We love to travel but there’s nothing we hate more than arriving at a hotel to find a mediocre—or worse, nonexistent—fitness center. But Casey Field Gilbert, an instructor at Barry’s Bootcamp in New York City, has come to the rescue with an in-room workout using minimal equipment (read: only things that can easily fit into your carry-on) that will actually get you sweating.
We headed to the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge—a perfect place to get in shape in its own right with its many wellness offerings—to check out Casey’s routine, which, fair warning, isn’t the usual tricep-dips-off-the-edge-of-your-bed routine. It’s so hard, in fact, Casey himself was exhausted by the end. Follow along in the video above and the instructions below for a legit sweat sesh no matter where you check in.
Casey breaks his routine into circuits, much like a classic Barry’s Bootcamp workout (only, mercifully, without the treadmill). You’ll need your suitcase—preferably a hard case, like the Zero Halliburton 22-inch Geo Aluminum 3.0—for added weight. Load it up with clothes or other items to increase the challenge. You’ll also need a pair of resistance bands and a paper plate or towel.
Circuit 1: Suitcase Circuit
This circuit adds a bit of strength-training to compound exercises to maximize the muscles worked at one time.
12 Front Squats With Suitcase
- Hold your suitcase in front of you with bent arms.
- Squat, ensuring that your heels stay on the ground, your arms stay straight, and your knees don’t track past the point of your toes.
12 Inchworm Shoulder Taps
- From standing position with legs shoulder-width apart, bend at the waist and walk out to a long-arm plank with your hands.
- Once in plank, tap your right shoulder with your left hand and your left shoulder with you right hand, making sure not to sway in the hips as you do it.
- Walk your arms back to your toes and slowly roll up to standing.
24 Single-Arm Suitcase Squats Into Lawnmower Rows
- Hold a suitcase in one hand, and perform a squat.
- Stand up, then perform a forward lunge.
- At the bottom of the lunge, lean forward and perform a single-arm row, as if you’re starting a lawnmower.
- Stand up.
- Complete 12 on each side.
24 Uneven Push-Ups to Mountain Climbers
- In plank position, place one hand on the floor and one hand on top of a suitcase.
- Do one-push up.
- Bring your right knee to your left elbow, followed by your left knee to you right elbow, twisting at your core.
- Complete 12 on each side.
(Repeat the circuit three times.)
Circuit 2: Banded Circuit
Casey is a big proponent of traveling with resistance bands. They work in a pinch when dumbbells aren’t available.
Minute 1: Reverse Lunge With Pulldown
- Fold resistance bands in half and hold either end over your head while standing.
- Perform a reverse lunge, landing with both knees at a 90-degree angle.
- Simultaneously pull down your arms into a gulf-post position behind your head.
- Return to standing position. Repeat on opposite leg.
Minute 2: Bicep Curl
- Holding the bands by their handles, stand on the middle of the band.
- Perform a bicep curl.
Minute 3: Deadlift
- Holding the bands by their handles, stand on the middle of the band with feet wider than shoulder-length apart.
- Lift the band from between your legs and slowly perform a deadlift, keeping your back flat, your head even, and your knees slightly bent.
- Return to standing.
Minute 4: Thruster
- Holding the bands by their handles, stand on the middle of the band.
- Perform a squat.
- As you stand, raise your arms above your head in a shoulder press.
Minute 5: Rest
(Repeat the circuit three times.)
Circuit 3: Slider Circuit
This circuit can be performed using a towel on hardwood or solid flooring, or a paper plate on carpet.
Minute 1: Hamstring Slide Curl
- Lie on your back with your heels on top of a plate or towel.
- Lift your lower body and slowly slide your heels toward your bottom.
- Slowly slide all the way back.
Minute 2: Glute Bridge Hold (30 Seconds Each Leg)
- For this isometric exercise, lie on your back with your knees bent and raise your lower back and bottom in the air.
- Lift one leg and hold for 30 seconds.
- Perform the same move on the other leg for 30 seconds.
Minute 3: Superman Push-Up (30 Seconds Each Side)
- In long-arm plank position, place your left hand on the floor and right hand on top of a paper plate or towel.
- Slowly lower your left arm into a push-up while keeping your right arm straight and pushing it out in front of you.
- Reverse the motion to return to plank.
- Repeat for 30 seconds on each side.
Minute 4: Pike-to-Knee-Tuck Plank
- In long-arm plank position, place your feet on a paper plate or towel.
- Slide your feet, with legs straight, toward your chest. Return to plank position.
- Slide your feet, with legs bent, toward your chest. Return to plank position.
Minute 5: Rest
(Repeat the circuit one time.)
Circuit 4: Six-Pack Circuit
If you need any motivation to make it through this last circuit, head over to Casey’s Instagram where you’ll see just how rock-hard your abs could be.
Minute 1: Reverse Crunch
- Lying on your back with legs extended, hold suitcase over your head with straight arms.
- Slowly crunch your knees into your chest, then straighten them, hovering above the floor.
Minute 2: Straight Leg Sit-Up
- Lying on your back with legs extended, hold a suitcase over your head with straight arms.
- Perform a full sit-up, keeping arms straight, and reach suitcase toward your toes.
- Return the same way you came.
Minute 3: Low Plank Hip Rock
- In low-arm plank position, alternate your hips, touching the left hip to the ground first, then the right hip.
Minute 4: Dead Fish
- Lying on your back with legs bent, raise your head and shoulders off the ground.
- Shift to your left, reaching your left hand to your left foot, then shift to your right, reaching your right hand to your right foot.
Minute 5: Alternating Toe Touch
- Lying on your back with legs extended, hold a suitcase over your head with straight arms.
- Simultaneously raise your upper body and left leg, meeting in the middle. Try to keep your legs and arms straight.
- Repeat with the right leg.
