How to Keep Fit While Travelling
- composureactive
- Oct 26, 2015
- 4 min read
When keeping fit is no longer a grind but more of a way of life and you get that niggly feeling when you miss a couple of days in a row... When you've worked hard to get into shape pre-travels and now you don't want to lose that... Or when you want to come back fitter than when you left... Keeping fit whilst on the road can seem daunting.
It doesn't have to be. All it takes is a little discipline to get up in the morning or to take a hire bike instead of the bus or to walk instead of hitching a lift. It can be easy, you just need to adjust your mindset. Keeping fit does not require a gym membership... Here are 7 ways I kept fit whilst travelling and some tips to make it easier...
1.
For only £18.99 you can get yourself one of these bad boys (Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Suspension-Training-Outdoor-Workout-Bodyweight/dp/0288835980/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1445855470&sr=8-17-spons&keywords=TRX&psc=1). You might be wondering what it is... It's a take-anywhere do-anything bodyweight suspension training system. All it requires is a good branch to attach it to (easier to find than it sounds!). You can incorporate this into a circuits sesh or even just give yourself three exercises to do at the end of a short jog. Check out my insta account to get some inspiration or head to my youtube (ComposureActive) page. These guys are great to add a balance element to lunges, one legged squats or burpees. They work very well for core exercises such a mountain climbers, jack press-ups, simple plank as well as upper body strength exercises such as pull ups and bicep curls. Probably the best thing I took with me and compacts down into a little bag, ideal for travelling.
2.
Whilst we were in the bigger cities, we found plenty of free oportunities to keep active. In both Sydney and Melbourne there were free yoga classes open to the public which we found out about simply by typing free 'fitness classes 'insert city'' into google. There are many schemes at the moment to encourage a healthier generation and you'll be pleasantly surprised how much of it you can do for free. Alternatively, information centre notice boards can be a gold mine for introductory offers to gyms and private fitness centres, often offering a free session before joining. Do your research and you'll probably find a few things going on near you!
3.
Hire a bike... It can seem like a bit of a faff but whilst you're on wifi get yourself signed up to the local CityCycle (Boris Bike Equivalent) and if you do it right it can be a cheap option... Many of the bikes we tried were a sign up fee of $2 and then free for the first half an hour... This means you can literally pick up a bike for half an hour, drop it off somewhere else within half an hour and then pick up a different bike... for free! Cycling was a great way of getting aroung without relying on public transport and it kept us active.
3.
This one is simple... Use what's around you and get creative! A bench is no longer a bench, its a tricep dipping station. A rock is no longer a rock it's a plyometric box for box jumps and a hill isn't for walking up it's for hill sprints. I used many props on my travels and I would either create a little circuit of around eight stations, 45seconds on each, twice through or I would go for a run, stopping at each 'station' or rock! My favourite was to run down to the beach and draw out a little circuit like the one in the picture. Do simple bodyweight exercises (simple but effective) such as plank, lunge jumps, star jumps, step ups, press ups, single leg dips etc.
4.
If you're near water, use it! Whether it's a simple swim in the sea or a lake, or something more adventurous like kayaking or white water rafting, you are using your muscles and keeping yourself active. On our recent travels, we went surfing most days. Surfing is a great sport and you'll notice more tone in your upper body as well as more strength in your core if you do it often enough. Hiring a board can be a little pricey but here are a few tips to keep the cost down... Avoid the surf stands actually on the beach, these guys might be convenient but they also know they can charge a little extra for this convenience. Avoid the strips of shops next to the beach - same reason as above. Try looking for a surf shop that might not nececcarily be advertising on a great big board outside their shop, BUT who are more than happy to hire a board out to you for a few hours... Some shops even allow you to do a half day hire starting late afternoon and returning around 10am the next day - You know what that means, two sessions in the water for the price of one! Alternatively, if you are around for long enough, check gumtree for some great deals and you might actually save money in comparison to multiple hires.
5.
It's free, it's simple, you can explore and you can do it anywhere. Nuff said.
6.
And if you don't like running walk. Leave the bus pass at home and walk everwhere for the day... It's tiring but theres no saying coffee can't be involved somewhere along the way! Where you can't go by transport, you can walk... You'll be amazed at what you'd missed whizzing by in a car and you are sure to find some awesome scenery be it in a city or out in the bush. Make sure you take plenty of water and some snacks to keep you going and I'm pretty sure you'll come back more satisfied through a day of exploring when walking than you would taking wheels.
If you haven't got time to read all that spiel then take a quick peak of my video summarising how to keep fit whilst travelling...
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