How to stay active while in vacation mode.
Let’s face it, when summer hits we all have dreams of taking adventures to exotic lands, laying on the beach or rocking away on a boat at your favorite lake. We tend to head into our vacations with the best of intentions of staying active and keeping up with our fitness routine. However, sometimes that is easier said than done. At Imagine Performance Therapy, we want to help people like yourself stay active, no matter if you are traveling abroad, currently injured or just trying to find fitness motivation. Here are some tips on staying active during the summer vacation months…
Tip #1: Use your body!
Staying active doesn’t have to happen in a fancy gym. You can keep on track with your fitness goals by simply using your body! If you are out on the beach, take a long walk or go for a run. If you are in the mountains, find yourself a challenging hike. Maybe you are spending a week with grandma, it’s easy to put together a bodyweight based circuit that can get your heart rate up and keep you moving! Here is a quick little burner you can hit on your next trip:
20 minute AMRAP
5 push ups
10 sit ups or v ups
20 alternating lunges
Run or walk for 1:00 after every 2 rounds
Tip #2 Pack your bands!
Are you an avid weight lifter but not sure you are going to be able to find a gym while on vacation? Don’t stress, there is a lot you can do with resistance bands to give you a little pump while you are enjoying your destination. Maybe you won’t be hitting any 1RM but you will be able to provide your muscles with some tension loading to help maintain progress for when you can return to pumping the iron. Next time you travel, try this band workout on for size:
5 Rounds
20 banded pull aparts (can be done palm up or palm down)
20 good mornings
20 bicep curls
20 squats (with or without band, can be tricky at first with bands!)
20 frontal raises
Rest 1-2 minutes between rounds
Tip #3: Don’t put a pause on your cardio
Cardio or aerobic capacity work, is probably one of the most easy things to keep up with while traveling. While you may not have access to your peloton bike or your concept 2 rower, you have plenty of ways you can raise your heart rate with just your body or small packable equipment, like a jump rope. If you enjoy running, plan to head out and see the sights while getting in some zone 2 endurance training or throw in some sprints for a quick heart rate spike. You can also use body weight high intensity interval training such as the workout below:
Alternate between these 4 movements:
Jumping Jacks
Squat Jumps
Burpees
Alternating Lunge Hops
Take 1 minute rest between rounds
Perform 4-5 rounds
What do I do if I fell off my workout routine completely while on vacation?
First of all, don’t beat yourself up! It happens to all of us. The best thing you can do is get moving to reset some of the bad habits you may have created while in vacation mode. What you do not want to do, is try to pick back up right where you left off, especially if it has been more than 7 days since your last workout. Below are some tips for returning to exercise after vacation:
– Choose light, easy movement
– Choose exercise that you like
– Go slower than you think you need to
– Focus on form if you are lifting
– Make sure you are hydrated and well fueled
Workout ideas:
– Yoga (if you don’t want to go to a yoga class, there are great YouTube channels that provide free flows! Meg’s favorite is Yoga with Adriene)
– Long walks
– Machine work (biking, rowing, skiing, jogging)
– Bodyweight workouts/movements
At Imagine Performance Therapy, we hope you have enjoyed some much needed time off from the hustle and bustle of your normal day to day life. We also hope that this article empowers you to stay active even while traveling. Our goal at Imagine Performance Therapy is to keep active individuals active no matter their circumstances!
If you have questions about returning to exercise after an extended period of time off. Contact us today by click HERE or give us a call at (682)800-4943.
