When you work out, you have the choice to do it alone or with others. Some people are lone wolves who would much rather do it alone, but working out with other people has some excellent benefits too. You can choose to work out with a friend or exercise in a group when you join a class or even a club or group that’s been set up for the activity that you enjoy. When you choose to work out with others, it makes it a more social experience, which can deliver a few different benefits and could even help you to be healthier.
Better Accountability
Getting fit with other people can be a great idea if you struggle to hold yourself accountable. It’s often far too easy to just decide not to go to the gym or do that workout when there are other things you could be doing instead. If this sounds like you, you could benefit from exercising with other people. When you have others who are counting on you to turn up, it makes it more difficult to decide not to go. You don’t want to disappoint anyone, especially if they’re your friend and they’ve made the effort to show up for you.
More Fun
For a lot of people, working out with others is just more fun. When you exercise alone, it can be peaceful, but you also might just find it kind of boring. If you prefer someone to talk to while you work out or even just someone whose company you can enjoy while you both get on with your workout, it can make your workouts more interesting. Attending a class like those offered by Fitness 19 can be a lot of fun too. When you’re surrounded by other people, it raises the energy in the room. Plus, it can help you to feel less self-conscious if everyone else is doing the same thing as you.
Safer Workouts
Working out with someone else can make your workouts safer too. For example, if you’re lifting weights at the gym, you’ll have someone there to spot you. You will be able to do exercises that you might not have been able to do on your own, which means that you can diversify your workouts more. And if you choose to work out with a personal trainer, in a class or just with someone who’s a little more experienced than you, you can learn new things under someone else’s instruction.
Push Yourself Further
You might feel inspired to push yourself further if you’re working out with someone else. You can motivate each other to keep going and complete your workout so that you don’t give up before you should. Working out together can also encourage you to get a little competitive. Some healthy competition can push you to try and do better so that you beat the other people you’re working out with.
Start working out with other people if you want to get more from your workouts and make your exercise more of a social experience.
Being a truck driver is far from an easy job. In fact, according to Transport Topics, all those long hours of driving in isolation can take a heavy emotional and physical toll on drivers. Given how tough and stressful the job can be, drivers are always looking for ways to manage the difficulties while they’re on the road.
Image: Pexels
There are a number of ways to relax and prevent fatigue, just like we’ve previously mentioned on Mother Trucker Yoga. But while you’re on the job, one surprisingly effective solution is practicing photography. If you want to know more about this hobby and how to get started while juggling your driving day job, read on for some tips!
How Photograph Can Help with Stress
Creativity and Stress
In general, creative activities are often associated with mental benefits. True enough, NPR’s article on the brain benefits of art explains that making art can help you feel more connected to yourself and the world — thus helping to lower stress and anxiety. Again, as driving can be stressful, photography is a great fit when it comes to artistic activities that you can do on the go. After all, you can find subjects for photos almost anywhere you go, and it makes those little breaks much more worthwhile.
Photographs and Mental Vacations
What’s great about photography is that even the photographs themselves can help provide relief from stress. Studies featured on CNBC state that looking at photos can have calming effects on the brain. This is especially true if you are fond of taking photos of natural wonders and the outdoors, as these types of photos allow your brain to go on a mental escape.
Photography and Relaxation
Lastly, just like any hobby, photography can provide you with a pleasurable and relaxing experience during your idle moments on the road. What’s great about photography is the activity itself isn’t that time-consuming, allowing you to take a quick photo when things aren’t as hectic. This can be particularly great if you’re required to drive through scenic locations that give you plenty of things to take photos of.
How To Get Into Photography
What You’ll Need to Get Started
The first thing you’ll need to start your photography hobby is a camera. Adorama’s selection of cameras represents the vast options you have when choosing a device — featuring trusted brands Canon, Nikon, Sony. If you’re just starting out, the Canon PowerShot SX720 is a reliable and compact camera that’s perfect for everyday use. But if you’re looking for something more professional, the Sony a7 III Mirrorless Digital Camera takes outstanding photographs in high-resolution 4K HDR. You also have options if you want to stick to your phone camera. Wired’s list of the best phone camera accessories recommends equipment like Moment’s Anamorphic lens and the Shoulderpod G2 grip to help you take professional-grade images.
Taking Lessons
While winging it is always an option, you may also want to seek outside help when trying to learn photography. Luckily, the internet is a great resource especially for those who are starting this hobby from scratch. Firstpost’s feature on the best YouTube channels for learning photography suggests resources such as The Creative Of Photography to get you acquainted with the basic photography principles, and beyond.
Sharing Your Work
You may eventually want to share your photos with other people. There are a number of ways to do this. Platforms such as Instagram give you access to a wide audience due to the sheer number of daily users. If you’re looking for something that allows for higher quality photos, Flickr is the preferred choice of both professional and amateur photographers.
Living over the road where your home, office, kitchen, and the vehicle is all one can be overwhelming and stressful. Stress can cause headaches, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and negatively affect our immune system. We all know that stress is not suitable for us physically or mentally. However, how do we keep stress from manifesting itself into our daily lives?
Life Is About Choices
The great American philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote a letter to his daughter who was worried over a mistake she had made. This is what the letter said:
“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders, losses, and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can.
Emerson’s quote serves as a reminder that we must give ourselves permission to make a few mistakes, be imperfect, and “fall off the wagon” from time to time. Accept what you were able to accomplish and leave yesterday in the past. Do not let stress and mishaps prevent you from moving forward.
An article that appeared in Medical News Today discusses how “overwhelmed and stress, in common terms, is a feeling people have when they are overloaded and struggling to cope with demands. These demands can be related to finances, work, relationships, and other situations, but anything that poses a real or perceived challenge or threat to a person’s well-being can cause stress.”
You may not always be able to control what happens in your daily life, but you can practice healthy habits to manage stress.
10 Ways You To Reduce Stress and Overwhelm in Your Life:
Get up a few minutes earlier than planned and take some time to be silent, meditate, and visualize how your day is going to be great.
Allow others to help you. If they did not want to help, they shouldn’t have asked. And that my friend is not your concern.
K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble, concern, and pain. Ask yourself: “is what I am about to say helping or hurting”? And go from there.
Eat right. Start with one right choice. An apple. A glass of water. No need to bulldoze your life today. Just add in one new food or drink more water and see where it takes you.
Laugh—every single day. Laugh. Laugh so hard you cry. And better yet, laugh with a friend. Laughter releases endorphins that you desperately need to stay happy.
Surround yourself with people who lift you rather than tear you down.
Take ONE DEEP BREATH before you say or do anything more.
Be kind to unkind people. Kindness matters. Being kind doesn’t mean you agree with them or even want to be their best friend. But if you won’t be helpful, then who will be?
Meditate, pray, practice yoga. When is the last time you unplugged with something that will plug you back into life? Ensure you check out Mother Trucker Yoga’s Online Membership site as drivers just like you can come together and get fit inside and outright from the cab of your truck.
11. Look After Your Back. Getting regular massages and looking after your spine and back muscles will make it a lot easier for you to feel at ease, especially if you’re sitting for many hours a day. If you have any pains in your back, you definitely need to see a good chiropractor and let them help you.
Finding the best overwhelm and stress relief strategies may take some time. Do not give up if one doesn’t work; move on and try another. However, it is essential to keep looking for the tools that will help you manage life’s ups and downs healthily. Keeping stress at a manageable level is vital for your overall well-being.
Surround yourself with people that support you in your journey and leave those that do not, behind. You will not regret it. Too many people in today’s world have come to normalize stress. Do not be that person. Identify your stress triggers and then take action to dismantle that stress. It may feel like work in the beginning, but in the end, you will feel the effects of a happier, healthier life.
Don’t be that person that wears their stress like a badge of honor and as a result, you are not only unhappy but stuck in life. When I am feeling stressed, stuck, or overwhelmed I get up and get moving. When I do that, I breathe more deeply, my blood circulates, feel-good chemicals and hormones are pumped to my brain and I FEEL BETTER.
The world tries to complicate our health, but I want to simplify it for you. Today, do one thing that makes you feel good. Do one thing that makes you smile. Do one thing that gets you up and moving. I promise you, that you won’t regret it.
If you ask my kids they will tell you many things, but one thing I have always said since they were young has been:
“Eat your greens; they keep you healthy!”
Cliché!
Your body needs vegetables, and more importantly, your body needs those dark leafy greens to function optimally.
But what exactly do we need them for?
Let us have a peek into its potential constituents and their mighty benefits to “make and keep” your body full of health.
Benefits of Leafy Greens
For many of us, we know what we should do, but that doesn’t always mean we do it. Knowledge is power and when we can better understand the why beyond the request can we then make a better decision. Greens play a critical role in our body’s functions, if your body is not functioning optionally or even just OK, it may be time for a green tune-up.
Fight off the Oxidative Stress
Antioxidants are currently most abundant among their fellows and are so in trend. Their propensity to fight the harmful free-radicals in our bodies is formidable. They fight the oxidative stress that we encounter in our daily lives through our dietary habits, anxiety, and environmental influence, fights aging by preventing the cellular damage and improves the cell revamp or renewal process.
Dark leafy greens have an abundance of antioxidants (even more than in blueberries), called Flavonoids resting in their Chlorophyll. Chlorophyll also can normalize the production of R.B.C.s, absorb the toxins (e.g., foul breath or body odor), and even fight the carcinogens.
Takes Care of Your Gut Health
Dark leafy greens are rich in probiotics which are close friends to our gut flora. The microhabitat, which aids in digestion in our gut feeds on these probiotics. As 90 % of our diseases arise from poor digestion, they help in an overall improvement of health and boost our immune system by potential assimilation of vitamins, minerals, and other necessary nutrients. Get your greens in and improve your gut health with one of my favorite power green smoothie recipes.
Boost Immune System
Dark leafy greens like Spinach and Kale are rich sources of folate, iron, calcium, fiber, Vitamin C, and K. The study has shown their vital role in boosting immunity by creating chemical symbols to stimulate the growth of I.E.L. Cells that regulate our Humoral immunity.
Now some may argue that eating spinach isn’t good for you due to the oxalate found in these greens, my friend and colleague Karen Urbanek HHP argue the opposite: Don’t fear these greens, instead, you can reduce your oxalate levels by cooking and even boiling your veggies! This can reduce anywhere from 30 to 90% of the oxalate content.
Karen also says: “You can also take calcium citrate and magnesium citrate with every meal. Use bitters prior to eating or take B6 to stimulate digestive and enzyme production. If you feel Oxalates have been a major factor, consider getting an Organic Acids test done and read by a professional.” And if you think you are sensitive to oxalate there are dozens of other foods this can be found in, don’t blame spinach, it might be time for a gut overhaul.
Improve vision and Brain Function
Dark leafy greens are full of Phytonutrients like Carotenoids, Restravesol, Curcumin, etc. these phytonutrients have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which are beneficial for our vision and brain health. Phytonutrients are critical for the body because they enhance immunity, and during a time like COVID-19, we need all the help we can get to build immunity naturally. And part of that is ensuring you are getting the necessary nutrition you need from quality foods.
Detoxification
Dark leafy greens like Cilantro, Parsley, and coriander leaves are potent detoxifiers. They help the liver get rid of the toxins and prevent numerous diseases, while parsley is powerful enough to eliminate toxic metals from the bloodstream. May seem a bit odd, but try putting these herbs in your water. Don’t like the taste? Then add a little fresh squeezed lemon, or berries to your water for a refreshing drink. And remember fresh is best, dried herbs like the listed when dried have less nutritional value. But for those that travel, something is always better than nothing.
Nutrition
Dark leafy greens are abundant in the essential nutrients for your body. Many of them contain Beta-carotene, Vitamin C, K, B, lutein, and a small amount of Omega-3 fats. They are rich in minerals like:
Calcium – keeps your bones and teeth strong and healthy coordination of muscles and nerves.
Iron – Erythropoiesis (Red Blood Cell Production)
Potassium – Regulates fluid retention in the body and manages muscle contractions.
Copper – helps in the production of Collagen and absorbs Iron.
Magnesium – Aids the vital function of the body. Critical for muscle function.
Weight Management
Dark leafy greens are low in carbohydrates and rich in fiber. Fiber keeps your tummy full and limits unnecessary snacking, helping you manage and even lose your weight.
Health- Infusing Dark Leafy Greens
Greens: Primary Functions
Cabbage: Combats Anemia and Heart diseases
Kale: Healthy vision and retinal function and aids blood clotting
Mustard Greens: Prevents Arthritis and lowers LDL Cholesterol
Spinach: Regulates Heart Rate and Blood Pressure, Combats free radicals
Turnip Greens: Enhances collagen synthesis and Boosts Immune system
Many of us wonder as to how many greens we should eat.
Recommended Intake of Dark Leafy Greens
Nutrition experts recommend eating ½ a cup of Dark leafy greens daily. At the same time, USDA recommends eating 3 cups of dark leafy greens per week. In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with dark leafy greens. And as my friend Karen Urbanek says: “You can’t get fat by eating vegetables”. So eat up. Experiment, try them in salads, saute, as a bed for lean protein, and you can even throw them into smoothies.
It may take time, you may need to steer your taste buds towards natural foods and re-learn to like them if all you have been eating is processed foods. And when in doubt, eat them because you know they are good for you. Your gut is your first brain, so feed it wisely.
Looking for more ways to improve your eating on the road?
Sitting for hours, lifting heavy objects, having to work long nights – these are important duties that truck drivers do, but they can take a toll on their health. This can lead to many serious problems, including tension and back pain. This article will explore more behind what a chiropractor can do to assist truck drivers.
Frequent Health Problems That Plague Truck Drivers
Truck drivers can run into some serious health issues due to long days of sitting and being on the road. Some of the most common problems are:
Chiropractic care is a holistic form of medicine designed to treat various musculoskeletal conditions. A chiropractor will adjust your body by twisting certain parts and applying pressure to them. Some might also implement tools depending on how severe the problem is.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help Truck Drivers?
There are plenty of ways chiropractic care can assist truck drivers.
It Reduces Stress
Trying to meet strict deadlines can be stressful. This stress can cause hypertension which can result in symptoms like trouble breathing, headaches, irregular heartbeat, and fatigue. If not fixed, it could lead to even more severe trouble, including a heart attack or stroke.
A chiropractor can reduce signs of anxiety and stress by ensuring your spine is aligned. Many don’t realize that the spine is mainly connected to the brain. If there are blockages between them, it can heighten your stress levels. By adjusting your spine, a chiropractor opens up this pathway to help calm the signals.
In addition to this, chiropractic adjustments will release an impressive amount of endorphins. These natural painkillers treat tension and help you to feel more positive.
It Treats Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition that makes it difficult for you to breathe when sleeping. Most of the time, it’s the result of obesity. This is because the extra weight pushes against your airways making it hard for air to pass through.
A chiropractor will feel around your spine, especially around your neck, to feel where airway obstructions might be. They’ll then adjust your spine to ensure vertebrae are in place and to reduce tension. This will help you to breathe better when sleeping.
It Ensures Your Spine is Aligned
One of the best benefits of chiropractic care is that it keeps your spine aligned. You might not realize it, but many sources of bodily pain are the result of a misaligned spine.
A chiropractor will touch various portions of your spine to see if there are misalignments. They might also ask you if you’re experiencing any strange symptoms and request that you walk around so they can monitor your gait.
After observing you, the chiropractor will get to work on fixing areas of concern. To realign your spine, they will press on certain portions of it. This will help to slide any vertebrae back in place and release tension around your spine. These adjustments will also prevent tightness around your nerves which could lead to uncomfortable tingling sensations up and down your spine.
It Improves Your Flexibility
Truck drivers need to be able to move goods in and out of their truck. However, this can be difficult if you suffer from back pain or joint stiffness. Chiropractic care prevents and treats these issues with the help of various adjustments.
Some chiropractors might also incorporate massage into your treatment. Massages have been shown to improve your flexibility and range of motion because they increase fluid around your joints and muscles. This can also reduce tension which makes it easier for you to move them.
Three of the best massages for flexibility are the therapeutic massage, deep tissue massage, and sports massage.
Therapeutic Massage
One massage type your chiropractor might use is the therapeutic massage. This type of massage focuses on the body’s tissues. By using gentle motions on them, it will help to loosen up tightness. To give you the ultimate relief, this massage will be used on all parts of your musculoskeletal system.
Deep Tissue Massage
A deep tissue massage applies a bit more pressure to the body compared to the therapeutic massage. This massage will untighten knots and reduce inflammation around your joints. It can also improve your blood circulation.
Sports Massage
While a sports massage is designed to help athletes, it can be beneficial for truck drivers. This is because it increases your flexibility and works to build up your body to prevent injuries. Because of this, your body will be better equipped to carry and move heavy objects.
It’s Natural
Chiropractic care is a natural way to treat many ailments. When you’re a truck driver, it can be dangerous to rely on pain-relieving drugs, especially since many make you drowsy. By using special adjustments, a chiropractor can instantly provide the same relief. Unlike drugs, chiropractic care fixes the problem rather than masking it. This way, you can be sure that your bodily ailments or pain will actually be treated.
In addition to this, your chiropractor will give you some tips to use when driving. This might include:
Doing certain exercises each day to prevent pain and stiffness
Changing your hand position on the steering wheel to stop cramping
Sitting on a cushion to keep your spine aligned
Ensuring your mirrors are in an easy position for you to see when driving
How Often Should Truck Drivers Visit the Chiropractor?
As a truck driver, it can be difficult to find time to consistently visit the chiropractor. Depending on how severe your symptoms are, a chiropractor will recommend that you visit anywhere from one to three times per week. While this might be an investment at first, in the end, you’ll find your body feels invigorated and free from pain.
Chiropractic care is a great option for truck drivers to consider. It can naturally treat many health concerns and prevent them from coming back. Because of this, you’ll find it much easier to move around and do your job.
About the Author
Dr. Brent Wells, D.C. founded Better Health Chiropractic & Physical Rehab and has been a chiropractor for over 20 years. His top-rated chiropractic clinic has treated thousands of Alaska patients from different health problems using physical therapy, chiropractic care, and massage therapy designed to help give long-lasting relief.
Dr. Wells is also the author of over 700 online health articles that have been featured on sites such as Dr. Axe, Organic Facts, and Thrive Global. He is a proud member of the American Chiropractic Association and the American Academy of Spine Physicians. And he continues his education to remain active and updated in all studies related to neurology, physical rehab, biomechanics, spine conditions, brain injury trauma, and more.
The idea of over the road fitness is not the norm for some. And for others, they think of it only as taking their traditional workout with them. And that is great. But for the rest of us, being smart and looking at how you can add movement, fitness, health into your day, even while doing what you always do is what I call over the road fitness. And fitness in your everyday life!
Long drives can trigger multiple health issues! Old News!
We can pull through the long-distance travels effortlessly!
Good News!
Let us take look at
“How can we avoid backache on the way?” Back pain is not new news, but the reality is there is a large group of people who have back pain, or any pain and it doesn’t bother them enough to make a change. There is a story that a mentor told me some years ago.
There was a cat laying on a nail crying meow.
And the owner’s friend asked, “why is the cat meowing?”
And the owner said, “oh, she’s laying on a nail”.
And the friend said, “well, why doesn’t she just get off the nail?”
The owner said, “Because it doesn’t hurt that bad”.
The moral of the cat story is some people’s pain is only bad enough to complain about it. They don’t actually want to do something about it. Where is your pain? Where is your desire for being healthy and improving your fitness? We won’t change anything we don’t want to change. Here are a few road rules to help you stay healthy, fit, and happy while traveling, driving, rolling down the open road.
Forestall the trigger
Each time you enter your car or any vehicle, open your door wide. Use your hand to hold the seat, keep your back straight, bend your knees, and take your seat at your near edge of the seat while facing the vehicle. Then, in one move, lift and swing your legs together and place them on the car’s foot-mat.
Adjust your seat accordingly.
You just can’t fix your seat where you can see everything clearly to feel like a boss on the road and let your back handle all the discomfort in the world.
Setting your seat at a height that your hips lie in the same height as of your knees is more befitting.
Are you in need of a new truck seat? Many drivers think they can’t afford a supportive truck seat. But can you afford years of pain, spinal damage, and discomfort from years of driving? Invest in yourself before things breakdown- that includes your body! Check out the AIR CHIEF STANDARD STYLE ON-HIGHWAY TRUCK SEAT from Bud and Tony’s Truck Parts.
Do not sit like a statue and try checking regularly, reminding yourself to relax your arms or legs while driving. Not only will it trigger back problems but will also hamper with blood circulation. Muscle cramps and stiffness. Let’s be honest, we get lazy and even though we can move while driving, we don’t. So make it a point to move more while driving. Need help getting creative with movements? Check out Mother Trucker Yoga’s Audio Easy Stretching for Travel: Safe Yoga While Driving Download.
Arms position and pedal distance
Your arms should be bent at 20-30 degree angles while your legs should bend at a 45-degree angle. It will prevent you from slouching and support your spine. Look for your sweet spot and commit your driving for a lifetime to it. This may require you to purchase additional support tools for your truck or vehicle.
Lumbar Support
This invention is no less than a blessing for people suffering frombackache—use quality lumbar support to keep your back in a right and comfortable position. BackShield is lumbar support designed for a comforting cushioning effect to your back and improves your posture. It is conveniently portable and can nicely fit in cars, trucks, and R.V.s. Purchasing yourself a BackShield is a profitable investment for your lifetime. Use our code at checkout: MTY10
In case you don’t want to buy lumbar support, you can roll a towel and place it in the back near the lumbar vertebrae. But take it from me, it won’t work like a BackShield.
Mirror Positioning
Position your mirror at the right angles to avoid unnecessary twisting and turning of your neck and back. And when you look out at your mirrors use your whole body, look at that mirror peek as a movement for your body too.
Other Important Points
Take small intervals
If you travel a long distance, it will help your body relax from stiffness in your muscles. Stretch your body, walk for a few minutes, and restart your journey.
Hydration
Keep yourself hydrated on your way. Generally, our mind and body are on autopilot mode while driving, and our blood pressure tends to lower down a bit, and we start to feel off. To maintain your blood pressure, you need to hydrate your body frequently to stay in a conscious state and a good mood.
Music Therapy
Listen to your favorite music album. It will help your nerves to calm down and relax your entire body.
Fuel your body
Don’t let your stomach starve. Give it proper nutritious food because, “When the tummy is happy, nothing is crappy!” when you are in a good mood, it will fight the stress hormone released in your body.
Drive Safely
Last but not least,
“Drive Cautiously”
“Follow the traffic rules.”
“Don’t get a ticket for speeding.”
Being fit is not an overnight change. And in my mind, it’s not based on weight, size, or gender. It’s based on how you feel. So ask yourself: “how do I feel?” And don’t be afraid to answer. So many people deny that they need to work harder, improve themselves, and pay more attention to their fit-ness in life. These road rules are meant to help you see the options available. You probably noticed that the rules above are not based on squats or hundreds of push-ups daily or running a couch to 5k. These are rules to help you improve the quality of your life!
See more clearly where the road is taking you.
See more clearly where it is you want to go.
See more clearly how easy it can be to change lanes in your fitness and health.
This post is sponsored by:
Bud and Tony have known each other for over 50 years (brothers – from another mother you could say) and have been in business together for over 30 years. They have always believed in our economy thriving and work hard to make sure it continues upward. They both know the trucking industry has and will continue to be the backbone of our economy. With this in mind, they came together to be a part of this ever-growing, ever-changing but steadfast, and traditional business that will always keep moving American and the world forward.
It can be hard to get moving, stay fit and be active whether you are a truck driver, a traveler, or a commuter, being in the driver’s seat all day long sucks. And when we can’t be active that can also wear on our mental state. Resistance bands are a wonderful way to get in a truck driver workout anytime, anywhere.
Resistance Bands Are the Best Truck Driver Workout.
Exercise comes in all forms, and using resistance bands is one quick and simple way to stay fit, stay healthy, and stay mobile.
Movement is partly what saved me from a life strangling addiction. And when I’m not moving, long story short, it is often a slippery slope to the land of sorrows, depression, and anxiety. When you don’t feel good you tend to not make the best choices, and that is why getting in a trucker workout can make all the difference.
And there is something so amazing about feeling strong, feeling alive, feeling in my body.
I love exploring movements. I love being creative and pushing myself in a way that can best serve my body.
But too much of anything can be a bad thing-even exercise. As I get older, I’m more conscious of my joints, bones and trying to stay pain-free, not just trim and fit.
And about two years ago, I took a terrible fall, and it landed me a slow recovery and a body that felt like it was well into its 70’s or 80’s. Muscles wouldn’t let go of the trauma, and I started to develop imbalances that were wreaking havoc on the body I fought so hard to keep living in.
Resistance Bands Make an Easy Truck Driver Workout
Rediscovering resistance bands was one thing that jump-started my body’s recovery and really began to heal my injuries and imbalances without pushing it too hard (and I had no intention of being as big as the Incredible Hulk).
In my eye’s resistance bands are a very unappreciated piece of exercise equipment. So many get sucked into believing that the more expensive, the better, and then never use it. But truth be told, bands are great, think of them as one step up from bodyweight exercises and super nurturing to your joints!
And when implemented correctly into your workout and daily life, you will see a big difference in your strength, pain level, and mobility because resistance bands strengthen the attachments where the muscle and bone meet. In contrast, free weights bulk the belly of the muscle making this a great trucker workout. And to make sure you are moving towards your healthiest self, don’t forget to download our free Healthiest Self Check-List
10 Benefits to a Resistance Bands Workout:
1) They improve the quality of your exercises.
2) They help to focus your control, form, and function.
3) They recruit your stabilizing muscles.
4) They’re fundamental for functional training.
5) A great alternative to machines.
6) they’re lightweight and easy to use for travel fitness.
7) They’re designed for compound exercises.
8) You have control over the angle.
9) They help you feel your muscles working or not working
10) They work your muscles differently than the use of free-weights
Variety is the spice of life. Stop thinking you have to do the same old thing every day.
You can easily add in a resistance bands workout that lasts 5 minutes, and you can get an amazing workout in no time!
How do Resistance Bands Work?
Unlike weights, resistance bands don’t rely on gravity. The more you stretch the bands, the more they resist your movement, want to work harder, and increase the band’s stretch. That means that if you work with a free weight, you can only go as far as your joint will allow, but with a band, create more resistance, and you have just increased your workout. And I love resistance bands because you can get creative, way more creative than you can with weights.
Here are some of my current favorites when it comes to working with resistance bands.
Resistance Band Exercises
Foot and Leg Exercises with Resistance Bands: Great Trucker Workout
Because a truck driver spends a lot of time sitting, their legs can become weak and tired, and we need our legs to be mobile and strong to help support our back.
Place a tied or loop resistance band about the length of your forearm and place it over the balls of your feet. Stretch the band just enough so there is no slack. Keeping a tall body (no rib thrusting or booty pushing), start to march in place. Really work to lift your knee without leaning back or tipping forward. March in place 30 times.
Next, ground into one leg and keep a strong neutral rotation on the leg (pit of the back of the knee pointing back and on dumping into the hip), engage your glute, and press out with the opposite leg for a lateral lift. Think about kicking out with the heel, not the toes (almost like internal rotation).
Do this 10-20 times on each side.
Trucker Workout: Resistance Band Arm Exercises
Standing strong in neutral, feet grounded, and no rib thrusting. First, anchor your elbows at your sides and press out with both fists (the movement comes from the elbow) on an exhalation. Place your fists inside the tied-off or loop resistance band.
Try this 10-20 times. Next to keeping your upper body strong and stable, pull one fist up, and one fist down, like your arms, are marching in place. Do this 10-20 times. Finally, pull your fists diagonally and then back to the center 10-20 times. Notice which arm is stronger and tune into making sure you don’t dominate the movements with that stronger arm.
Resistance Band Exercises for Hips and Glutes
This was a lifesaver because my left hip and hamstring weren’t cooperating, and my right glute was weak (a very unstable pulley system). Place the tied off resistance band around your ankles (shoes optional) and walk 30 paces forward and back in the following ways:
Wide Monster Strides (pull the band as wide as you can comfortably and walk forward and back)
Normal Walk (Walk in a normal hips distance and stretch the band with enough resistance when you walk)
Diagonal Walk (Step to the right one foot at a time, then to the left, alternating forward and back)
Sideways Walker (Create a slight squat and step foot to foot to the right, then to the left)
So many think their workout has to be at the gym in workout clothes and X minutes long to be “worth it.” But here’s the thing, I carry my bands with me in my car. Yes, I do a three-minute workout here or there, and it all adds up! To step out of the box, you have to start to think out of the box!
And you might as well add resistance bands into that thinking too!
Don’t have bands? Grab this kit and join me! I got you covered!
Want more great moves like these? When you buy our mini travel resistance bands kit, you get:
One Large Physical Therapy Grade Resistance Band (Medium or Heavy Resistance)
Two loop bands with varied resistance
Door Loop to attach your bands to your truck cab door or door at home for an easy portable workout
13 Page Resistance Bands Guide for easy go-to workout ideas! Making a truck driver workout even easier no matter where you are.
And after a great day of movement with your newfound love of resistance bands. Don’t forget to help your muscles recover with our exclusive pain relief cream made for drivers… STIFF Mother Trucker. After a great trucker workout, your muscles may feel a bit sore or even stiff because you are now using them, and there is a window of time where your body has to readjust. STIFF Mother Trucker pain relief cream is a perfect remedy for your trucker driver workout to help you feel better wherever you are.
When I set out to create my pain relief cream, I had a list of ingredients I wanted in my pain cream and a list of what I didn’t. For the past 20 years I have been using, searching, and sampling other peoples pain relief creams and some of them worked, some didn’t. But all of them had something I didn’t like about them (in the ingredients). I have been saying, “one day, I’ll make my pain relief cream” for nearly five years. But when you live in a small town in Wisconsin, when will you plan to meet a manufacture and a formulator and someone who knows how to create a legit product?
But while assisting one of my mentors at a workshop and hearing what I do with Mother Trucker Yoga, the great question came out of their mouth, “have you ever thought about creating a product?” A few months later, after several samples, ingredient combinations, texture trials, container sampling, and label creation- STIFF Mother Trucker Pain Relief Cream was born.
One of our favorite ingredients:
Capsicum or chili peppers are increasing their debut in the pain management department. You’ll find its chemical compound Capsaicin in many pain-relieving creams, gels, lotions, sticks, and sprays. Its topical formulation is an efficient pain management tool.
1a: any of a genus (Capsicum) of tropical American herbs and shrubs of the nightshade family widely cultivated for their many-seeded usually fleshy-walled berries
2: an oleoresin derived from the fruit of some capsicums that contains capsaicin and related compounds and is used medicinally especially as a topical pain reliever
What is Capsaicin?
Capsaicin was first isolated from chili peppers or capsicum in 1878 in crystalline form. Capsicum except bell pepper has its hot and spicy flavor from this little fellow, a remarkable health-promoting substance. It increases gastric secretions and stimulates nerve endings.
The Scoville Scale
However, its intense burning and irritating properties make it intolerable. Since it is a self-administered medicine, prescriptions are not required. Hence, to avoid the side effects from large quantity administration, a tool named Scoville scale was derived by W. Scoville which is used to determine the healthy amount of capsaicin in these medicinal preparations.
Uses of Capsicum for Topical Administration
The topical formulation of Capsaicin is absorbed well through the human skin. It is conveniently useful in the relief of:
Minor aches and pains from daily life
Joint pains from age or injuries
Backache from long-term sitting or driving
Strains from muscle overuse, or muscle underuse coupled with jarring movements
Sprains from exercise, work-related injuries, or life!
Stings and bites from bees and insects
Chronic pain from injuries, stiffness, and lingering pain
Capsaicin works in topical administration, although its exact mechanism has not been elucidated yet.
Capsaicin is a neuropeptide-active agent that renders the pain-sensitive areas insensitive to the pain sensation by depleting and preventing the accumulation of pain impulse mediators (from peripheral to the central nervous system). With this phenomenon, painful sensations fail to travel to the Central nervous system’s pain-sensitive regions, which gives us temporary relief from the painful episode.
Precautions
Do not apply Capsaicin cream to the cuts and open wounds.
Wash your hand immediately after applying the cream to avoid unnecessarily touching the burn sensitive areas such as nose, eyes, or mouth, etc.
Always consult your physician for directions before using the cream to get desirable results.
Side-Effects
Like all other topical herbs, chemicals, treatments, and oils, there are precautions you wan tot take and things you want to consider when using. These side effects can occur due to excessive use or use in forbidden areas. They include:
Burning sensation
Itching or Irritation
Swelling
Redness
Pain
These side effects are often short-term and are often associated with improper use (IE- private parts, eyes, mouth). Some notice this with its first use, but they will gradually fade away after its continuous application. In our STIFF Mother Trucker formula, we are using just the right amount of capsicum combined with other soothing and cooling ingredients to give you the perfect combination for your muscles and skin.
Read your labels on ALL your pain relief creams. Read your labels, many focus only on immediate cooling, but nothing to penetrate deep, nothing to do anything beneath the surface. That’s where STIFF Mother Trucker comes in. Let us be your number one solution for pain relief that hits you deeply!
Ready to try the amazing benefits of capsicum and our other amazing all-natural ingredients??
Grab a tube HERE + get FREE Shipping + Free Stickers
7 Rules of life to stay positive and focused on what matters.
Sometimes we need to stop and remember what’s important. Now I know that seems a bit cliche, but when we…
Re-focus
Re-evaluate
Re-connect
We can then see life in an entirely different light. And that can mean new opportunities. New friendships, and new efforts put forward. And as a result, we are more positive towards life and what comes our way.
To all our friends out there… It’s about the little things, and the small mental shifts we can make today to help us make better choices and decisions tomorrow!
What is your favorite out of our list here?
Mother Trucker Yoga’s 7 Rules to Life to Stay Positve:
1. Make peace with your past so it won’t disturb your future.
You are the only one holding onto your past with a tightly clenched fist. Loosen your grip, you might be surprised at what happens when you do. By holding onto the past you never get the opportunity to be present which is the real gift.
2. What other people think of you is none of your business.
It can be easy to get consumed with what others thing. But opinions are like a$$ holes, everyone has one and nothing good ever really comes out of them (insert humor). My point, what others think of you doesn’t matter. Most people’s opinions of others or life is a pure reflection of them and how they think of themselves. So focus on you, my friend.
3. The only person in charge of your happiness is you.
We can look to others for inspiration, for support even for ideas or help. But you are the only person who gets to decide your level of happiness. And much of that is determined on how you look at life and yourself in it. It’s what Carol Dweck calls a fixed mindset vs. a growth mindset. If you always tell yourself you will never be happy, then you will never be happy. If you always say you can’t be healthy or fit when you are a truck driver, then you will never be a health and fit truck driver. If you say you are not good at math, then you will never be good at math. If you want to be happy, then choose to be happy.
4. Don’t compare your life to others. Comparison is the thief of joy.
I believe that we walk one path, and it’s when we try to hop over to everyone else’s and walk theirs too that we get stressed out, we strikeout, and feel left out. Other people’s lives are theirs to live. Yours is yours. And when we compare we rob ourselves of all the progress and uniqueness we have to offer the world. You don’t know their past, their struggles, or what they had to do step by step to get where they are. So keep your eyes on your own path. Look out for help and encouragement, but not to judge yourself or your progress.
5. Time heals almost everything. Give it time.
It is true, time does heal(s) (almost) all wounds. My advice, stop looking at the wound. Look up and see there is a lot of other life to be lived. When my daughter died, I was crushed, frozen, and empty inside. But there did come a point where I had to look up and keep moving forward for her. And in time, the wound of her loss began to heal, it’s still there, but now I have chosen to do something different with it. You can do that too.
6. Stop thinking so much. It’s alright not to know all the answers.
It is my experience that we as a culture like to overthink things. Overanalyze things. But thinking too much leads to a lack of action and a lack of useable solutions. There comes a point where we must stop out of our heads and into the field and give it a try. Move even blindly at times, but the results of that will always be far greater than only having thought about it. Because now you know.
7. Smile. You don’t own all the problems in the world.
No one ever said you have to carry everyone else’s problems on your shoulders. Smile. Smile often. For one entire day, smile at everyone you see, everyone you meet. And see how different you see the world. But even more, see the ripple effect you can do for someone else who may also be feeling the need to carry things that aren’t theirs to carry.
These are just seven ideas to help you see life a little differently. It’s easy to be bombarded by the media. To be overwhelmed with everything that is going wrong that we forget to look out and see what is going right. The voices in my head like to keep me stuck, unhappy, and overwhelmed. But over time I have learned to stop listening, or at least drown them out. I suggest you consider doing the same. I am positive you will see more good, more smiles, and more opportunities in life than you did before.
What are other life tips you have that you’d like to share?
Feeling motivated to move more? Looking to stay positive in life? Check out Mother Trucker Yoga blog post on travel exercise.
Best Truck Driver Fitness Core Exercises When You Don’t Have a Lot of Time.
When it comes to driver exercises, and truck driver fitness, it’s time to update yourself, no more sit-ups, there is a better way. We have all heard how important it is to strengthen your core, but the only problem is most people are still doing traditional core work.
What is traditional core work?
Traditional core work in my experience is exercised flat on your back, where you flex your body (crunch) up off the floor. When movements like these are coupled with flailing fast and furious body parts, you feel out of breath and hurt for the wrong reasons. Yet there we are calling “sit-ups” an excellent core workout when there is a better way.
Times have changed and so has how we move, with the average person sitting 13 hours a day that’s enough if that’s not enough to consider moving more, I don’t know what is. And if you average in 8 hours of sleep on average, a person gets, that 21 hours PER DAY people are sitting.
The stats don’t lie, we sit way to much!
How Truck Driver Fitness Can Help.
On top of all of that sitting at work, and for meals and commuting, the respondents:
Sit another 1-2 hours while watching TV (36 percent)
Game another 1-2 hours (10 percent)
Lounge for 1-2 hours for things such as reading (25 percent)
Use their home computer for 1-2 hours (29 percent)” (PRNewswire)
And truck driver or not- we Americans sit WAY TO MUCH!
So when you choose exercises to try to improve your health, fitness, and overall well-being, we want to make sure we are selecting movements that aid us in our everyday life. And truck driver fitness is a thing and you want to be a part of it.
Why Not Sit-Ups for Truck Driver Fitness?
The traditional sit-up is done flat on your back; when core-based exercises are all performed this way, we lose the opportunity to use our back muscles (which are a part of our core). So if you are concerned with the health of your back and spine, it is best to opt for other movements when focusing on your midsection.
Sit-ups also focus primarily on flexion, and for someone who spends most of their day sitting, this is not helping you. All of that flexion encourages the chest, pec, and neck muscles to stay short and tight, and the upper back and neck muscles to continue to be overstretched and strained. Think about your driving position (or if you are in an office, how you sit at your computer), after a few hours you end up with your head sinking forward and your shoulders and chest collapsing forward over the steering wheel. Like you would yank and pull on your upper body during a sit-up.
Finally, those good-intentioned sit-ups only work a small portion of your core, and the movement you are choosing to do shortens the abs rather than lengthens them. And if you are going to work on your back, make sure you are finding what is called “neutral.” A place where your lower back is not pressed flat into the floor nor overly arched.
So when you choose the best types of driver exercises to strengthen your core as a truck driver, choose movements that:
Focus on form and function.
Gone are the days that huffing and puffing, yanking and jerking your body all over the place, and calling it a good workout are over. Core exercises or not, challenge yourself and see how well you can hold a move or move slowly and control how you move every step of the way.
Focus on movements that extend more than flex.
The extension works the body 408% (roughly 10x) more effectively than flexion does.
Focus on movements that include working your back muscles.
When all we do is “front core” exercises or what many of us call “ab” exercises we actually leave our back vulnerable to injury. By inadvertently over strengthening our front core and neglecting our back muscles (which are a part of our core) we can sometimes do more harm than good. (Read more about neck issues what exercises to do to help)
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), core training is an essential part of any personal fitness routine. Your core helps transfer force and power from your lower to upper limbs. The stronger your midsection is, the safer you’ll be during exercise, plus when you have a stronger core, you are less likely to injure your back.
4 Driver Exercises to Strengthen A Truckers Core:
Driver Exercises #1 – Weighted Extension:
Prep Time: 1 Minute
Total Exercise Time: 30 Seconds – 3 Minutes
Find a place to sit on your sleeper, the ground, or your floor at home.
Bend your knees (optional place a pillow or small ball between your knees to squeeze for lower body stability. (If your tail bone is sensitive place a blanket under your tailbone)
Grab your weight (1 lb – 10 lbs) and place it on your chest.
Keep a straight spine (no rounding in the shoulders, upper back, or lower back).
Inhale and exhale to prepare.
Inhale slightly tuck your tail bone under and lean back to 45 degrees (do not go all the way down).
Exhale and with control draw your body back up sitting tall and press your arms overhead/weight.
Do not round your upper body when pressing up overhead. If your shoulders are tight press the arms to a 45-degree angle.
Repeat this 10-30 reputations working on form, function, and control.
Try this on our mini ball for 10x more core activation.
Driver Exercises #2 – Oblique Weighted Twist
Prep Time: 1 Minute
Total Exercise Time: 30 Seconds – 3 Minutes
Find a place to sit on your sleeper, the ground, or your floor at home.
Bend your knees (optional place a pillow or small ball between your knees to squeeze for lower body stability. (If your tail bone is sensitive place a blanket under your tailbone)
Grab your weight (1 lb – 10 lbs) and hold it in front of your chest (imagine there is a pole keeping your hands in front of your chest).
Keep a straight spine (no rounding in the shoulders, upper back, or lower back).
Inhale and exhale to prepare.
Inhale slightly tuck your tail bone under and lean back to 45 degrees (do not go all the way down).
Inhale and work to rotate to the right, really pay attention to your spine and rib cage rotating (not your hips and pelvis).
Exhale and return back to center (stay at a 45-degree angle).
Inhale and work to rotate to the left, go as far as you can without rolling onto one hip or rounding your spine.
Repeat this 5 to 20 rep each direction.
Try this move with our mini ball behind your back for 10x the core activation.
Driver Exercises #3 – Plank Oblique Twist
Prep Time: 1 Minute
Total Exercise Time: 30 Seconds – 3 Minutes
Start on your hands and knees on the sleeper, ground, or your floor at home.
Drop to your forearms and place your elbows and fists a forearm’s width apart.
Step one foot back at a time until your body is in one straight line.
Press your fists into the floor to help activate your core.
Drop your tailbone between your legs and press your lower abs and hip bones into your lower back.
Draw your shoulders back and breathe.
Now rotate your hips and lower body to the right.
Press your hips up slightly to activate your obliques.
Hold for 5-20 breaths, then repeat the opposite side.
Driver Exercises #4 – Plank Oblique Twist
Prep Time: 1 Minute
Total Exercise Time: 30 Seconds – 3 Minutes
Start by lying down on your sleeper, the ground, or the floor.
Adjust your pelvis so it’s level, do not press your lower back into the floor, imagine a small arch in your lower back.
Draw your legs up to a tabletop position (optional: put a mini ball or pillow between the knees and squeeze for more stability) and flex your feet (you can opt to keep your feet on the ground OR do a few reps with one leg, and then switch to the other).
Grab your weight (optional) and extend it up overhead. Turn the folds of your elbows towards your nose (shoulders move in external rotation).
Inhale and exhale, work to stabilize your core, remember only go as far as you can keep your back and ribs from arching and pulling up towards the ceiling.
Inhale, and begin to lower your legs towards the floor and your arms overhead.
Reach through your fingers to stretch the shoulders.
Exhale and draw your arms back up and knees back up over your hips.
Repeat this 10 – 30 times moving mindfully with your breath. This is not a race.
To make this more of a challenge (as long as you can keep your back from arching) once your heels meet 1 inch off the floor, press your legs long and engage your glutes and inner thighs.
You go this!
Strengthening your core is extremely important regardless of your physical state or your age. When implemented correctly, you can experience a decreased risk of injury, better stability, and performance during workouts. A strong core improves the quality of life for everyone and reduces the chances of severe injury.
Age, mobility restrictions, or past injuries shouldn’t prevent you from strengthening your core. You can get all these benefits by performing these exercises safely and effectively. Focus on proper breathing and posture first and ditch the sit-ups. You’re bound to notice better balance and stability and may even see a reduction in back pain. But they won’t do anything for you unless you allow yourself to start today with 5 minutes of simple core work.
Got Pain?
Check out our signature pain relief cream made just for truck drivers… AND… It works! Truck driver health and truck driver fitness should be your priority.
Do not sit like a statue and try checking regularly, reminding yourself to relax your arms or legs while driving. Not only will it trigger back problems but will also hamper with blood circulation. Muscle cramps and stiffness. Let’s be honest, we get lazy and even though we can move while driving, we don’t. So make it a point to move more while driving. Need help getting creative with movements? Check out Mother Trucker Yoga’s 
