Do you need to exercise while travelling? If you're going on a week-long sun holiday, you can of course choose to lie in a sun lounger and sip an umbrella drink, but if you're travelling for a long time, you might want to consider whether you want to be active in some way. At least if you want to maintain some fitness and not gain too many kilos. After all, holiday life is all about relaxation and a few extra glasses of wine ...
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How can you train while travelling?
So what do you do? Well, it depends, of course, on how you are travelling. If you are staying in a larger hotel, you may have access to a gym. During our upcoming long journey with a motorhome, we will mostly not have access to a gym. So how can you exercise? Here are some suggestions on how to exercise while travelling. Do you usually exercise while travelling? What are your best tips?
1. work out in the gym
Larger and fancier hotels often have a gym, as do large cruise ships. There may also be some gym equipment at larger campsites, but this is less common. If you know you're going to a hotel with a gym, just bring your workout clothes!
We ourselves are not very good at using gyms in hotels, perhaps because we rarely stay longer in fancier hotels. When we last stayed in a hotel in Canada for a week, we took the opportunity to work out!
2. running your own training programme
Another option is to take your own training programme with you on your trip. Maybe you have some exercises that you usually do? We usually run a training programme which are on CDs and which we run on a TV screen. All we need are training clothes, a water bottle and resistance bands, and possibly weight gloves.
The programme can be run in the hotel room, and we can also bring it in the motorhome and run it on our TV, which we attach to one of the garage doors. Either you drive outside, or if you want to be more discreet, in an awning ...
3. Jogging
What almost always works is jogging. You can jog both in cities and in nature, and all you need are good running shoes, training clothes and maybe some water. I have to drink a lot when I run, so I usually put a hydration belt around my hips.
Jogging is a practical way of exercising while travelling, but because we find it a bit boring, we sometimes alternate it with stopping to do different exercises, such as resistance bands. This may not be suitable if you're jogging in a city ... but in the countryside or on a deserted beach it can work well!
4. doing active activities
Last but not least, don't forget that you can stay fit by doing active activities while travelling, such as hiking, cycling or kayaking.
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Ditte says:
I'm glad you've found a form of exercise that works. And glad that you can take some equipment with you. And the beach is perfect for many kinds of training with both equipment and your body as resistance.
When it comes to exercise, it extends to walking and I generally walk 6-1o km / day. Or it's the bicycle for the same distance. And you can't eat and drink more than you spend. That's how I think and usually keep my weight constant. Except in China, where without doing anything other than eating a lot of Chinese food, I lost 7kg in a year. Yes, we cycled and walked a lot there too.
Swimming and snorkelling are also good exercise and gentle on the body. However, it is very cold now in both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
28 January 2015 - 20:54
Alexandra says:
My biggest tip is not to be ashamed, because who cares? Shouldn't you be more ashamed of NOT exercising and just sitting on a chair? 😉
I also think jogging is boring so I understand you and in addition, the risk of injury is quite high by only jogging and not combining with preventive strength. If there are good hills, you can practice hill training, run up, jog down, repeat like 10 times or as much as you can handle and then it's done.
Or do circuit training with your body on the beach, circles of simple basic exercises. Such as squats, burpees, push-ups, lunges, etc., you probably know lots of exercises from your training programme. Run 1 minute, rest 30 seconds and run a few rounds of a circle.
Or combine jogging with strength exercises. Jog 5 minutes, stop do e.g. jumping jacks, jog 5 minutes, stop and do push-ups, jog, step up on a bench/rock.
Just a few tips, the only limit is your imagination!
😀 😀
28 January 2015 - 21:03
Malte Köse says:
Hey, hey, hey, hey,
I am going on a training trip to Mallorca 2-9 May with mallorcasportcamp, but there are some who have cancelled can post travel/training buddies are sought with you?
28 January 2015 - 21:05
Åsa says:
That sounds great to me! If you think running long distances is boring, it can be good to know that intervals are more effective training. A five-minute race, then just run or walk, then alternate for 30 minutes. Such a workout will increase your metabolism and keep it at a higher level for the rest of the day. But it has to be intervals. At least that's what our neighbour the fitness Spaniard says... I like to run long distances at the same pace, but according to him, anything over 30 minutes is completely unnecessary and wears you out more than it builds you up....
28 January 2015 - 21:33
BP says:
Considering that the penschis have their organised morning gymnastics/yoga/and other exercises every day in different places on the beach (at least in Benidorm), I think you should not be ashamed.
As you say, this time of year you're pretty much on your own. But keep an eye out for more advanced fitness classes on the Spanish beaches. I know they are organised there even for "young people".
28 January 2015 - 21:52
Matts Torebring says:
Just going and walking for half an hour to an hour a day feels like pure wellness for myself. Hugs & Enjoy
28 January 2015 - 22:13
Marina says:
The main thing is that you keep going so that you feel good, then what you do may not be so difficult.
29 January 2015 - 4:16
Pia says:
I hate working, think it's boring, so there's no exercise at all when I'm on holiday. On the other hand, we walk a lot so it becomes exercise in itself. Sounds like you've found a good form of exercise and how beautiful it is!!!
29 January 2015 - 6:35
Snows says:
I have never been away for more than a month and the only exercise has been long walks. Miles and miles have been covered. I've also been swimming whenever possible!
Good luck with your training!
29 January 2015 - 7:45
Annika says:
Unfortunately, there is little training both during the trip and when we are in Sweden 🙁 ).
29 January 2015 - 9:13
Frankie & Co says:
🙂 The shame factor, otherwise also made me think of the spectators who are ashamed of not exercising...
If you want to make the 'torment' short, I recommend Tabata (there are countless good apps for smartphones, my favourite being Circuit Training Assistant (Pro)), burn off a high-intensity 4-minute programme and your neighbours will barely see you 😉.
Or - bid on it - your regular training 😉 .
29 January 2015 - 10:05
admin says:
Ditte, this form of exercise works well right now, if the weather is good. It will be worse later in the year when the beach is full... It sounds like Chinese food could be a good diet then, if you need it?
😉
Alexandra, you are actually TOTALLY right, even though it's not always easy to think that way. Good tips in general too! A bit in line with how we think and what we try to do.
Malte Köse, we have no place to post such adverts... except that you can comment here then...
Åsa, intervals are certainly good! By the way, I think that (almost) all training is good training, but maybe it also depends on what you are looking for...?
BP, I haven't seen such organised morning exercise here, but maybe we'll see it in Spain?
Matts, walking is of course not wrong and always good!
Marina, I agree, but I think the challenge is to find something that works when you don't have a gym or a room to work out in....
Pia, sometimes when travelling you walk a lot! Here it is not completely automatic, so we have to think a little!
😉
Znogge, swimming is a good idea! Maybe we can do that when it gets warmer!
Annika, we usually say that you may be able to manage quite well while you are young, but that it becomes more important with age to move!
Frankie & Co, haha maybe that's how to think! And yes, short and intense can be smart!
29 January 2015 - 10:33
Ama de casa says:
Since I never exercise at home, I don't do it while travelling either...
😉
But there will be many long walks. Better that than not moving at all.
🙂
29 January 2015 - 11:39
Katta's Considerations says:
We always jog on all our holidays. we run to villages or inside the cities to selected points depending on the time of day. In the cities it will be early morning jogging while in the Philippines it will be when the wind is blowing and then take a refreshing dip in the sea. A very good way to get closer to the locals. Last month we ended up having lunch with one family, playing billiards with another and then we had to improve our team in both basketball and volleyball. Great fun!
29 January 2015 - 15:26
Annika says:
What a great life you have now. Read your post below, about the days, about the beach and how desolate it is. AND how you spend the day there. WONDERFUL!!!
Exercise yes, can believe that it is necessary on long journeys like yours. Jogging and PWs are good. But it's great if you can bring some dumbbells and bands to the beach and train there too.
If I went on a trip like yours, I would take PWs in mind, I think 🙂 New places, new promotional routes. Lovely.
Keep having such a GOOD time!!!
29 January 2015 - 15:33
High Coast says:
Running and using the body/nature as weight resistance in strength training.
29 January 2015 - 16:35
admin says:
Ama de casa, of course walking is better than doing nothing! Walking is good!
🙂
Katta, jogging is practical and works pretty much everywhere! Nice to meet the locals that way!
Annika, the best thing about travelling this time of year is that it's not crowded! I guess PW means powerwalk...? Great idea!
Höga Kusten, agree! You don't need machines to do strength training!
29 January 2015 - 20:14
Role o Carina says:
I continue with my walking 6 days a week!
Then exercise cycling in the basement 3 days a week!
Also a rubber band that I train with both
arms, legs and hips, great!
Now lost a total of 15 kg 🙂 🙂 🙂
Have a good time there......
29 January 2015 - 22:26
admin says:
Rolle and Carina, oh my goodness! Go, go, go!
🙂
29 January 2015 - 23:37
Rkuth in Virginia says:
I remember when it used to be called exercise. There was no criss-crossing or other weird stuff.
Training was done to participate in a competition.
That's it! 🙂
30 January 2015 - 1:20
Marie says:
I have got myself a PT and she has sent me two exercise programmes that work well with a type of exercise band you can hang on a door and a long stick. I do that in my room when I live without a gym....
30 January 2015 - 3:40
Marie says:
It's great to see the record number of visitors!
30 January 2015 - 3:40
Anna, New York - My Bite of the Big Apple says:
What an interesting post! Good that you found your own routine - but just like others write: Don't be ashamed! 😉 By the way, training on a beach sounds almost perfect.
I've been doing regular exercise at home for ten years: I go to the gym (both fitness and strength) every other day and also do a power walk every day, regardless of the weather.
If I'm away for a couple of weeks (usually in New York), it's mostly long, brisk walks. It can easily be a couple of kilometres a day. If the hotel has a gym, I do a workout early when I'm still awake from the jet lag. Otherwise, your own programmes with dips etc, where you use your body weight as a starting point.
On sunshine holidays, I do both power walks and swimming as training, every day. If there is no gym, I take a break from it, as I am rarely away for longer than one to two weeks.
30 January 2015 - 8:52
admin says:
Ruth, haha yes that's probably true! It is perhaps mostly exercise for our part, if strength training is included in that word ...
😉
Marie, ribbons of all kinds are great... and handy to take with you when travelling!
Anna, you're right, but I still find it tricky when you have people right next to you... although of course you shouldn't care! The beach works well, at least in the low season. In high season, you may still have to choose other times of the day because of the heat!? It sounds like you make it work even on holiday! We will work on it, thanks for the inspiration!
🙂
30 January 2015 - 11:44
Mstraveltipsy says:
It's also a good idea to walk as much as possible; if you can walk instead of taking a taxi or bus, that's a good idea. One of my favourite things is to just walk around when on holiday, especially in big cities. I did this in Rome among others and then we got to see and experience so much fun.
30 January 2015 - 13:45
admin says:
Mstraveltipsy, it's true! Walking instead of sitting still is always a plus! A good way to see new places too!
🙂
30 January 2015 - 20:18