6 Ways to Get a Great Workout Even While Traveling

Traveling the world as a lifestyle, or even just taking a vacation for a few weeks, are both amazing opportunities for exploring new places, meeting new people, and learning new things. Yea, yea, yea. Tell us something we don’t already know, right? Well, traveling for an extended period of time is not all sugar coated rainbows and dancing leprechauns.

Sometimes, what’s waiting for you at the end of the rainbow is not a pot of gold but a pot belly that strains out from under your new wardrobe of touristy Hawaiian shirts. What? You aren’t one of THOSE people? OK, that’s a relief but either way… it’s not always easy to fit in a workout when traveling but there is no reason why we can’t find some creative ways to avoid packing on the pounds while traveling. Here are 6 different ideas for working in some quick yet effective workouts while traveling.

#1 Skip the Weights

Think that you need a weight room full of barbells, dumbbells, and weight plates to get a great workout? Think again. Sure, if you are training to be an Olympic power lifter or to get extremely huge and muscular then yeah, you need some weights but even those guys can benefit from a period of time doing body weight only exercises. There are lots of no weights workouts that you can do using the classics like push-ups, crunches, planks, squats, lunges, etc. along with their many, many variations. If you don’t think that something as simple as a push-up can bring the pain then you obviously haven’t tried all of the 71 different push-up variations from this list of exercises. Have fun!

#2 Wear a Pedometer

If you have tons of new places to explore and no time to squeeze in a workout then try out wearing a pedometer. Set some daily mileage goals for yourself and do whatever it takes to hit those goals (be prepared to maybe have to skip a few cab rides).

#3 Visit a New Gym

A great way to meet people in a foreign country/new locale is to work out with them. When I taught English in China for 3 weeks I made a point of working out a university weight room. Getting a good workout in while meeting some new people from a different country is a win-win.

#4 Play a Sport

Another great way to meet people in a new place, that may even be better than doing a simple workout in a new gym, is to play a sport with them. Try a new sport that you have never played before if you are really feeling up for an adventure or play it safe and play a sport that you have some basic skill at.

#5 Challenge Yourself

Set an exercise challenge for yourself that forces you to get out of your comfort zone and explore your new locale. Hike a mountain, swim across a river, wrestle a bear – well, choose wisely but just do something!

#6 Use What You Have

The most important thing to keep in mind while traveling in regards to working out is that you shouldn’t get all bent out of shape because you might not have access to a gym, your fancy exercise bike, your favorite water bottle, whatever. Get creative and use the things that you have available to you. If you have a backpack then do some push-ups while wearing your backpack. If you have a suitcase then do some squats or lunges while holding your suitcase across your chest. Wherever you end up traveling, as long as you are willing to think outside the box – you can always squeeze in a great workout!