Exercising When You Are Away
People
travel. They go on vacations, business trips, and family outings.
Those trips can last a few days to couple of month. How do you manage to
stay in shape and continue to exercise while you're away from your home gym? Here are some tips for staying in shape even when you're away.
Start with your mode of travel; when you are on a
long flight, stand up every 30 min. just to walk around and shake out
your limbs. It will help with blood circulation and prevent you from
getting stiff. Be careful with your suitcases though; you might think,
"it is just 30-40 lb. and I've lifted weights that heavy at the gym," but you are not warmed-up, and if you lift that
luggage in sudden manner you might pull a muscle. Make sure to use
you legs, not the lower back, to left things from the ground, and occasionally switch
arms while pulling or caring your belongings.
Finally, you're at your destination! Check out the
fitness center/exercise room at the hotel/resort where you are staying. Don't
panic if the machines look different from what you have seen
before. In general, most machines work in a similar manner and if there
is a real difference it should only take you just few minutes to figure it out. Ask for an assistance if you're still not sure. Remember your
regular routine and try to modify it accordingly. Most places now
have basic things like free weights, physio balls, floor mats, ect.
If it's a long trip, like to a winter or summer home, you may
want to see if there is a gym near you. People
get concerned: what if the new place does not have the same
exercise
equipment or what if the trainer I hire has different
training philosophy? Don't worry, it is OK to change things for a
little while.
If you don't have access to a gym or didn't like the one you checked out, there are lots of exercises you can do almost anywhere. Try to spend as much time as possibly
outdoors: walking, biking, swimming, hiking - that should take care of the cardiovascular part of your training. If you are close to the
beach, walking barefoot on the
soft sand will strengthening the small muscles around
the joints (ankle, knee, hip), help prevent injuries, and improve your balance. Simple core exercises can be done
in your hotel room, on the beach, or in the back yard of the house where you
are staying. A few different kinds of sit-ups, supermans, and planks would do
the trick. Don't forget to warm-up before doing them.
Bottom line: a change of routine is not a bad
thing. Consider it as cross training, it will help you keep the fitness you already have. But if you do loose some, don't worry; we'll take
care of it as soon as you come back!
~Yury
