Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, it can be a challenge trying to fit exercise in during your trip. You might have a busy sightseeing schedule, a long day in a conference, or non-stop business meetings. All of these can add a challenge to your goal of staying fit while traveling, and before you know it, it’s been days since your last run. Exercise can sometimes be the first thing that takes a notch down on your list of priorities when you’re trying to squeeze it all in plus get enough rest.
But with some planning ahead, that can change.
Planning Your Workouts
When you book your hotel, pick one that has a gym. If you plan on only working out outdoors, then you should be prepared to workout in any type of weather. If motivation or weather play a factor in completing a workout, then make sure you stay at a hotel with a gym.
Hotel gyms generally have a treadmill, dumbbells, and a few other various exercise equipment. Even if it’s a small space, you can get in a decent workout with running and strength training.
Check out these tips on treadmill running.
If you’re visiting an area that’s runable, ask the concierge for popular running routes from the hotel. You can also check online for trails or running routes. If that’s not possible, at least you’ve got the hotel gym.
If you’re a swimmer or triathlete, make sure that either the hotel has a pool or look for a nearby pool or masters swimming that you can join temporarily. At a hotel pool, you most likely won’t be able to get in the swim workout you’d normally get in a larger pool, but you can work on your swimming technique by doing swim drills. If swim workouts are a priority for you, consider getting a swim tether so you can get uninterrupted swimming in while using a small pool.
Packing for Exercise
When packing for your trip, take along a small massage stick or foam roller for the lager muscles. A massage ball works well to massage small areas or to target knots and a golf ball is perfect for massaging the arches of your feet. All of the sitting done while traveling can really do a number on tightening your muscles, you’ll be grateful you have it to loosen up those tight spots while stuck in a hotel room.
Pack exercise clothes for the gym, outdoor running clothes, and a bathing suit. Having a few sets of exercise clothes will keep you prepared for every option so you’ll be ready to exercise in various locations. Depending on the weather, you may be able to use your outdoor running clothes for the gym as well.
When to Exercise
When you exercise will depend on your travel schedule. Know what your schedule is before you leave for your trip and decide when the best time would be to fit your workout in.
I find the best way to get in exercise while traveling is to schedule it in the morning. This way, I get up first thing in the morning, exercise, then shower and prepare for the rest of my day. If the day runs long or there are changes, I know that I already got my workout in.
Waiting for the end of the day could make it more difficult to squeeze in an exercise session because you’ll be tired from a full day of travel, sightseeing, or conferences. Exercising while you’re fresh in the morning will leave you feeling ready for the day and able to relax and enjoy the evening.
How Much Exercise Do You Need?
How much you exercise and the types of workouts you do all depend on what your training for. A good rule of thumb is to prioritize maintaining fitness rather than improving fitness. While setting a goal of improving and increasing fitness during a trip is doable, the planning and effort may not be worth the stress for some people. The key to maintaining fitness is to give yourself some slack; enjoy your trip and don’t be so hard on yourself. If you can’t get in the full workout that you originally had planned, remind yourself that it’s ok to get in a short workout.
Aim to get in at least some sort of exercise each day. My goal during a busy trip is a minimum of 30 minutes, which is long enough to maintain fitness and it feels like you at least accomplished something, but it’s short enough to fit in if you’re on a tight schedule.
If you have to travel while you’re in the middle of some key training weeks for an A race, especially a long race like a marathon or Ironman, then you’ll have to really focus and schedule to get in those key workouts. While there is a bit of wiggle room, you won’t have that much in this situation. Prioritize your key workouts followed by the supporting workouts. The goal is to get in your key workouts first. If you have to miss or shorten some of your supporting workouts, then at least you won’t have to stress over missing the important ones.
Flight Delays
Feeling the need for movement while you’re stuck in an airport during a flight delay? Check out these airport friendly exercises designed to keep you fit while you wait.
Bonus Tip: If you have some extra time at the airport, walk around and get moving. I once went through an airport that actually had an exercise studio and mats available for travelers. Getting in some stretching made such a wonderful difference for the rest of my trip.
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