Finding a healthy balance between your exercise routine and enjoying the other aspects of life, is key to long term success. For those who like to travel for fun or as a part of work, it can be hard to incorporate exercise into your schedule. It can seem pretty overwhelming to even contemplate making this fit into an already busy day, but there are great ways to get in that movement and not compromise enjoying vacation or getting through a work trip.
1) Take walks even if it’s just for short periods of time
Especially when on vacation, taking walks around new places and exploring is a great way to keep active while traveling. Instead of driving to every destination, try walking to those a reasonable distance away. This is a simple way to get in movement while not feeling overwhelmed to exercise.
If traveling for work, this can be more difficult, but take those walking breaks. Especially if you are working long days, take those 5-10 minutes to move. This small break can also help you get through the long hours and provide some much needed mental rest.
2) Find enjoyable bodyweight exercise videos
What’s fantastic about the time we live in, is that there are so many free resources out there. Youtube and social media offer tons of free and easy workouts. Saving some of these workouts for easy references when you want to move or blow off some steam can make travel training way easier. It’s also helpful to save a variety of videos. Maybe you need a good stretching session, relaxing yoga, fast paced to get your heartrate up, etc. Whatever style of exercise best suits you, be prepared for.
Remember to keep it realistic, though. Don’t pick 30-45 minute workouts if you know you’d never have time for that. Sometimes just 10-15 minutes can get your blood pumping and give you the boost you need.
3) Bring a foam roller or exercise bands
When traveling you may get sore from all the sitting or whatever activities you’re participating in. I always travel with a foam roller and the first thing I do is roll out when I arrive. If you know certain things will help your body recover quickly from the strains of travel, make them a part of your schedule! Even rolling is getting in movement and is beneficial.
Also having some resistance bands can be helpful too if you want more challenging easy workouts. Those resistance bands can give you that extra challenge you need for a quick training session. Bands are also helpful for providing resistance when stretching out. They are also super easy to fit into any bag and could even come with you to work should you need them.
4) Bike to your destinations
Biking is a fantastic and low intensity exercise. It can be great for people of most ages and could add some fun to getting around town. Some people don’t enjoy taking walks, or maybe need to get somewhere faster. Biking is a great middle ground between driving and walking. It also allows you to do more exploring of the place you are at and can be a fun family activity. It’s also helpful if you are traveling somewhere that has a lot of traffic. Though biking may not be as easy for those on work trips who may need to carry quite a bit back and forth, things like baskets or a good backpack could assist in transporting essentials.
5) Know when to be ok with just relaxing!
The most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to always train. You shouldn’t feel like you have to exercise while traveling and/or on vacation. Taking a few days off is not a big deal in the long run. It can also be a great time to allow your muscles to fully recoup from long periods of training. Exercise should benefit you, not stress you out! So if you love exercising and want to incorporate it on your trips, that’s great, but it’s also fine to rest! Don’t beat yourself up over time off, just return to your old routine when you can and keep moving forward!
Traveling can be stressful, and having outlets to reduce this stress can really help maximize your trip. Use your training to maximize your experience and add fun. At the end of the day, though, taking time off will not impact your long term goals, and accepting the need of time off is important.
Until next time… and remember training is for all!
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