Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2018 and has been updated in light of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak situation and these tips are also good for home workouts.
Being on vacation is fun; staying fit while on vacation is another story. From prolonged sitting on airplanes to a lack of gym access, you will most likely be confronted with obstacles to staying fit during your trip.
Do not fear! All you need is a little planning and the right information. In fact, you may get yourself in even better shape with some bodyweight training and the great outdoors; both available on your getaway.
Below is a guide on how to look and feel great while traveling:
4 Basic Rules To Stay Fit While Traveling
1. Make sleep a priority
2. Enjoy healthy eating
3. Choose travel activities that allow you to be active
4. Keep your mind healthy and let your soul relax
What to Pack
Jump Rope
This is the single best conditioning tool you can bring. Jumping rope is great to include in your warm-up routine and is a perfect finisher at the end of your workout to burn off the holdouts.
The jump rope destroys steady state cardio on a treadmill, torching the amount of calories in an average candy bar in just 20 minutes.
If you’re going to travel, a jump rope is a must-pack item! Bonus: it fits easily in a carry-on bag.
Lacrosse Ball
We all get sore muscles after intense workouts and long breaks from particular exercises. That’s good—but it hurts. Here’s how to reduce soreness and reduce your chance of injury.
Use a lacrosse ball to massage your myofascial points, better known as trigger points. They are the most common sources of bodily pain. Focus on: bottoms of your feet; calves; quads; hamstrings; glutes; and upper back.
By massaging away restrictions to normal soft-tissue extensibility you will alleviate pain and improve your range of motion. Win-win!
So toss a lacrosse ball in your bag next time you’re on-the-go.
Sample Workouts
1. For Time: 50 burpees
2. 5 Rounds for Time:
a. 10 pushups
b. 10 squats
c. 10 burpees
3. 10 rounds for Time:
a. 5 pull-ups
b. 10 push-ups
c. 15 squats
4. For Time: 100 burpees
5. As Many Rounds as Possible (AMRAP) in 20 minutes:
a. 5 handstand push-ups
b. 10 pistol squats
6. For Time:
a. 50 pushups
b. 50 squats
c. 50 burpees
7. Tabata – Perform 20 Seconds of All-out Work, Followed by 10 Seconds of Rest. Do This 8 Times:
a. Push-ups
b. Squats
c. Burpees
8. Jump Rope for 20 Minutes
9. Beach Workout: 10 minutes of 100-yard sprints
Pro tip: Push-ups, squats, and burpees can be done anywhere, but pull-ups may require some creativity. You can usually find a decent pull-up bar in most parks or near a beach. If you cannot find one, try doing one-arm rows with your suitcase or bag.
About The Author
Chris Castellano is the founder of Functionally Elite Fitness, a blog and weekly newsletter that provides information on how to use functional bodyweight training to get in amazing shape without a gym membership or personal trainer. A former solider in the US Army, Chris trained soldiers in physical fitness and has developed numerous strength and conditioning and functional fitness programs over the past decade.
Photo by Flickr User Terry George used under creative commons