3 Tips to Be a Fitness Freak When Traveling
In this episode, I’ll give you three of my personal Quick and Dirty Tips you can work into your own travel routine.
I just returned from a three-day conference.
While there, I was shocked at the number of conversations I overheard and the number of people who mentioned to me (perhaps knowing I am a fitness “guru”) how much fitness they lose while traveling, participating in multi-day conferences, and jetting to and from in planes, trains, and automobiles without access to their normal daily workout routine or health club.
But I beg to differ. I’m not saying this to brag, but rather to give you a personal example. As a guy who is on the road for an average of two weeks out of every month, I manage to:
Maintain 3% body fat at 180 pounds of mostly muscle
Compete in some of the most difficult races on the face of the planet
Get sick an average of once every 3 years
Squeeze 60-90 minutes of exercise and movement into every busy day
Return from many days of travel across multiple time zones with zero jet-lag
You get the idea. So how do I do it?
- 1. Make the Airport a Gym
No, you don’t have to drop and do push-ups outside the Delta lounge or perform head-turning, embarrassing burpees at the gate while waiting for your plane to depart. Instead, you can try a few of my personal tips:
- Don’t sling your bags across your shoulder. Instead, hold them in your hands to work on grip strength.
- Duck into the stall of the bathroom and do 50 body weight squats.
- Take stairs. Always. No escalators, ever (unless there aren’t any stairs).
- Don’t sit while waiting for your plane to board. Either walk, stand, or find a quiet corner and do calisthenics like jumping jacks and body weight squats or stretches that move lymph and blood flow, like arm swings and leg swings.
- While standing in line at security, to board the plane, to get a coffee, etc., always be doing toe raises, arm curls with your bags, knee dips or squats, and any other movement you can muster. Don’t worry: there will be plenty of time waiting for your plane to leave the ground for you to do any last-minute phone checks.
- 2. Exercise Upon Arrival
Exercising when you get to your final destination is one of the best ways to beat jet lag and establish a normal circadian rhythm (the other ways are via exposure to natural light and eating at the set meal time for the destination you’re traveling to).
And yes, I’m just like everybody else: I find exercise to be difficult when I get done with a long day of travel. My body is stiff, my eyes are tired, and all I really want to do is flop on the hotel bed and flip on the TV.
But here’s a few of my key secrets to making exercise happen anyway:
- Get through the first 2 minutes of exercise and it all gets easier from there, probably due to the fact that 2 minutes is about how long it takes for your body to switch from an anaerobic non-oxygen utilizing mode to an aerobic oxygen utilizing mode. So I suggest beginning with something relatively passive and easy that tricks your body into getting moving.
- Have a plan. When I arrive at my hotel, I immediately find a gym or other fitness facility and find out what equipment they have available and what their hours are. If they don’t have a gym, I pull up Google Maps and search for nearby parks or running paths. Having a plan is crucial.
- Always plan for at least a half hour of light movement on the day you arrive.
- 3. Use Google Maps
If you’re ever unsure about where to get a workout while you’re traveling, remember: you’ve got Google Maps. Simply type in your area and look for nearby gyms & health clubs, pools, and parks.
Most cities have parks with workout equipment for body weight movements that are free to use, as well as walking and running trails. Often, you can find CrossFit or other strength and conditioning programs being hosted in parks or local fitness clubs, especially in warmer climates.
Gyms & Health Clubs
Many local gyms offer a one-time drop-in fee. Or you can often purchase a week-long membership for a very reasonable price. It’s worth it to stay fit.
Pools
If you can’t find a gym, look for pools. Many hotels have them, but you can also find public pools that will allow you to pay for a day of swim time.
Parks
Find parks with trails and outdoor workout stations.
So there you have it: Three simple strategies you can use to stay fit when you travel.
If you have questions, comments, or feedback about these methods to maintain fitness when you travel, you can join the conversation at Facebook.com/getfitguy!