We’ve talked a lot about trucking fitness and different truck driver workouts over the road, but now it’s time to address why workouts are important. What benefits do these portable workouts yield for you as a truck driver?
Let’s talk about the 10 benefits of trucker workouts and exercise in general.
- Increased happiness
Exercising in any form means your brain releases endorphins, happy chemicals that naturally improve your mood. So, when you’re doing truck driver workouts while on the road, you automatically improve your mood — and your body enjoys an extra kick of endorphins.
- Weight loss
Eating all those greasy fast-food meals during your long travels will ultimately affect your health. By that, I mean you could be facing health complications like obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes and much more. Trucking fitness focuses on weight loss so that you can healthily combat the extra calories.
- Stronger muscles and bones
When driving long distances, your body is crammed into a small space, and it’s often hard (or even impossible) to stretch. This poses many problems to a truck driver’s bone and overall body health, and it’s even worse for those with arthritis. Many truck driver workouts strengthen and build healthy bones and muscles. You can exert your body to stay healthy by choosing a workout regime that best suits your needs.
- Increased energy
All work and no play makes a dull day and a dull mind. Working all the time will lead to emotional, physical and mental fatigue. You need to be at your peak health to do your job right. With exercises and workouts, you can not only stay healthy, but you can also feel emotionally energetic. Trust me; your energy level doesn’t go unnoticed by employers.
- Reduced risk of chronic disease
I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again: Many truck drivers face serious health complications like obesity, arthritis, and other chronic diseases. The best way to prevent these is to eat well and do important trucker workouts every day.
- Healthier skin
Exercise promotes blood flow, which nourishes and maintains the health of skin cells. Blood flow assists in removing waste materials from active cells, such as free radicals, in addition to supplying oxygen.
- Improved brain health and memory
During exercise, your muscles produce a hormone called Irisin, which triggers new brain cell growth and is vital in improving cognitive function. A study group that tested the impact of exercise on memory showed a 47% improvement in test results after six months of aerobic exercises.
- Better sleep
Workouts are great if you’re looking to fatigue yourself quickly, especially if you have a hard time sleeping. Once you’re done with an intensive exercise routine, hit the bed and see how your sleep quality and quantity improve.
- Pain reduction
If you’re feeling muscle tension or other such pain on the road, chances are that sitting immobile behind the wheel is taking a toll on you. Workout regimes, like trucking yoga or even simple stretches, can go a long way in reducing pain.
- Improved endurance
Cardio workouts are highly valued in a truck driver workout. Why? Because they help strengthen your heart and support the cardiovascular system. Cardio workouts also help you build endurance and stamina!
In the end …
Workouts don’t have to be done in a gym, and they don’t have to be long. You can complete effective workouts in your truck. Trucking fitness routines include small moves that have big benefits.
If you want to learn more and learn what moves you can do from the truck in just minutes a day, check out my guide to trucking fitness: Trucking Yoga Simple Fitness for the Long-Haul. Just visit mothertruckeryoga.com and click the word “book” at the top of the page.
Hope Zvara is the CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga, a company devoted to improving truck drivers’ fitness and wellness standards. She has been featured in Forbes and Yahoo News, and is a regular guest on SiriusXM Radio. Her practical strategies show drivers how they can go from unhealthy and out of options to feeling good again. Find out more at mothertruckeryoga.com.
Hope Zvara is a regular contributor to The Trucker, providing tips for healthy living on the road as well as tips to control stress. She is also the CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga and Road Relief Wellness. She has been featured in Forbes and Yahoo News, and is a regular guest on SiriusXM Radio. Her practical strategies show drivers how they can go from unhealthy and out of options to feeling good again.
