How Truck Drivers Can Practice for a Sport While on the Road

Your life as a truck driver can be challenging and rewarding. Driving a truck takes skills not everyone has, so if you’ve got a knack for it, you might score a solid, well-paying gig. You could also be into sports—maybe hobby stuff like martial arts, softball, or weightlifting. You might even consider becoming a certified personal trainer, which could make a fine side gig or retirement plan. The thing is, trucking means sitting behind the wheel for hours. But you’re not driving 24/7. You could work on your favorite sport during those mandatory breaks or downtime at a truck stop. At the bare minimum, you could find ways to stay in shape so your performance doesn’t take a hit.

1 - Get a Quick Workout During Downtime

When you take an hour for lunch, you might only eat for 20 minutes. Walking over to a nearby park and quickly working out during those 20 minutes could help. You won’t be doing a high-intensity workout in sessions like that, but jogging and knocking out calisthenics could be part of the plan.

Working out in a park, parking lot, truck stop, or motel isn’t your only option. It could be worth signing up with a national fitness chain as a member since gyms might be open 24/7 all along your route. The spot you hit up might even have group classes worth checking out.

2 - Plan the Route with the Workout in Mind

You shouldn’t add miles to your route just to get workouts in. But it wouldn’t hurt to check your map and directions and ask a helpful app about fitness centers along the way. You might find privately owned small-business boutique gyms that let you grab a one-day pass. Or you could scout out free recreation areas. Either way, you could plan your travel and stops well in advance to align with your exercise sessions.

3 - Download an Exercise and Fitness App

You can load up your smartphone with tons of free and subscription-based apps. These can help you stay on top of your exercise sessions, even with the wild travel schedule you deal with as a truck driver. An app can also let you log your food and track your calories burned. You could run the stats through an advanced app to see how you’re holding up compared to those days at home when you’ve got free rein to work on your conditioning.

4 - Pack the Right Gear

Putting all those essential items, like gym attire and resistance bands, in a backpack helps you get ready for your workouts. Even something as small as a jump rope could be a solid addition to your travel gear when you want to stay in shape. Thankfully, there are plenty of fitness stores in every city so if you forget a piece of gear you need, you can easily pick it up while on the road.

Practicing for a sport or keeping your conditioning levels where needed to stay competitive can be tough when you work as a truck driver. Thankfully, balancing both might not be so hard with the right mindset and a careful approach.