It’s no secret that truck drivers struggle with their health, particularly their weight. And when it comes to living over the road, maintaining a typically suggested healthy lifestyle is sometimes easier said than done.
Most drivers know they should get enough sleep, consume healthy snacks during the day, and exercise for at least 15 minutes every day. But the when, how and where of this equation is something most “experts” seem to lack when it comes to suggestions for truck drivers.
Exercising doesn’t mean that you devote hours to straining workouts. So, using these strategies and exercises, you can start looking out positively by making small changes in your lifestyle. Here are a few suggestions from lifestyle fitness and healthy aging specialist Hope Zvara of Mother Trucker Yoga.
- Planks
Like pushups, planks require very little room to be performed. Planks help tone your back and abdominal muscles. Planks are recommended to keep up with your driver fitness routine. Start small — on your knees, forearms and even off the edge of your sleeper — for five to 10 breaths. Do this one to three times a day. Try them on your sleeper, the truck step, or on the ground.
- Heel Lifts
Sit-ups leave you yanking on your neck and don’t utilize your back muscles to help reduce injury and strain from long-term sitting. Heel lifts are a great way to activate the lower abdominals and back muscles. Try this move in the driver’s seat! Sit tall, with your back off the seat, and lift and lower each foot (slightly) off the floor for one minute. Do 50 on each side.
- Hand Stretches
Hand stretches are important because long-haul truck drivers spend most of their time holding a steering wheel, making their hands cramped and tense. This could eventually cause arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome. Try using your truck’s steering wheel or ceiling to stretch your fingers and wrists; hold for 10 to 30 seconds for each hand.
- Walking or Power Walking
Walking or power walking can be a great lower-impact workout. Cardio helps you reduce weight and build up your lungs. We recognize that it could be challenging to exercise during your hectic routes, but just five minutes of brisk walking can help improve your sleep, boost energy levels and clear a negative mind.
- Chest Stretch
All that sitting leaves you rounded and hunched, and often with immense pain in your upper back and neck. Stop pain dead in its tracks by opening up your chest! Grab the back of the headrest and pull your elbows wide. Hold for 30 seconds; repeat several times a day to improve posture.
- Triceps Water Jug Kickbacks
Finally, triceps dips are an easy, efficient arm exercise, either in or outside the truck. There’s no need to lug a weight around: Use a full water jug, work out and then drink up. To start, place your feet hip-distance apart. Hinge, or bend, at the hips and draw your belly in. Extend your water jug up and back without rounding the shoulder forward. Repeat this 10 to 15 times each side.
You can do it!
If you’re a truck driver who finds it difficult to include exercise in your daily life because of how turbulent your career is, you can use these simple strategies to work towards a greater lifestyle. The ultimate driver fitness strategies are at your fingertips. Just take the wheel of your life and steer it the way you want to go. You won’t regret it!
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 www.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.
