The Ultimate Workout Routine while Traveling

Trying to lead a healthy lifestyle is the best way to feel good, and having an exercise routine is one of the best ways to stay healthy. It can help promote a good mood, control anxiety, and stress levels, and increase energy. If you’re committed to your exercise plan, you know what we’re talking about.

When it comes to fitness goals, the key is to maintain consistency. We know that interrupting your routines can be a big concern when traveling. Skipping your workout for a few days isn’t necessarily going to slow down your progress, as long as you maintain a healthy diet. We know that it can be a bit of a challenge to find the time and comfortable space to exercise when you are staying in a hotel, but this does have to slow you down. If you are looking for the best exercise routine for when you are traveling and some tips to carry it out in the best way, this is it. So, let’s get to work!

What are the Benefits of Early Morning Workouts when Traveling

Exercising is good at any time of the day, but when you’re traveling, finding the best time of day to exercise may not be so easy. Not every routine works for everyone the same way. Lifestyle, body, metabolism, needs, and preferences can vary, but a consistent schedule is key in any case. 

Having your sweat sessions in the mornings does have some potential benefits when you travel.

Better Energy Levels

Regularly exercising is a great way to reduce general fatigue, give your energy a boost, and get nutrients and oxygen moving through your lungs and heart. This is why exercising often improves endurance, the cardiovascular system, general stamina, while also getting you energized for the rest of the day.

Improved Alertness

A good morning exercise routine can do wonders for your hormonal fluctuations. A hormone called cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, is responsible for regulating alertness levels. We generally have a spike in cortisol in the mornings, with a peak around 8 am that drops off as the evening wears on. Exercising in the morning helps regulate these hormonal cycles and helps us achieve a healthier circadian rhythm.

Boost in Focus

Physical activity can improve concentration and focus no matter what time of day you do them. However, a good morning workout routine could boost your focus for the rest of the day. For this reason, morning exercise days are associated with improvements in cognition throughout the day and can result in improvements in attention, visual learning, and decision-making, especially if you combine them with regular breaks.

Enhance Weight Loss

Exercising in the morning before breakfast may be the best option for weight loss, according to a 2015 study published in EBioMedicine. This is because the body is left burning fat long after doing your early morning routine and before you break your fast. So if your goal is to lose weight, the morning workout may be ideal for you.

Mood Improvements

Physical activity is the best natural solution to combat stress. While we exercise, the body produces endorphins, known as the feel-good neurotransmitter responsible for the runner’s high. Exercising also helps with stress because it can distract anxious thoughts. A good morning routine will also give you a sense of fulfillment and help you feel good about yourself, which, in turn, can help you start the day with a positive outlook.

These are just some of the benefits that exercising in the morning can bring you. But, the truth is that the list can be much longer. Among the other benefits that a morning sweat session can bring you are:

• Appetite control.
• Control of blood glucose levels.
• Regulation of blood pressure.
• Improvements in sleep patterns.
• Increased general activity during the day.
• Tendency to eat healthier.
• Fewer distractions.
• It helps establish a scheduled routine.

10 Tips for Your Workout Routine While Traveling

If you are one of those people who are really committed to your training plan, or you are starting to get a taste for training, we know that an upcoming trip can be a concern. It’s not always so easy to stick to your morning workout routine while traveling. Nevertheless, a little planning can go a long way in keeping your workouts consistent. 

The best is to use the E.S.C.A.P.E., method — and no, we are not talking about escaping your exercises. 

This acronym stands for:

Easy: try to find an easy way to carry out your exercise routine. Exercising while traveling is supposed to help relieve stress, not add to it.

Scalable: scale according to your energy levels.

Convenient: Train where it is most convenient for you. It is not necessary to go far to exercise. Sometimes, you can get everything done in your hotel room.

Adaptable: Try to adapt to the environment you are in. Hotel gyms are usually limited. So it’s good to have a plan B.

Portable: If possible, take your gym with you, take your gym with you. Try to include travel-friendly exercise accessories in your luggage.

Effective: Try to plan efficiently and to the point. Exercises to save energy and time while getting the necessary work done.

In addition to applying the E.S.C.A.P.E method, when it comes to planning your workout routines. Here are some other convenient and functional tips that you can follow.

Stay Hydrated

Try to keep a bottle of water with you while you train. Making the water bottle your best friend and staying hydrated while traveling can make you stay cool and also help you avoid unnecessary snacking throughout your trip.

Pack Athletic Wear

Pack enough exercise clothes whenever you go on a trip. This way, you will have fewer excuses to miss your routine while you are on the go.

Walk as Much as Possible

Walking is a great way to get your cardio in and to stay active. You can also better appreciate the scenery when you decide to walk, which can enhance the experience of traveling. You could choose to walk in the mornings before breakfast to a restaurant, instead of taking a taxi. Or try taking the stairs instead of the elevator when you’re at the hotel.

Find Nearby Gyms or Fitness Classes

Sometimes working out with other people can give you a little motivation to get through your exercise routines. Finding a fitness class or gym close to where you will be staying when you travel can be a big help.

Sleep Enough

Not getting a good night’s rest can throw off your entire schedule. Try to avoid sleeplessness by going to bed at a decent hour. If you are traveling, try to use a travel pillow to rest in the car, bus, or plane.

Release Accumulated Tension

When you sleep in different places, drive for long hours, or spend a lot of time sitting while flying, you can accumulate tension in your muscles. 

Bringing some portable massage tools along can be very useful to help you release muscle, joint, neck, or lower back tension.

Stretch Regularly

Stretching your entire body before exercising can increase your range of motion and prevent injury. It can also help you release muscle tension.

Make Workouts Part of Your Schedule

Include training in your daily schedule, and try not to go more than two days in a row without working out. This way, you maintain consistency, and you won’t stagnate or fall back on your goals.

Take your Equipment with You

If possible, try to take with you implements that can help you train easily and efficiently. You can bring your resistance bands, water dumbbells, jump rope, your travel mat, or if you’re a fan of TRX training, there is a real practical travel-friendly version called TRX GO Suspension trainer that can be the perfect gear to bring with you while on-the-go. Any equipment that can help you train or diminish the possibilities of skipping your workouts is beneficial when traveling.

Allow Yourself to Enjoy your Workouts.

Maintaining a positive mindset knowing that training takes effort but brings a great sense of satisfaction and many health benefits, can go a long way in helping you be more consistent in your workout routine.

The Ultimate Workout Routine while Traveling

The exercise routine you choose to do is just as important as the time and place in which you do it. If you’re looking for the ultimate workout routine to do on the go, you should know that defining the “perfect workout routine” depends almost entirely on what your fitness goals are. Whether you want to focus on the upper body, lower body, or if you want to do a full-body routine, here are some options to consider.

Upper Body Exercises

There are a large number of different exercises to work the upper body. Each exercise works for a specific muscle group. We know that we don’t always have enough time to put together a different routine when exercising on the go. That’s why we’ve brought you two great upper body workout routines that you can do hands-on and with almost no equipment. Both workout routines strengthen the upper body, arms, and chest, but they also work the core, shoulders, and back muscles. So, let’s get to work!

Upper body workout routine while traveling #1.

• 10 Plank Shoulder taps.
• 10 Tricep dips.
• 10 Resisted push-ups.
• 10 Bilateral arm raises. 

Repeat 3 rounds.

Upper body workout routine while traveling #2.

• 10 Plank ups.
• 10 Lateral plank walk.
• 10 Burpees.
• 10 Planks shoulder taps.
• 10 Diamond push-ups.
• 10 Mountain climber twists.

Repeat 3 rounds.

Lower Body Exercises

Working the lower body is vital to keeping the power center active. The legs and core are the body’s foundation. Keeping them strong by exercising the calves, hamstrings, inner thighs, and quadriceps can help with overall performance and endurance.

Lower body workout routine while traveling #1.

• 30 sec. Lunges.
• 30 sec. Front squats.
• 30 sec. Leg extensions.
• 30 sec. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift.

Repeat 3 rounds. If you want to increase difficulty, use a resistance band loop.

Lower body workout routine while traveling #2.

• 40 sec. Narrow squats.
• 40 sec. Split squats.
• 40 sec. Curtsy lunges.
• 40 sec. Pistol squats.
• 40 sec. Hip press.
• 40 sec. Leg presses.
• 40 sec. Bridge.

Just 1 round. Rest 20 seconds between exercises.

Full Body Exercises

Working the upper body and the lower body can be ideal when you have specific goals for the different areas of the body. But when it comes to efficiency, a full-body workout may be the way to go, as this works for different muscle groups throughout the body and often also builds cardiovascular capacity as you work through it all.

Full-body workout routine while traveling #1.

• 10 Bulgarian split squats with each leg.
• 15 Decline push-ups.
• AMRAP Chin-ups. (If possible)
• 15 Jackknife sit-ups.
• 15 Alternating reverse lunges (each leg).
• 10 Pike presses.
• 10 Inverted Rows. (If possible or with resistance band)
• 30 Mountain climbers.

Repeat 3-4 rounds. Rest 1 or 2 minutes between rounds.

Full-body workout routine while traveling #2.

• 10 One-legged squats with each leg.
• 15 Reverse lunges with each leg.
• 20 Bodyweight squats.
• 10 Pull-ups (if possible) or 20 door pull-ins.
• 10 Dips or 15-20 Decline push-ups.
• 10 inverted bodyweight rows (if possible) or resistance band rows.
• 10 Spider-man push-ups.

Repeat 3-4 rounds. Rest 1 or 2 minutes between rounds.