Vacation season is upon us! It is supposed to be a reprieve from our everyday grind and a time to relax, let our hair down, and recharge. But too often our diet flies out the window, and workouts are relegated to the lowly depths of the stroll from the tiki bar to the beach blanket. And instead of going on vacation to become refreshed and rejuvenated, we often come back feeling sluggish, bloated, and dreading the seemingly insurmountable task of making fitness a habit again. Right?!
Exercise isn’t just for poolside abs and hashtag gains. It helps us regulate digestion, sleep, hormones, water retention, and certainly mental health. Basically, it makes us feel amazing! So, why would you want a vacation from any of those important functions? Instead, find a healthy balance between fitness and indulgence.
Below, I’ve provided two 30-minute workouts you can do while on vacation or the next time you travel. One workout is for the beach, and one is for your hotel room. The exercises require minimal time, no equipment, and provide maximum payoff. You’ll be heading home refreshed, feeling fit, and ready to jump back into your daily routine!
BEACH WORKOUT
It is no coincidence that every dramatic training scene of a boxer you’ve seen includes a beach sprint. The sand is a great source of resistance and even simple movements will fire you up. Sprint intervals, burpees, backwards runs, bear crawls, crab walks, push ups and even body weight squats will be ratcheted up an intensity level in the sand. I know you’re thinking you’re going to look like an idiot crawling on the beach, but I promise you’ll be in good company with your fellow early risers. Grab a partner and make it fun!
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Warm up (2-5 minutes)
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jumping jacks or jogging
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Light Stretch (2-5 minutes)
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focus on your problem areas and making sure your shoulders and hips are feeling loose.
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Circuit 1 (10-15 minutes): 3 sets (30-60 sec rest between sets)
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Body weight Squats: 20-50 reps
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Push ups: 10-30 reps
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Walking lunges: 100 yards
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Burpees: 10-15 reps
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Circuit 2 (5 minutes): 4-8 intervals (30 sec rest between intervals)
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Sprint Intervals: 50-yard sprints – down and back 2 times (200 total yards)
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Cool Down (5 minutes)
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2 minute light jog
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3 minutes of stretching
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HOTEL ROOM WORKOUT
Every hotel room has the same basic set of furniture. A bed, dresser or chair can be used to modify or intensify common body weight movements. Decline push ups with your feet on the bed, incline push ups on the chair or dresser, pistol squats on the chair or bed, body weight dips on the chair, planks, lunges, box squats on the bed, and mountain climbers can be executed in the smallest of spaces. Make the volume high and rest periods short and you’ll be torched in 30 minutes. Bonus: pack some bands in your travel bag to add additional resistance to just about any movement. You’ll be done before you know it and there will still be bacon at the breakfast buffet waiting for you.
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Warm up (2-5 minutes)
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jumping jacks
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Light Stretch (2-5 minutes)
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focus on your problem areas and making sure your shoulders and hips are feeling loose.
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Circuit 1 (20 minutes): 5 rounds (30-60 seconds between rounds)
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Body weight Squats: 20-50 reps
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Push ups: 10-30 reps
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Burpees: 10-15 reps
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Chair Dips: 20 reps
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Plank: 1 minute
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Cool Down (5 minutes)
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2 minutes of light jogging
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3 minutes of stretching
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If all else fails, go park your bum in front of a sunrise and take yourself through a yoga flow or a meditation session. Or take a walk and be mindful of your breath and empty your mind. It doesn’t have to be intense, just move your body! I think you’ll be surprised at the appearance of a more restful sleep, quicker recovery from jet lag, a resistance to overindulgence and an otherwise absent sense of accomplishment throughout your respite from reality.
by: Clair Crawford, personal trainer, fitness competitor, & power lifter