Try this express workout for holiday travel

It’s the busiest travel weekend of the year, and more than likely you’ll be scrambling to find a way to get your workouts done before packing up and hitting the road. So just in case you can’t make it happen and you need an express workout that can be done anywhere look no further, just cut out this article and follow the plan, and you’ll burn off those extra calories before you can say pumpkin pie.

To get started, do one set of the following exercises to failure and repeat the desired amount of sets depending on your fitness level. If you are a beginner or require a less intense workout try the intermediate suggestions at the bottom of each exercise.

Planks with jumping jacks

Start by getting into the push-up position on the floor, but bend your arms 90 degrees and rest your body on your toes and your forearms. Keep your elbows directly under your shoulders and angle your hips and butt slightly upward while flexing your abs. Hold this position for as long as you can but begin jumping, moving your feet from a wide to a narrow stance like you are doing a modified jumping jack. This will create an intense burn in your midsection.

Intermediate - Substitute traditional planks and hold without the jumping jacks as long as you can for each set.

Spiderman push-ups

Get into the push-up position with your feet and hands on the floor spread shoulders' width but as you descend to the floor pick one foot off the floor and turn the knee parallel to the floor and as you reach the bottom of the movement with your chest close to the floor bring the knee toward your elbow. As you push back to the starting position, return your foot to the floor and alternate legs on the next rep. Continue this until the desired amount of reps is complete.

Intermediate - start with your hands and feet on the floor but eliminate the push-up and instead lock your elbows and turn your knee parallel to the floor and bring it toward your elbow. Alternate with both legs until the required amount of reps is complete.

Side step with squat

Stand with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Take a step sideways to your right so your feet are shoulders' width and then with your head up and butt out lower your body into a squat until your knees reach 90 degrees. Pause for a split second squeezing your quads and hamstrings and then slowly rise back to the starting position. Take another step sideways with your left and then right foot, squat and repeat the process for 10 to 20 reps.

Intermediate - If you have never done squats or have knee issues, try substituting a wall sit by positioning your body so your back is pressed against a wall with your legs bent 90 degrees or above and hold.

Burpee with jump

Stand with your feet shoulders’ width apart and bend your torso toward the floor until your knees are below 90 degrees, place your hands on the floor in front of you and kick your legs from under your body into the push-up position. Hold for a second and then quickly kick your feet back under your body and stand back up and jump as high as you can.

Intermediate - if this exercise is a little too difficult or you have knee or leg injuries, simply get down to the floor slowly with less impact and stand back up, eliminating the jumping portion of the movement.

Diamond push-ups

To try this exercise, get into the push-up position but instead of using the traditional hand position, place your hands under your chest with your thumbs and index fingers touching in the shape of a diamond. Descend until your chest touches your hands and then push back to the starting position and you should feel a great burn in the triceps.

Intermediate - if you can’t do a full push-up try going to 90 degrees only or starting in the same position with your knees on the floor.

Bear crawls

Bend down and put your hands and your toes on the floor while crouching with your knees off the ground. Begin crawling like a bear taking long broad steps with your hands and feet. Continue the movement at a speed and distance that creates an intense arm and leg burn or until your entire body is fatigued.

Intermediate - to make this exercise a little easier, substitute mountain climbers instead.