No Gym? No Problem. You Can Do This Workout Anywhere

I just got my plane ticket to go home for Easter. I love visiting my family but I hate missing my time at the gym. It would be different if any of the gyms in the town where my parents live allowed short-term memberships or even day passes; but they don't. It's a drag, but it doesn't stop me from training... especially while mom is cooking all my favorites! For me, there are no excuses for missing training.

Do you know what regular exercise doesn't require a gym? Cardio. Walk. Run. Jump rope. All you need for these is a good pair of workout shoes and a jump rope. I never travel without my jump rope and some resistance bands.

Stuck in an airport on a layover? There is always a deserted gate where you can park yourself and do some jump rope, push ups, sit ups and stretching. I don't care if people look and think I'm crazy -- I care if people look and think I'm out of shape. Staying in a hotel? You can jump rope in the parking lot. You can run laps around the parking lot. You can train ANYWHERE.

One of my favorite exercises of all time was taught to me by the Rolls Royce of personal trainers, Ray Scalvino (Ray can be found in New York at the Rich Baretta Training Gym).

The first time he made me do it, I thought I was going to vomit; but by the end of our session I was in love with it. I have gone on to teach it to the people I have trained and they all hate it -- but then love it. It's a simple exercise that can be done anywhere that you have a nice bit of floor on which to move. It targets your chest and your core. It's not crunches but, boy howdy, will it strengthen your abs. I call it Beat The Clock.

You're going to make a clock on the floor, starting at the twelve o'clock station. Start in push up pose. Make it a good, steady plank. Right to left, bend your elbow and lower to rest your forearm on the floor, bringing you into a proper plank position and, then, right to left, go back up onto your hands into push up pose. Do this nice and steady, not too fast. Right , left -- down; right, left -- up.

Do this three times, followed by three good, steady, slow, full range pushups. At the top, walk your feet around to the three o'clock station and do the same movement again: Right, left -- down; right, left -- up; three times followed by three pushups. Then walk your feet around to the six o'clock station and do the same movement three times. Walk your feet around to the nine o'clock station and do it again. Walk your feet around to the twelve o'clock station and do the up/down movement again. Try it right now and see how you will feel it.

After making one trip around the clock, you'll feel that you are working. Your chest and arms will feel the effect of the pushups and your entire core will be talking back to you. By the time you are done, they will all be talking in unison because you are going to go around the clock twice in a row. Then rest for thirty seconds. Breathe deeply and have a sip of water (don't chug it, trust me).

After thirty seconds, go around the clock two more times and rest for thirty seconds. Then do it again, twice, and you will be done. You will also be cashed. You will feel alive and, trust me on this, you will come to love this exercise. I love doing it at the gym, but I love that I can do it anywhere. I love doing it with the people I train because THEY know they are working and that's what people want trainers to do: make them work.

So you're sleeping on the sofa at mom and dad's or you're camped out at the Motel 6? Start here, add the cardio of your choice and stay away from the chocolate eggs, and believe me, you will have a very Happy Easter indeed.