It is that time of year again. This blog is a little late for the spring breakers, but summer vacation season is coming. I’m going to be talking about getting that workout in while you’re on vacation. Very rarely are you fortunate enough to find dumbbells that go over 25 lbs. on vacation let alone a squat rack. You may even be lucky to find the time to get to the gym . I am going to give you 3 essentials to still get a great workout in while you’re on vacation no matter the equipment you have.
Most vacation workouts will consist of the bare essentials. You don’t really have choice when it comes to this aspect of your workout. I want you to think big bang body weight movements. We’re talking push up and plank variations. Body weight squats and lunge variations are great lower body options. If you are fortunate enough to find a dumbbell or kettle-bell you can incorporate swings or even lightly load the patterns we had mentioned before. This is a chance for you to get creative with how you load also. Offset or 1 arm loading is a great way to make a lunge more or press more challenging when you are limited with the amount of weight that you have. If all else fails grab your toddler, smaller sibling, or significant other and toss them on your shoulders to knock out to some squats. I’m only half kidding. If you have children they could be a perfect candidate for a lightly loaded front squat.
When you’re out with you family, the gym time may not be yours or their #1 priority, but if you want to get your lift in before you and the kiddos hit the theme park or the beach, density will likely be your best friend. Things like escalating density, ladder rep schemes, or heaven forbid, a MetCon session are all great options here. I will pick out 3 to 5 movements that will cover as many or all of the bases in terms of my body and movement patterns. A great example would be push-ups, lunges, and dead bugs. So in our example we have an upper body pressing or reaching pattern, a lower body single squat, and lower level abdominal exercise. Do a few reps of each, while alternating the exercises, for 15 or 20 minutes. That could be a very dense and effective workout if you’re limited on time.
Another option for training while travelling are games or tasks that incorporate the whole family or friends that you’re with. We forget that play is exercise. A game of tag on the beach or some time at the jungle gym are all great options for getting a workout in and could be a great time for the whole group you’re traveling with. It might even be refreshing to do something different than heavy squats or deadlifts for your workout. These free play workouts will be more on the metabolic side of things and could be a great way to support recovery while you’re relaxing on vacation.
When traveling and pressed for time, just remember you can get lot of work in with just yourself, no equipment needed. You can always use a toddler of your own or if your daring someone else’s, for external load if need be. A trip to the local jungle gym can be a great way to get everyone involved and get your workout in for the day. When you go on your trip this summer give some of these tips a try and relax!!!
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