If you’re lucky, you’ll have a chance for a bit of summer vacation this year. But what if you still want to work out while away from the gym? Live well with these fitness go-tos.
1. Planned activities.
Sprinkle some physical fun into your summer travel plans by planning activities like hiking, biking, golf, tennis or long walks on the beach.
2. Staying loose.
It’s fine to take time away from your workout routine, but it’s a good idea to include a few stretches and avoid injury. Even a few laps in the pool will work.
3. Pack well.
You will find yourself without a lot of options for travel fitness if you forget to pack your workout cloths and gym shoes. And remember your water bottle, too.
4. Bring gear.
Beyond your gym or running clothes, there are a few other exercise related items you can easily pack that will make it simple to work out on the road:
- Yoga mat – if you’re traveling by car, bring a mat so you can pull over for a sun salutation or some quick push-ups and crunches
- Resistance bands or tubes – these are easy to pack and add resistance to your bodyweight routine. Bring one lighter and one heavier for your total body
- Fitness tracker – your heart monitor or other wearable fitness tracker is a simple choice to encourage you to stay moving and healthy while travelling
- Fitness app – if you’ve downloaded the XSport Fitness app, you’ll be able to access a big collection of bodyweight exercises
5. Bodyweight exercises
The truth is, you really don’t need more than your body and a few ideas to help you stay in shape while away from the gym:
- Take the stairs – even if your only options are at your hotel in between meetings, or at the tourist sights you visit, using the stairwell will help you burn some calories and get your heart rate up
- Squats – you don’t need to add any weight for this go-to to make a difference in your life, just do them well and do a lot of them (50…100?)
- Lunges – the side to side motion of your bodyweight lunges is the perfect antidote for time spent driving in the car or sitting on a plane
- Planks – the beauty of this exercise is not only that it rocks your core, it’s also quiet for other hotel guests making it a top pick for daily while travelling
- Push-Ups – if you’ve ever wondered why the military has used the “drop and give me 20” for so long, it’s because push-ups are hard, and they travel well
- Triceps Dips – a chair, bed or dresser will work just fine as your “bench” to do some dips to compliment your push-ups and planks
- Jumping Jacks – they’re aren’t hard to remember or complex to perform, so why not add a few at the rest stop or before you hike the backroads?
- Yoga & Pilates – whether you want a challenge or some quiet time to recoup after the amusement park, a few mind/body moves will usually do the trick