The Vacation Workout:
How to Exercise When You Travel

A vacation workout doesn't mean having to drag your equipment along for the ride.

You are on vacation with no equipment with you. There is no gym in sight. You want to get in a workout. What do you do? You do have one piece of equipment you can rely on. It's free, portable, and provides all the resistance you'd need. Your body.

A bodyweight program done in a bootcamp style is perfect for people looking for a vacation workout. This type of program can be performed anywhere, with no equipment needed.

Warm-up
Begin with a light jog in place, glance at your watch and time yourself for one minute. After one minute begin alternating the light jog with high-knees in 15 second bursts. At the end of one minute, switch to jumping jacks. Do them for 15 seconds and then switch to a split stance where you alternate legs front and back, Your arms would oppose your legs. Try alternating the jog/high-knees with the jumping jacks for up to 5 minutes.

Circuit
Next run through a circuit of the following exercises taking as little time as possible between each exercise:
Plank
Push-ups
Superman's
Squats
Bridging

Plank is similar to a push-up except you are face down on the floor supported by your elbows and toes. Your arms are bent 90 degrees and pointed straight ahead. Maintain a tight midsection and low-back. There should be a straight line from your heels to your head. Hold for 15 seconds.

Push-ups, either full-body or from the knees depending upon your level of strength and fitness. Aim for 8-12. I always ask women to try the first rep full-body while they are fresh and then continue from their knees if necessary.

Superman's are done face down on the floor with legs and arms out straight like Superman in flight. Then lift the arms and legs off the floor. Hold for a count of 2 seconds and try for a set of 8-12 reps.

Squats are done with the legs at hip width or slightly wider if needed. Hands can be either on the hips or held straight out in front as a counter balance. Drop down into a controlled squat as deeply as you can. On the way up, squeeze your glutes and hamstrings to push you back up.

Bridging starts with your back on the floor and legs bent 90 degrees. Arms should be about 45 degrees from your body. Have your feet close to your buttocks. Now lift your body up so it is in a straight line by extending your hips. Really squeeze the glutes and maintain a tight midsection. Drop down but don't touch the floor and repeat for a set of 12-15 reps.

Then go back and perform another 5 minutes of alternating cardio and run through the circuit again. You can build up to three times through the circuit.

Finish your vacation workout with some stretching for the hips/legs/trunk and you are done!

There really is no reason why your fitness program has to take a back seat when you travel. Give this vacation workout a try.

Questions? Email me here

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