Lower Activity Level Programs
Whether you’re going to be sitting in a classroom or lecture hall for most of your learning adventure, strolling around a charming village or spending time walking through museums — it’s still good to add a little extra physical activity into your life to prepare for your Road Scholar program, or try these exercises during your program to stay limber.
These exercises are a good fit for programs with these activity levels:
1. Walk. Every. Day.

Whether your educational adventure is going to be vigorous or not, every program will include some walking. Plus, walking every day is essential to general physical fitness! Try to walk two miles daily, whether that’s all in a row or on multiple walks. Go for a stroll through the woods near your house, or try parking your car farther from the grocery store entrance to cover more ground. Step counters can help you set goals for walking every day!
2. Overhead Reach

It’s important to keep your arms moving a little bit every day to keep up your general strength, but you don’t have to hit the weights at the gym to stay active! Try the overhead reach every day. Whether seated or standing, do so in a tall posture. Gently reach your arms overhead to extension 10 times.
3. Cat & Cow

Even sitting for most of the day can result in tight muscles. Loosen up your back with the “Cat and Cow” stretch. Picture a scared black cat arching its back to the ceiling and then a cow with a saggy back and shoulders squeezing together. Get on the floor on all fours. Push your upper back toward the ceiling. Now, pull your belly down toward the floor, while maintaining your long arms. Do this 10-12 times.
4. Bridge

Lay on the floor on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Push down into the floor through your heels. Drive your hips off the floor, focus on squeezing your butt as you elevate. This exercise is a great way to keep your hips loose whether you’ve walked a lot that day or spent more time sitting.
5. Sit-to-Stand

This exercise is great to prepare you for a standing ovation on your theater program or to get you ready for getting up out of a coach seat as you disembark the bus for a local exploration. Find a firm chair and sit and stand 10 times. Be sure to stand up all the way.