Zombie Truckers - Part 5 Exercise
Brown Dog Carriers has launched a series of blogs that will discuss driver health and strategies for improvement. We are partnering with Robert E. Cyr, DOS, CHHC, AADP, FSP a former truck driver who penned the book “Zombie Truckers” To order Bob’s book click on the following link.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1682132196/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
This week we are looking at exercise!
One of the great advertising campaigns in history was Nike’s “Just Do It”. It works because it’s a simple message and doesn’t require a lot of time or expensive equipment. Something as simple as walking a couple of miles every day will do wonders for stress reduction, muscle strengthening, and improving your mental abilities. “Scheduling regular exercise may be the closest to the fountain of youth and will keep you healthy”
A few years ago, a great article appeared in Men’s Health magazine titles “7 Rules of the Road Fitness” https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19534152/on-the-road-fitness/
Justin Boschee
The article features some great exercises by former truck driver and fitness trainer Justin Boschee. Here are some of his rules. (Click on above link to go to the article)
No matter what, exercise 15 minutes every day.
Make each workout vigorous - maintain 75 to 85 percent of max heart rate,
Work multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
Always eat after working out. The latest research says 20 grams of fast-acting protein (for instance, whey isolate powder) eaten within 30 minutes of exercising is best for building muscle.
Eat breakfast, and then eat every three hours. This keeps hunger at bay and prevents bingeing late in the day.
Keep healthy snacks handy. When traveling, the tendency is to eat what's available, so make only good food available.
Log your nutrition and fitness. Keeping a daily food and exercise journal makes weaknesses easy to spot.
Here are some easy exercise routines to consider taken from an on-line article for truckers[1].
Workouts in Your Cabin
Pushups – Pushups only require body weight and minimal space which makes them the perfect exercise for truckers. In addition to increasing your strength, push-ups can improve your posture and flexibly, and can help prevent injury.
Planks – Similar to pushups, planks only need minimal space to complete. Planks work to strengthen your abdominal and back muscles.
Sit-ups – As a staple in many fitness routines, sit-ups are a great workout to strength your core. It only takes a few minutes to crank out a few sets of sit-ups. You can easily complete this exercise before beginning your morning routine.
Tricep Dips – Lastly, another easy, effective arm workout to do in your cabin is tricep dips. You can do them on the ground or by using your bunk as support to lower your body by bending at the elbow.
Exercises from the Driver’s Seat
Stretching is extremely important to reduce stress and to avoid injury. The following stretches can be done from the driver’s seat.
Shoulder Stretches – Shoulder shrugs are a great way to reduce tension and stress from your shoulder area. When stopped, raise your shoulders up to your ears. Hold for 10 seconds, release and repeat.
Hand Stretches – Long-haul truckers spend a significant amount of time gripping the steering wheel causing their hands to cramp up and feel stiff. Overtime, this could lead to arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome. To reduce the risk of these illnesses, truckers can perform hand stretches. Try rolling your wrists in a circle or gently pulling your fingers toward your body.
Stretch Your Legs
A final exercise to add to your daily routine is either walking or running. This is a great way to stay in shape. Cardio helps to strengthen your lungs and lose weight. We understand it may be difficult to find time to do cardio during your busy routes. However, walking or running is an easy exercise to complete while waiting to pick up your loads. Plus, it allows you to stretch your legs and no longer be cooped up in your cab!
Whichever exercises you choose to complete, it is essential to add physical activity to your everyday routine. It will help you to look better, feel better and live a healthier life.
In our next blog we will examine the importance of sleep.
[1] https://advanced.edu/6-easy-exercises-truckers/