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How to Stay Fit While Traveling

The holidays are in full swing and so many of us are traveling around the world to see family, go on vacation, and to enjoy the holidays. Just because you'll be away from your primary gym doesn't mean that your workouts have to stop. You can do your travel workouts and maintain all that progress you've been making.

[caption id="attachment_132" align="alignnone" width="5312"]Tim doing TRX at a lake in northern Spain There's always time for a quick workout with an amazing view! Lanuza, Spain[/caption]

Aside from hours of walking, I like to do a bit of exercise while traveling, mainly to keep my muscles active so I won't be sore next time I do a heavy workout. So the idea of these workouts are not to build strength or speed, but rather maintain my progress from my workouts at home. While traveling, I have a small box of tricks I use to stay fit on the go. I own a TRX. I own a jump rope. Gravity is free. Check out the video below, and some sample workouts below that.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8CxysmzvYs?rel=0]



Sample Workouts


TRX Routine - 1 min per exercise (hotel or couchsurfing)
3 rounds
Row
Chest Press
Reverse lunges (per leg)
Crunches
Plank
1 min rest

Calistenics routine (Airbnb or a park nearby)
Fight Gone Bad (5 rounds)
1 min Burpee pullups
1 min Dips or pushups
1 min squats or squat jumps
1 min jump rope or supermans
1 min Rest

Bodyweight routine (hostal or couchsurfing)
10 x 10 pushups
3 x 10 lunges (per leg)
5 x 5 handstand pushups
3 x 8 single leg squats (per leg)

Extra Training


I also get a workout in with the types of poses I do in my photos. I often need to do several takes to get a good photo, so it's like doing reps at the gym. Flags, handstands, headstands, jumping, and pistol squats all make for great poses.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Flagging in Bilbao, Spain Flagging in Bilbao, Spain[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"]Front lever in Palma de Mallorca, Spain Front lever in Palma de Mallorca, Spain[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Jumping in Bucharest, Romania Jumping in Bucharest, Romania[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"]Pistols in Volubis, Morocco Pistols in Volubis, Morocco[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"]Maybe the hardest headstand I've done - in Valencia, Spain Maybe the hardest headstand I've done - in Valencia, Spain[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400"]The most common pose I do - a handstand (Grand Turk) The most common pose I do - a handstand (Grand Turk)[/caption]

Bonus Tip


After working out in the morning, or after a long day of walking and doing crazy poses for pictures, I like to take a contrast shower. Basically, I shower with normal water (whatever your preferred temperature is) for 2 minutes to wash my body. Then, I turn up the heat as high as I can tolerate for 1 minute. Then, I switch to as cold as possible for 1 minute. I alternate three times hot and three times cold, ending the shower on cold. Using this strategy in the morning, I feel alive and awake, while using it at night relaxes my nervous system and prepares me for sleep.

How do you stay fit while traveling? Leave a comment!

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