Seven Travel Workouts that will Keep you Fit on Vacation

Seven Travel Workouts that will Keep you Fit on Holiday

Holiday exercise is not always easy, after all, it’s a time for relaxing, right?

Whilst a lack of equipment is the most obvious hurdle, motivation to exercise can also be a real challenge. Especially as we unwind and often relax any routines or healthy eating habits that we stick to when at home. However, incorporating even a couple of travel workouts can help us stay on track with our exercise regimes and help avoid any unwanted setbacks. If you want to use some of your downtime to improve your fitness, here are seven inventive ways to work out on holiday.

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Bodyweight circuits

For a challenging but super-efficient workout while travelling, all you need is your own bodyweight and a little imagination. You can do bodyweight exercises in the hotel room, and even a 20 minutes of exercise can help improve your strength, suppleness, and general health.

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Luggage workout

Lugging a heavy suitcase about doesn’t have to be a futile task. You can always use your luggage to help you maintain your fitness while travelling. Using your bag as you would a medicine ball, complete the following circuit for five rounds of eight repetitions, per exercise:

• Walking lunges.
  • Hold your bag in front or across shoulders.
• Alternate press.
  • Pass the bag from one shoulder to the other and over your head.
• Bent over row.
  • Bending over from the waist, pull the bag from arm’s length, up to the chest.
• Clean and press.
  • Lifting with the legs (keeping a straight back), deadlift the bag and curl it to the chest, then press overhead.

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Swimming

Swimming is an ideal choice of exercise while travelling, it’s low impact, burns significant calories, counts both as cardio and strength training and can also help you relax and sleep.

Larger pools are ideal for long, steady swims focusing on endurance. If the pool is smaller, then use an interval style, alternating fast and slow lengths to increase the intensity.

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Suspension trainers

It’s never been easier to work out on vacation, especially since the rise in portable fitness gadgets. Suspension systems are a popular choice for health conscious travellers. They allow you to vary the level of difficulty, and come with door attachments so you can exercise in your hotel room or out in the park.

Complete the following circuit for 4 rounds of 10 repetitions:

• Suspended low row
• Chest press
• Leg raised planks
• Biceps curls
• Triceps extensions

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Park exercises and fitness trails

If a hotel room workout isn’t for you, then activity parks or fitness trails are a great alternative. They usually provide a selection of obstacles and fitness equipment, such as push-up bars and balance beams.

They’re becoming increasingly in many parks and beaches and whilst not everywhere you go will have one you can do a number of exercises using typical park objects such as benches.

Complete three sets of ten reps for the following circuit:

• Incline press ups
• Reverse rows
• Air squats
• Plank (hold for 30 seconds)

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Interval training

Running is a simple holiday exercise. Mixing short bursts of fast running with slower paced recovery jogs can be extremely effective.

Warm up with a 5-minute jog then sprint 30 meters. Afterwards, jog another 30 meters, and repeat 8 to 10 times. If measuring the distance is a problem, then try lamp post sprints; sprinting between one set of lamp posts and jogging between the next.

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Tours

Exercise on vacation needn’t be restricted to your hotel or a nearby park. Most destinations have activities such as guided walks or cycle tours, so you can see the sights while getting a workout. These types of activities offer a great opportunity to increase your NEPA or ‘non exercise physical activity’ and burn off those vacation calories.

Whilst for the more adventurous can often find activity tours that include everything from surfing to rock climbing, guaranteed to give you a good travel workout without having to hit a gym.