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5 Tips on how to stay fit when travelling

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Oct 24, 2016 10:00:00 AM

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5 tips on how to stay fit when travelling

When  you travel you are hard pressed to keep up your eating and exercising habits as you do not have access tot he same facilities while trying to get places. Planning, preparation and picking locations to stay wisely can help to keep up your routine when you are out and about.

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Gym does not mean barbell

When a hotel says „Gym“ in the description that does not mean that they have an actual gym. Normally this means that there is one running machine and a multi-functional all in fitness station. You know, the one your co-worker got in his garage after getting a big commission payment to „lose some weight“ while he is sitting across from you having the unhealthiest lunch option available which big corporate could offer to their employees.

Hotels have to attract customers. If they are regularly booked out they lose money by having a big gym with good equipment in it, because the floor space is better used to create revenue by renting it out. Therefore gyms on travel in hotels are usually small, badly equipped and only there to tick a box when you look them up online.

If you like running on a conveyor belt, you will always get your fill. However, if you are interested in proper strength equipment nine out often hotels will fall short. Prepare accordingly.

Find a hotel near a gym

While the first point most certainly is true you can remedy this quite easily. Hotels are often quite close to hotels, you just have to do your research and book a hotel which is within walking distance.  Check the opening times to not be surprised and the prices they charge. Otherwise, you might end up paying more to use the gym than staying in the hotel. It all goes back to proper preparation of your trip and exercise regime.

Get your employer to pay

If you are travelling for business you are giving up your daily routine to make them money by visiting a client / conference etc. You are already away from home and family and doing extra hours. The least they can do in return ist o pick up the bill that you can go and hit the gym. Try it out and you might be surprised how easily this will get approved if you just hand it in among the business dinners and all the other bills you are accumulating. Maybe switch things up and even invite your client to a lifting session. In the few meetings, I had in the gym I acquired some of my most interesting and lucrative clients as they know how to combine business with pleasure.

Have bodyweight backup routines

It is still not unlikely that you will not be able to uphold your normal usual lifting routine when you are abroad. For this at least have some bodyweight routines on tab to do which can be easily done in a hotel room. Things which worked for me:

  • Bringing an Abmat along to do situps
  • Using your laptop to do yoga using instructional videos on youtube
  • 100 sit-ups, 100 push-ups, 100 squats, 100 leg raises (my personal favorite)

This can usually be done in the corridor oft the hotel room when on a business trip. Beside the bed, there is normally not enough space.

Get up early

I found that if you want to get your exercise in while travelling you have to get up early. Whether you are travelling for pleasure or business does not matter for this one. Make use of the time when your spouse wants to have a lay in. He /she won’t appreciate if you want to hit the gym when the want to start the daily holiday activities.

The gym is usually empty in the early hours and also no staff member who spots you as a potential new member will approach you to explain how you should bench press and squat. If you like the slightly concerned look on an instructors face as a new member who they have never seen before moves 150kg+ for reps on squat, deadlift and bench be my guest and go late. Maybe even mix in some unnecessary grunting and screaming as you will most likely never see these guys again just to have a bit of fun. Generally, i made better experiences with getting the gym session out of the way early.  

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