Sitting long hours behind the wheel can take a toll on your body, especially if you’re not engaging in physical activity. But what exercises can you do when you’re on the go?
Driving a truck is a demanding job that requires long hours on the road, which can lead to unhealthy habits such as sitting for extended periods, eating fast food, and sleeping in a cab.
But there are ways to stay active and healthy, even on the road.
We’ll discuss some of the best exercises to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and improve their overall well-being.
Related: Trucking and Mental Health – Coping with Stress and Loneliness on the Road
1. Squats
Squats are an ideal exercise for strengthening the lower body muscles, including the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings.
Truck drivers are at particular risk for back pain due to the prolonged sitting and lack of movement that comes with their job.
Incorporating squats into their exercise routine can help to counteract these negative effects. By strengthening the muscles in the lower body, you can improve their overall posture and reduce the strain on their back muscles.
In addition to strengthening the muscles, squats also provide a cardiovascular benefit. Squats are a compound exercise, meaning that they work multiple muscle groups at once.
This can lead to an increase in heart rate and calorie burn, which can be especially beneficial for individuals who have a sedentary job like truck driving.
If you’re new to squats or have any underlying health conditions, it’s always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise routine.
How to Do It
- Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, bending your knees and hips as if sitting down in a chair, and keeping your chest and shoulders up.
2. Push-ups
Push-ups work the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles, making them a perfect exercise for truck drivers who spend long hours sitting in the driver’s seat.
It can also:
- Improve Posture: Long hours of sitting in the same position can lead to poor posture, especially for truck drivers who sit for extended periods. Push-ups help to strengthen the muscles of the upper back, shoulders, and chest, which can improve posture and reduce the risk of back pain.
- Strengthen Core: Truck drivers need a strong core to support their upper body and maintain good posture. Push-ups engage the muscles of the abs and lower back, helping to build a strong core.
- Increase Upper Body Strength: Push-ups are a great way to build upper body strength, which is essential for truck drivers who need to load and unload heavy cargo. Strong shoulders, chest, and triceps can make lifting easier and reduce the risk of injury.
- Boost Cardiovascular Fitness: Push-ups can be done quickly and in high repetitions, making them a great exercise for improving cardiovascular fitness. Regular push-ups can help increase your endurance and reduce the risk of heart disease.
To get the most out of push-ups you should start with a small number of repetitions and gradually increase as you get stronger.
You can also try variations like incline push-ups or decline push-ups to target different muscle groups.
Incorporating push-ups into a regular exercise routine can help truck drivers to stay strong, healthy, and injury-free.
3. Pull-ups
Pull-ups are an excellent exercise for truck drivers as they improve upper body strength and stability, which can help with loading and unloading heavy items.
They are also easy to perform and can be done anywhere with a pull-up bar or similar equipment.
By incorporating pull-ups into their exercise routine, truck drivers can keep themselves fit and healthy, leading to better performance on the job.
4. Planks
Plank exercises are a great way for truck drivers to strengthen their core muscles.
Core strength is important for maintaining good posture and reducing the risk of back pain, which can be common among drivers who sit for long periods.
Here’s more information about how plank exercises can be beneficial for truck drivers:
- Strengthen Core: Plank exercises engage the muscles of the abs, lower back, and hips, making them a great way to build core strength.
A strong core can help truck drivers to maintain good posture and reduce the risk of back pain.
- Improve Balance: Plank exercises require a strong core, which is important for maintaining balance while sitting or standing for long periods. Improved balance can reduce the risk of falls or other accidents when loading or unloading cargo.
- Increase Endurance: Plank exercises can be done for extended periods, making them a great way to improve endurance.
Increased endurance can help truck drivers to stay alert and focused during long drives.
- Reduce Stress: Plank exercises can also help to reduce stress and tension in the body.
As truck driving can be a stressful job, incorporating plank exercises into a regular exercise routine can provide a mental break and help to reduce stress levels.
How to Do It
- Start by getting into a push-up position.
- Lower yourself using your forearms. This should keep your back straight and their core engaged, holding the position for as long as possible.
As you get stronger, you can increase the amount of time you hold the position or try variations like side planks to target different muscle groups.
5. Crunches
Sedentary professions, such as truck driving, often require prolonged periods of sitting, which can lead to a variety of health issues, including poor posture, back pain, and weight gain.
Incorporating physical exercises into a truck driver’s daily routine is essential for maintaining overall health and well-being.
One of the most effective exercises for truck drivers is the abdominal crunch, which strengthens core muscles and helps improve posture and balance.
How to Do It
- Find a flat, comfortable surface to perform the crunches. This can be on the floor, a yoga mat, or an exercise mat.
- Lie down on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Place your hands behind your head, with your elbows pointing outwards. You can also cross your arms over your chest if you prefer.
- Before starting the movement, tighten your abdominal muscles to pull your belly button toward your spine. This helps engage the core muscles and protect the lower back.
- Keep your core engaged, exhale and lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground. Remember to use your core muscles to lift your upper body rather than pulling your head up with your hands. Keep your lower back pressed into the ground to maintain proper form and avoid straining your neck.
- Inhale and slowly lower your head, neck, and shoulders back to the ground, maintaining control throughout the movement. Keep your abdominal muscles engaged during the entire process.
- Perform 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions, depending on your fitness level. You can increase the number of repetitions or sets as you become more comfortable with the exercise and build strength in your core muscles.
6. Mountain climbers
Mountain climbers are one of the best exercises for truck drivers as it combines cardiovascular and strength training that targets the entire body.
This exercise involves placing your hands on the ground and bringing your feet towards your chest in a quick, alternating motion.
It not only helps improve your core strength and stability but also promotes weight loss and flexibility.
How to Do It
- Start by getting into a high plank position with your hands placed shoulder-width apart on the ground. Ensure your hands are directly under your shoulders, your back is straight, and your legs are extended behind you, with your toes resting on the floor. Engage your core to maintain a stable position.
- While keeping your upper body stable, lift your right foot off the ground and bend your right knee. Bring the knee toward your chest as close as possible, while maintaining a straight back and engaged core.
- Push your right foot back to the starting plank position, maintaining a straight back and engaged core.
- Lift your left foot off the ground and bend your left knee, bringing it toward your chest. Push your left foot back to the starting plank position.
- Continue alternating legs in a quick, controlled motion, similar to running in place while in the plank position. Keep your core engaged and your back straight throughout the movement.
- Perform 3 sets of 30-60 seconds, depending on your fitness level. Increase the duration or the number of sets as you become more comfortable with the exercise and build strength and endurance.
7. Lunges
Lunge exercises are a great way to strengthen the legs, improve balance and coordination, and increase flexibility.
For truck drivers who spend long hours sitting, lunges can be particularly helpful for keeping the leg muscles strong and healthy.
Lunges work the muscles of the legs, including the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Strong leg muscles can help truck drivers to perform physical tasks on the job, such as loading and unloading cargo or climbing in and out of the truck.
Lunges can also help to increase flexibility in the hips and legs, which can reduce the risk of injury from repetitive movements or long periods of sitting.
They can be done quickly and in high repetitions, making them a great way to improve cardiovascular fitness. Regular lunges can help increase endurance and reduce the risk of heart disease.
How to Do It
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and step forward with one foot, bending both knees to form a 90-degree angle.
- Keep your back straight and core engaged, and lower your back knee down towards the ground without touching it.
- Push through their front heel to stand back up and repeat on the other side.
8. Triceps Dips
Tricep dip exercises are a great way for truck drivers to strengthen their arms and improve upper body strength.
They target the triceps muscles, which are essential for performing physical tasks like lifting and carrying heavy cargo.
Tricep dips work the triceps muscles, which are important for performing physical tasks on the job. Strong triceps can make it easier to lift and carry heavy objects, reducing the risk of injury.
They also engage the chest and shoulder muscles, making them a great way to improve overall upper body strength. This can be helpful for performing tasks like pushing or pulling heavy objects.
This exercise can be done quickly and in high repetitions, making them a great way to improve endurance. This can be helpful for staying alert and focused during long drives.
It can be done almost anywhere without any special equipment. This makes them a convenient exercise for truck drivers who may not have access to a gym or other exercise equipment while on the job.
How to Do It
- To perform a tricep dip exercise, sit on the edge of a bench or sturdy chair with your hands resting on the edge behind you.
- Slide your bottom off the bench and lower yourself down towards the ground, bending your elbows to form a 90-degree angle. Push yourself back up to the starting position and repeat for several repetitions.
9. Step-ups
Step-ups are a great way to strengthen your leg muscles and improve balance and coordination. They target the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, which are important for performing physical tasks like loading and unloading cargo.
Step-up exercises work the muscles of the legs, including the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. Strong leg muscles can help you perform physical tasks on the job, such as climbing in and out of the truck or carrying heavy cargo.
The exercise can be done quickly and in high repetitions, making them a great way to improve endurance. Increased endurance can help you to stay alert and focused during long drives.
Strong leg muscles can help to reduce the risk of injury from physical tasks on the job.
How to Do It
- Stand in front of a sturdy step or bench.
- Step up onto the bench with one foot, then bring your other foot up to meet it.
- Step back down, starting with the same foot that you stepped up with.
- Alternate which foot you start with for each repetition.
10. Running
Running is one of the best exercises for truck drivers as it helps to improve cardiovascular health, strengthens leg muscles, and enhances lung capacity.
Moreover, it is an incredible stress reliever that helps to improve mental health and reduces the risk of depression.
To enjoy the benefits of running, truck drivers should start slow and gradually increase the intensity and duration of their workouts.
Don’t Neglect Your Head While on the Road
Canal Cartage understands the importance of both physical and mental health of their employees. This is something we take pride in because good health means good service performance.
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