Make your commute count: Exercises and stretches to do on the bus, train

Brian Ernst/Sun-Times

If you’re sitting in a bus or a train day in and day out, take advantage of the time to do a convenient workout. There’s a variety of exercises you can do during your commute right in your seat (and don’t worry so much about riders’ funny looks)! These exercises are designed to help mobilize and strengthen your body at the same time. You can do these exercises on a bus or train, while reading a book, talking to your seatmate, or even closing your eyes and meditating!

Stephanie Mansour shows the proper technique for a 3-in-1 Twist.

3-in-1 Twist

Siting upright on your seat, squeeze your inner thighs together. Pull your navel in toward your spine and sit up tall. Then turn towards your left and press your right hand into your left thigh. Lift your chest and breathe in and out. On the exhale, pull your navel in even more toward your spine and twist more to the left. Repeat for a second breath, then switch sides. This works your core and inner thighs, and helps with spinal mobilization.

Stephanie Mansour shows how seated calf raises are an easy stretch to do on your commute.

Calf Raises While Seated

Sit with your feet on the ground hip-distance apart. Then “come up” onto your toes (while remaining seated) to engage the backs of your lower legs. Come back down. Repeat this 20 times.

Seated Foot, Ankle, and Hamstring Stretch

This lower body stretch can be done one leg at a time or both legs together if you have enough space. Simply straighten the legs out. Point the toes and squeeze the quads. Then flex the feet and feel a stretch from the bottom of your legs all the way up through the hamstrings. Repeat this five times each and hold for one breath each time.

Stephanie Mansour wants you to ‘“step up” your fitness regimen. Mansour coaches private clients in weight loss, provides fitness/health/lifestyles advice on national TV shows, and offers her free 21 Day Challenge online. Check out her fitness tips every Thursday in the Well section of the Chicago Sun-Times. And visit her website at stepitupwithsteph.com.