13 Best Travel Workouts to Try on Vacation
When traveling, we often prioritize relaxation and indulgence, putting our fitness goals on hold. But who says you can't have fun, explore new places, and stay fit all at once?! Incorporating travel workouts can help you maintain your hard-earned gains and energize your mind and body for the exciting adventures ahead. This article will unveil thirteen travel workouts that keep you active, strong, and ready to conquer any destination.
Maintaining Fitness on the Go
It's common to worry about losing progress while traveling, but the truth is that taking a break from your regular gym routine can be beneficial. It provides an opportunity for recovery and helps reveal your actual strength by allowing fatigue to dissipate. Short, intense, and equipment-free training sessions become your secret weapon to maintaining fitness on the go.
Four Types of Travel Workouts Your Journey Needs
Incorporating travel workouts is essential for maintaining fitness goals and staying active while on the go.
#1: Stretching and Recovery
Travel can be physically demanding, with extended hours sitting on planes or in cars. To combat muscle fatigue and ensure your body keeps up with your adventurous spirit, dedicate time for stretching and recovery. Whether it's winding down at night or starting your morning routine, a few targeted stretches can rejuvenate your muscles and prepare you for exciting new experiences.
#2: HIIT Workout
Who says you need a gym to get a heart-pumping workout? High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the perfect solution for travelers. Designing a workout without equipment is easy, and you can track your progress by timing each session. Even as short as 7 minutes, a HIIT workout can be squeezed in between your morning beach visit and afternoon shopping spree, leaving you energized and ready for more.
#3: Cardio Workout
Vacations offer many opportunities for engaging in fun and thrilling cardio activities that home workouts often lack. Whether hiking through breathtaking trails, kayaking along scenic coastlines, trying cross-country skiing, or simply taking a brisk beach walk after dinner, you can turn your vacation into a cardio adventure. Explore your surroundings and let your heart race with excitement.
#4: Functional Mobility Workout
Maintaining mobility and range of motion is crucial while traveling. Performing familiar exercises without weights can still provide immense benefits for strengthening and keeping your body agile. Focus on controlled and intentional repetitions that challenge your muscles and maintain your hard-earned range of motion. A functional mobility workout ensures you're always ready for the next exciting escapade.
With these four types of travel workouts, you'll be equipped with various exercises and routines to keep your body moving and energized throughout your journey.
13 Best Exercises for Traveling
When access to a gym or equipment is limited, these 13 simple exercises become your go-to travel companions. They target various muscle groups, require minimal space, and can be done anytime, anywhere. Here are the must-try exercises for vacation workouts:
Maximize your time, physical space, and mental energy with these exercises that ensure you stay fit and fabulous throughout your travel adventures.
- Squats: Engage your lower body muscles by bending your knees and lowering your hips, then return to standing. Consider using a small suitcase or backpack for added weight and a more rigorous workout!
- Push-ups: Strengthen your chest, arms, and core by lowering your body to the ground and pushing back up.
- Butterfly Stretch: Improve hip flexibility by sitting with the soles of your feet together and gently pressing your knees toward the ground.
- Step-Ups: Work your legs and glutes by stepping onto an elevated surface one foot at a time, alternating between sides.
- Butt Kickers: Increase heart rate and target your hamstrings by jogging in place while kicking your heels up towards your glutes.
- Arm Circles: Warm up your shoulders and arms by extending your arms to the sides and making circular motions forward and backward.
- Bicycle Crunches: Tone your abs and obliques by lying on your back, bringing opposite elbow to knee in a pedaling motion.
- Alternating Lunges: Build leg strength by stepping forward with one leg, lowering your body until both knees are bent at 90-degree angles and alternating sides.
- Lunge Jumps: Combine cardiovascular exercise with lower body strength training by performing explosive lunges and switching legs mid-air.
- Donkey Kicks: Target your glutes by starting on all fours and kicking one leg backward, keeping it bent at a 90-degree angle. Remember to complete the same amount of reps on both sides!
- Leg Drops: Strengthen your lower abs by lying on your back and slowly lowering your legs toward the ground without touching, then lifting them back up.
- Frog Jumps: Work your entire body by squatting down with your hands touching the ground, then exploding upward and landing softly in a squat position again.
- Windmills: Enhance flexibility and core strength by standing with your feet wide apart, rotating your torso to touch your opposite hand to the opposite foot, then repeating on the other side.
Benefits of Working Out While Traveling
Working out while traveling offers loads of benefits that extend beyond physical fitness. Incorporating wellness into your travel routine can decrease stress levels, improve mental health, and enhance sleep quality. Maintaining momentum and readiness to resume your regular training upon returning home becomes effortless when you prioritize your fitness goals. Travel workouts are not just about staying fit; they ignite a sense of excitement and make your journey even more memorable!
When to Work Out While Traveling
The answer is simple: whenever you can! Consider facility access and schedule stability when planning your workout routine. Whether you prefer early morning or late-night sweat sessions, adjust your workouts accordingly. Research hotel gym hours and explore outdoor options. And get this: PF Black Card members have access to any Planet Fitness location in the U.S. and beyond. So find a gym near you during your next trip!
Don't let your fitness goals take a backseat during your travels. With the 13 best travel workouts at your disposal, you can stay active, strong, and energized throughout your vacation.
Embrace the adventure, prioritize your health, and remember that bodyweight workouts and minimal equipment can deliver incredible results. And if you don’t feel ready to create well-rounded workouts on your own, let the PF App help guide you.
So, unleash your inner traveler, stay fit and fabulous, and make every vacation a journey toward a healthier and happier you.