What Can Truck Drivers Do To Improve Their Health While Driving
Paul McCartney wasn’t thinking about truck drivers when he penned the Beatles’ last number-one hit. But for truck drivers the words ring so poignantly: “The long and winding road that leads to your door will never disappear; I’ve seen that road before it always leads me here.” It takes a unique and rugged personality to bear and even embrace what seems to those outside the industry a truly arduous trek: The long hours, the steady concentration, the solitude.
Drivers Must Get Creative to Maintain Their Health
Truck drivers, however, must consider other challenges – not necessarily those related to the duties of the job; in managing their schedules and determining how they’ll accomplish the day’s goals, drivers may overlook the most obvious need of all – their health. But it doesn’t have to be that way. While last week’s article detailed steps drivers can use outside their trucks, a few simple in-cab exercises can vastly improve fitness and ward off the onset of certain conditions related to life in the long-haul lane. Here are some health tips from Livestrong.com:
- Hand stretches are great to reduce stress and tension. Rotate your wrists in circular motions to reduce tension. To do wrist stretches, you put your fingertips on the steering wheel, press inward and hold for 30 seconds. Do this with both hands.
- Abdominal crunches can be done on the road as well. You squeeze and hold your abdominals tight for several minutes – or for the length of a song on the radio or a news report. You can do this for shorter periods depending on your fitness level. You can do this exercise as frequently as you want.
- You can perform shoulder shrugs by lifting your shoulders to your ears as if you’re shrugging your shoulders. You should hold the position for several seconds and do 10 to 15 repetitions.
Prevention Magazine offers some in-cab exercises, for when the truck is stopped. These exercises require buying a fitness tube from a sporting goods store.
- The Upright Row Sit: While seated, place your feet flat on the floor. Put the tube under your feet and hold the tube’s loose ends in your hands. Your arms should be at your sides and your palms facing back. Bend your elbows until your hands reach about shoulder length. Your elbows will move outward. Hold that position for a couple seconds and then return to the starting position. Do several sets. This exercise is good for your shoulders and upper back.
- Bicep Arm Curls: Stay in the same position but with your palms facing forward. This is the traditional curl. Bend your elbows and bring your hands to your shoulders. Do several sets. This is great for your upper arms, especially the biceps.
- Seat Chest Press: Wrap the tube around the back of the seat. Hold the ends at chest level. The movement is similar to doing a pushup. Do several sets. This helps your chest.
- Bent-Over Row: Extend your legs straight but keep your knees slightly bent. Lean over, put the tube under your feet and grab the loose ends at about shin level. Pull your arms up while keeping your elbows close to your body and pointing upward. This helps your back.
- Leg Press: Lie back in your seat and bring your knees up close to your chest. Put the tube under your feet and your arms at your side. Extend your legs straight. Do several sets.
We hope you found these tips helpful. In next week’s article, we will discuss ways truck drivers can eat healthier. Do you have any other exercise tips you’d like to share? Comment below or fill out our contact form.
Stay healthy on the road with these fitness tips for #TruckDrivers. http://t.co/Ts0d8UXOnU #trucking
— iGlobal, LLC (@iGlobal_LLC) April 10, 2015
iGlobal LLC is a technology company which specializes in providing solutions for transportation, logistics and distribution industries. We build hardware and develop software that resolves critical business dilemmas, especially those involving fleet management and communication technologies.
