THE COMMUTER CORE WORKOUT: GET FIT ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Feeling like there aren't enough hours in the day? Struggling to squeeze in your beloved swimming workout between the never-ending demands of work and life? You're not alone.

But what if you could reclaim some of that lost time? What if you could turn your idle commute into a productive workout?

This article will show you how to use your daily idle journey on a bus, train, or metro to perform a series of small, discreet core-strengthening exercises that will make you a better swimmer, without anyone even knowing you're exercising.

Dive Into: The Commuter Core Workout

• The Problem: Not Enough Time
• The Secret Weapon: Your Core
• The Workout: Discreet Exercises for Your Commute
• Exercises for Sitting or Driving
• The Takeaway: Be More Efficient
• Frequently Asked Questions

The Problem: Not Enough Time

Many of us who work in bigger cities spend at least an hour a day commuting. That's five hours a week, a plentiful amount of time for physical activity.

As swimmers, we are always trying to optimize our day to get our workout in. This sounds great in theory, however, unless you have mastered the 4-Hour Work Week phenomenon, the reality is that it takes a lot of dedication and discipline to optimize your day properly.

This is a swimming blog, so I'll give you some tips on how you can improve your swimming while out of the water, using the time you spend on your commute.

The Secret Weapon: Your Core

As discussed on many occasions, the strength of your core body is a key element in a faster, easier swimming experience. The stronger the core, the more power you can generate from your hips and the straighter you will swim, eliminating unnecessary drag.

One of the best ways to build a better core is to challenge yourself with stability exercises, like standing on one foot or using a balance board, sitting on a stability ball, doing push-ups with your feet on stability ball, performing handstands with shifting weight from one hand to another, utilizing bouncing medicine balls, fighting the TRX suspension belts, the list is endless. We can, however, apply this same principle to the unstable environment of a moving vehicle.

The Workout: Discreet Exercises for Your Commute

You do not have to perform all your workouts in a gym. Next time you are on public transport, try these simple, seamless series of small core strengthening exercises.

1. The One-Legged Stand: Instead of sitting down, stand and rotate balancing on one foot for one-minute intervals. To make it less obvious, keep the floating foot only a few inches off the floor. I guarantee that all the turns the vehicle makes will test your balance nicely. Nobody will even notice, so you don't have to worry about the entire bus looking at you as if you just came from a different planet.

To make it a less obvious to the bystanders, keep the floating foot only a few inches (centimeters) of the floor while holding your body nice and straight (as if you were standing on both feet).

2. Isometric Shoulder Press: Hold onto a vertical bar with a ninety-degree angle in your elbow. Now, push your palm against the bar and keep the pressure constant for 30 seconds, then switch hands. This is a great way to work your shoulder stability.

Alternatively, hold the bar above your head and utlize your shoulder muscles for stability.

3. Calf Raises: Stand on your tiptoes to strengthen your calf muscles. Hold this position for 30 seconds, then relax. Rise up gently and slowly so you don't scare off your fellow passengers.

Exercises for Sitting or Driving

If you really need to sit down, or for the car lovers out there, you can still work your core.

A simple and effective exercise is to contract your stomach muscles for 30 seconds and then relax for 30 seconds. Repeat this throughout your journey. You can also work your arms by sticking them through the steering wheel and pushing outwards as if trying to rip it apart (at your own caution, of course!). Don't break your steering wheel though :).

The Takeaway: Be More Efficient

I hope these tips were useful. Next time you are on your way to your 9-5 workplace, why not be more efficient with your time? You don't have to be crazy to fit a workout in; you just have to be creative.

If you think that I am nuts, then at least think about taking some time out from your best friend, "the computer," and go for a swim or do your core workouts while doing chores at home.