“How can I maintain my Fitness and still have Fun on my trip next week?” is a question I receive often. Traveling is no excuse to forget your health program in fact – the opposite rings true. Your strength keeps you healthy to enjoy your trips – which I believe is the most important thing.
I consulted my good friend Katherine Parent, of Excursions by Kate – Click about this article because she Travels more extensively than me. “Exercise should be incorporated with fun activity, especially on a vacation. It’s a time to learn a new skill, develop an old one, or something as simple as walking every day can make the difference in maintaining current fitness levels. Whether your travels are for business or pleasure, you can exercise with just a little creativity. The act of moving is of most importance and it doesn’t have to be your normal routine either. Sometimes its fun to shake up your exercise regimen a bit and there is no better time to do this while you are away on a trip.” – Kate
On a business trip, keep work and sleep a priority – if you want to be employed, that is. Your fitness can get done, even if it’s a minimal routine because this will keep you productive at work meetings and allow you to enjoy any indulgence without guilt. You will know you did something good for your body and have ‘earned’ your travel treats – just eat like an adult.
Those on an adventurous trip can take a scuba lesson, a scenic bike tour, ski lessons, join a local dancing session, go hiking in the mountains, volleyball on the beach – anything to keep your body in motion. The key is a little pre-planning as you have already organized the trip and all the details, so a few moments to ensure your health is minimal. It’s a way to add the element of play and more adventure into your trip and stay healthy.
Relaxing trips can be viewed as a week or two away from anything resembling your ‘norm’ and more like active recovery. Take long walks on the beach, traverse city blocks and meander in the woods. Find the best massage parlor at your destination, book an appointment before you go and let them take the stress away.
Note: Some of you may just want to do all brisk walking and fun activities for your entire trip because you are traveling on foot and don’t want to bother with extra stuff. Ok, No worries – Just be sure to walk everywhere, everyday and get back on your strength plan when you get home. Staying on the move is the goal and it should be simple for you.
Training keeps your mind sharp and bodily systems running properly, while giving you the strength to manage the added excitement you are sure to encounter in a different surrounding. Your travel training needs to be short, sweet and FUN. Keep it all under an hour and most likely half an hour – The most important thing is: Movement to combat the effects of gravity and sitting during the travel, then strength work and if you have time, some extra aerobic work.
“Ok John, what should I do then?” If you need a personalized program for home and away that will keep you living stronger and longer, then my Online Coaching Program – Click is for you. For those who know how to train movement patterns and how to travel, then the following is for you and can be done anywhere.
Sample Program for 1 day
Movement Prep – 5 minutes
Strength – 15 minutes
Conditioning – 5 minutes (does not have to be done daily)
Stretch – 5 minutes
#1 – Move EVERYDAY (Brisk Walk, Yoga, Calisthenics, Indian Clubs, Tai Chi)
#2 – Strength Train 2-4x a week (BodyWeight Strength)
#3 – High Intensity 1-2x every 7-10 days (Crawling, Sprinting, Squat Thrusts)
- Train basic human movement patterns: Push, Pull, Squat, Hinge and Locomotion/Loaded carries in a Ladder format 1,2,3 or 4,5,6 or 8,9,10 etc…Do 1 Push, 1 Squat, 1 Pull, 1 Hinge and then 2 and then 3 etc….(Reps depend on your goal) 1-3 for Max Strength, 4-6 for Power Production, 8-12 for Muscle Building
- Pick your Rep Range and Put 15-30 minutes on the clock and do as many 1,2,3 (or whatever rep range) ladders, with Impeccable form, that you can complete reasonably.
- Rest as often you need but no more than necessary.
*Movement: This will include anything you prefer that addresses: Range of Motion, Activation and Movement Preparation for the muscles and connective tissues. Personally I do: Diaphragmatic Breathing, Movement Prep, Crawling and Turkish Get-Ups. This brings my body to a heightened awareness and readies me for the work. Important: Do Not JUST Stretch your muscles here, move them and Stretch mainly after your work, unless you need a calf stretch to prep for Squats (example).
*Strength: The point of Traveling is not to lug cumbersome fitness equipment with you. I love Kettlebells, but I’m not using my carry on for them. So, travel training is mostly Body weight, unless you go to a fitness workshop or seminar and train with some piece of equipment. Or, if you have an AeroSling or Suspension Trainer you can bring.
With no equipment and away from home base the following work best:
- Push: (Plank, Push ups(All variations) or Handstand Push ups)
- Pull: (Bat-wing Planks, Table Pull ups, 1 arm Doorway Rows)
- Squat: (Face the Wall squats, Body weight Squats and Assisted Pistols.)
- Hinge: Bridge (Quarter, Half, Full, Walk down Wall) which simulates the Hinge and works the Posterior.
- Loaded Carries: If the room has something you can pick up, like a TV, chair, table etc. then do it and walk around standing tall, for an appropriate amount of time, put it down safely and repeat for a few minutes.
*Conditioning: 5 Minutes or less – This period should be brief when you are away. Traveling is stressful, don’t add to it by being stupid here. This is just meant as a way to ignite some calories or improve work capacity. If you are fatigued or cannot maintain good form…..SKIP THIS!!!
- You can also do Crawling here as Metabolic Conditioning – Commando, Baby, Bear, Crab, Leopard, Frog, Orangutan, Spiderman etc…or Sprinting (either in place, up the stairs and walk down or outside of your hotel room)
*Aerobic: – Go for a __ minute brisk walk, defined as: someone is following you on a city block or rural country road, while you match their pace and then some, Keep moving. For those of you who insist on higher intensity, do: Mountain Climbers, Squat Thrusts or Towel Swipes (Stand tall, Swipe a Towel in front of you without it touching the ground). Work in an interval fashion doing 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds off)
*Cooldown and Stretch: Any muscle that is tight, stretch it, within reason. Do something to address the quality of your body tissues with a stretch like the Yogi Bair Stretchy Thingamabobber – Click or the movement routine you began with, very slow. Roughly 10-30 seconds each area but do not over stretch, as this is detrimental to ligaments and tendons. Also, if you stretch one way, contract the muscle and activate the other way. Example Calf Stretch: Push the Heel down for 10 seconds and then activate by pushing through the toes and extending the calf for 5 seconds.
Above all else, Kate and I agree, the main take away is “The key is getting you in the ‘play mode’ through fun exercise and activity.” Movement nourishes the brain like food nourishes the body. The human is designed to move and travel – which is even more fun when you are strong and healthy, so go explore the world and have the time of your life.
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