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10 Cockpit Exercises

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Extended periods of physical inactivity, particularly during long flights, are detrimental to health, risking restricted blood flow and the formation of blood clots.
  • The article recommends a series of simple, seated exercises, such as ankle circles, neck rolls, and knee lifts, to improve circulation and prevent physical stagnation.
  • For pilots, these exercises can be performed in the cockpit, but only when an autopilot or a copilot is actively maintaining control of the aircraft.
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Extended physical stagnation is not good for your body. It restricts blood flow and can lead to clots. Fortunately, you can take action and create circulation in your body, even while flying on long cross-country flights when you can’t get up and walk around. The following exercises can easily be performed while you’re seated, but they require you to take your feet off the rudder pedals and your hands off the yoke, so make sure you have an autopilot or a copilot who can keep the airplane under control while you get your blood flowing.

1. Ankle circles
Pull your feet off the rudder pedals and make 10 circles with your toes in each direction. Repeat five times.

Pia Bergqvist

Pia Bergqvist joined FLYING in December 2010. A passionate aviator, Pia started flying in 1999 and quickly obtained her single- and multi-engine commercial, instrument and instructor ratings. After a decade of working in general aviation, Pia has accumulated almost 3,000 hours of flight time in nearly 40 different types of aircraft.

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