If you know me, you know I love my routine Soulcycle classes and working out with my trainer. But when I’m on the go it’s not always an easy task to find studios and opportunities to do what I normally do at home. In these moments I’ve often found myself thinking how convenient and useful it would be to have a quick workout on hand that I can bust out in my hotel room before I head out for a busy day of work. Luckily, my friend and trainer Mike Alexander of Madfit had some ideas to share with us, and I can already say that this workout has come in handy on recent trips where I haven’t had access to my normal workout studios. (And let me tell you, it kicked my butt!)

I think we all know that finding that motivation to work out on vacation is much easier said than done, but I’ve found that a few easy tricks help spark my motivation when I need it. First, I always make sure to lay out my workout clothes beforehand, so I have a visual of what my goals are (and so they don’t just hide away at the bottom of my suitcase the whole trip). Waking up and seeing that first thing in the morning makes it just that much easier to get out of bed and throw them on for a quick workout. I’ve also found that packing something as simple as a resistance band motivates me to get my sweat on, and it weighs almost nothing in my suitcase! It’s that easy guys, and this workout can be done without any gym equipment (besides the band if you choose to pack it). So here’s the low down: to perform these exercises, simply round up a few pieces of common hotel room furniture, a water bottle, and carve out 20-25 minutes of your morning for this major sweat sesh! Here’s how it’s done:

1. Seated Row with Resistance Band

Begin this move by looping the resistance band around your feet—if you need more resistance, widen your feet a bit until the loop feels tight. Grip one end of the resistance band in each hand, and pull the band toward your sides. Make sure while performing this move that your elbows are tucked in toward your rib cage, and aren’t flaring outward. As you pull the band, squeeze through your back muscles, as if you were holding an imaginary pencil between your shoulder blades. Repeat 20-25 reps.

2. Single Leg Glute Bridge

To start, lay on your back on the ground, with both knees bent so feet are flat on the floor. Lift one leg (while keeping foot neutral) so it is extended straight outward. Raise your rear off the floor, until parallel with your extended leg. Slowly lower back down, while engaging your glute muscles, and repeat. Perform 15 reps for each leg.

3. Spiderman Pushups

Start this move in a basic plank position, with arms extended so that your hands line up directly under your shoulders. Lower into a pushup, while simultaneously bringing one knee outward toward your elbow (ending in a Spiderman-esque stance). Return your leg to starting position as you push back up. Alternate between legs, repeating the move 8-10 times for each side. Note: If you don’t like the idea of getting that close to your hotel room carpet or rug, placing a bath mat or towel under your hands will do the trick.

4. Lateral Squats

To begin, plant feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower into a squat position with one leg, while the other stays extended straight outward. When lowering into your lateral squat, make sure the ankle, knee, and hip of your bent leg are all in alignment, and your back is perfectly straight. With your bent leg, push back upward through your squat to standing, and slightly cross over the other leg. Repeat the movement from the beginning, landing as gently as possible back in squat position. Repeat 15 times on each side.

5. Chair Ab Crunch

Begin by sitting on the edge of a sturdy chair, with your legs bent in the air at a 90-degree angle. Cross your arms over your chest, and lean backward until your core is engaged (your body should be in a V-like position). From this position, bring your knees in toward your chest, while simultaneously engaging your abdominal muscles and curling your spine into a crunch. Release, and repeat 20 times.

6. Tricep Extension with Resistance Band

Before you begin, loop the resistance band once around each hand, making sure you have a firm grip on the band. Make sure the band is extended behind your head to really target your triceps. Start with your elbows at 90-degrees, then carefully extend through your triceps to stretch the resistance band, until your arms are as straight as possible. Return to starting position, and repeat the move 20 times.

7. Cardio Burst Mountain Climbers

To really get your heart pumping (no need for a treadmill!), perform this cardio burst between every two exercises. Or, for even more of a challenge, add this move in between each exercise to really sweat. Start with hands planted firmly on a chair, legs extended straight out backward (as if you were in a plank position on the chair). Bring one knee in toward the chair, then alternate, doing the same with the other leg. Once you’ve got the rhythm down, increase speed for a short but effective cardio burst. Do this for 45 seconds between exercises. That’s it! When you’ve finished all the exercises, repeat the circuit once more to complete the workout. So what do you think? Are you going to try this one on your next trip? I promise you won’t regret it!

Xx Gray

Photos: Nicholas Scarpinato for Gray Malin