Workouts for when you're away from home

Don't let holiday travel get in the way of your fitness routine. Even if your gym is miles away, you can still get a great workout with this simple and effective strength-training routine.

The tools you'll need are a jump rope, resistance bands and a yoga mat or towel. Each exercise takes about 60 seconds, and you'll repeat each one three to five times.

The exercises

Squat with row: Anchor the resistance band to something stable and take a few steps back. You should feel tension from the resistance band pulling you forward. With an upright posture, squat down slowly to a comfortable position. As you stand back up, row your arms back as you squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Jumping rope:As you jump, be sure to absorb the impact of your body weight by keeping your knees springy and bent the entire time. Practice with different kinds of jumps and speeds.

Lunged chest press: With the resistance band anchored behind you, drop down into a lunge position. You should feel tension from the band pulling you backward. With your abdominals tight, extend your arms forward into a chest press. Maintain the static lunge position throughout the entire exercise.

Plank: The plank is basically the push-up position on your forearms. Your goal is to keep your body rigid and in a straight line from shoulders through your waist to your ankles. Keep tension on the abdominals and continue breathing throughout the exercise.

Core rotations: Anchor the resistance band and take a grip with both hands. Step sideways until you feel tension on the band. With a slightly squatted position and arms fully extended, rotate your upper body away from where the band is anchored. You should feel muscular tension on the entire body, especially in the midsection. Return slowly back to your starting point and repeat.

Use this workout anytime you don't have access to the gym. With minimal investment and some simple planning, getting that workout in may be much easier than you imagined.

• Joshua Steckler and Mark Trapp are co-owners of Push Fitness, a personal training studio in Schaumburg specializing in weight loss, muscle toning and nutrition. Contact them at PushFitnessTraining.com.