Working out while traveling can be a difficult feat: Between finding the time for a workout, and realizing all you have to work with is a dingy hotel gym with all of one, ancient-looking treadmill, it's easy to give up on exercise altogether when you're away. And while it's totally OK to take a break from the gym while you're OOO, some people like to maintain at least some sort of fitness routine while abroad. The thing is, keeping your body moving while you're away doesn't have to be complicated. There are plenty of easy ways to exercise while traveling, so that you'll feel your absolute best all vacation long.
Maybe you've already made the executive decision to wake up a bit earlier than usual to sweat it out during your travels, 'cause you know your travel companions definitely won't be about your fitness-forward tendencies if you try to recruit them as your workout buddies during the day. But, once you settle on when to work out, then you have to decide what the easiest, most effective exercise to do on vacation actually is. After all, you still want to relax as much as possible, right?
Luckily, Elite Daily spoke with two fitness experts about the best workouts to do when you're on the move. Here are seven simple ways to exercise while traveling that'll relieve stress, boost your mood, and help you feel your best during your blissful PTO.
Most of the time, hotel gyms aren't exactly luxurious, but there's no doubt that they're the simplest way of squeezing in your sweat sesh bright and early before a day of rest and relaxation. Leah Kalemba, a fitness instructor for Evolve Personal Training, Fighthouse MMA, and Moveir Dance Studio, tells Elite Daily you should make the hotel fitness room work for you, not the other way around: "A hotel fitness room generally provides the essential cardio and strength equipment to help you continue your workout regime and keep your goals on track," Kalemba says. "And, it’s safer than exercising outside in an unfamiliar area."
Make do with what you've got, girl!
High-intensity interval training is a super effective way of challenging your body to the max in a minimal amount of time. According to Kalemba, if you’re short on time and space, a high-intensity workout that engages the whole body is an ideal way to work out on the road.
"Exercises like the plank, burpees, jump squats, lunges, and mountain climbers engage multiple muscle groups, including your all-important core, and get your heart rate up for cardiovascular health," she tells Elite Daily. Doing these exercises in a circuit for as little as 20 minutes, she says, will have you sweating just as much as (if not more than) a lengthier workout at the gym.
Pro tip: Pack resistance bands to intensify your workout without taking up too much space in your suitcase.
If you're all about that runner's life and want to lace up your sneakers while you're away, Charlee Atkins, an NYC-based fitness expert and founder of Le Sweat, recommends exploring the city or beach during your jog. "Set a timer for 15 minutes, and just start running in one direction," Atkins says. "As soon as the timer goes off, turn around and make your way back to your start destination."
Voila! Thirty minutes of cardio done and dusted.
Of course, there's the very real possibility that you're traveling in a city you don’t feel safe running around by yourself. However, Atkins doesn't see this as an obstacle, as long as you have a jump rope, and some simple bodyweight exercises you can move through: "Jump rope for two minutes, then do a bodyweight exercise for one minute, repeat jump rope for two, move to exercise number two, and so on," Atkins tells Elite Daily.
That right there is a quick, 15-minute workout that'll get your energy up and running for the day — but Atkins says you can easily extend it to 30 minutes by going through the entire routine twice, you little overachiever.
Ah, swimming: the optimal workout for the sweatiest, most humid of days. It's the perfect exercise to take on at the beach with your travel companions (if you can convince them, that is). "If you’re on a beach vacation, spend about 20 to 30 minutes going back and forth between the beach to, say, a buoy or a docked boat," Atkins tells Elite Daily.
I don't know about you, but that sounds like the perfect mix of challenging and carefree, if you ask me.
Hear me out, fam: You don't have to be "good" at dancing at all to make it your go-to form of exercise on vacay, or at any other time — just have fun with it!
Kalemba recommends bringing a pair of earbuds, turning up your favorite tunes, and dancing your heart out in your hotel room for some quality physical activity during your travels. Personally, I know I'd look like the biggest doofus ever doing this, but I can't deny that I'd also love every single second of it.
If you're used to doing yoga at home, why not bring it with you on your travels? After all, all you need is your very own body and the power of your breath. "Travel can be stressful on your body, especially after a long flight or full day on your feet," Kalemba tells Elite Daily. "Yoga can be just what your body needs to stretch out achy muscles, breathe out the day’s stress, and help ward off insomnia to start the next day feeling fresh."
And no, you don't even need a yoga mat, if you forgot to pack one in your suitcase. Grab a hotel towel and try out a free yoga app, or follow along with a yoga flow on YouTube to guide you through your practice. Namaste, my little nomads!
