away with a smaller area, say 6x6, if you need to, but you have to use the angles.  If you're in such a small room that you don't even have a 6x6 area, look into seeing if there is a meeting space available that you could use after hours, maybe hit the hotel gym, and pick up some accountability buddies, or even workout outside, setting your laptop up on the hood of your car.

I want to touch on some of the more challenging exercises to fit into a hotel room.

1. Swing Kicks.  I don't know about you, but I've been in very few hotel rooms with a stool.  I don't even have one at home taller than 16 inches.  So, I use my suitcase.  I have a relatively small suitcase, but it comes up to mid-thigh level so it gets the job done.  I used to use a visual anchor, but that lends itself to too much cheating.
2. Gap Jump.  Use the angles in the room.  Gap jumps, more than any other exercise in P90x requires space.  Find the longest straight line in the room.  Maybe it's the path straight in from the door.  Maybe it's an angle from the foot of the bed.  Maybe it's next to the bed.  Use the space you have and make the most of it.
3. Monster Truck Tires.  Same as above, but you need a little wider space.  I always use the angle from the foot of the bed across to the TV.
4. Football Hero.  Here, you can get away with less forward space if you use your side-to-side space more effectively.  If you go wide laterally, and really get your knees up when going back, you can get away with minimal forward space.  Again, use your space wisely.

Some other tips...

• If you open the curtains on the window, sometimes you can use a reflection as a simple mirror to check your form.  You might be concerned about opening your windows to the world, but you're just working out and transforming.  Maybe you'll be an inspiration to someone else.
• Invest in a cable to connect your laptop/portable DVD player to the TV.  It makes a world of difference in sound and viewing angles, especially as you are learning a new routine.  Feel free to contact me if you have questions about what cable you need or how to make it work with your hotel TV.