During the holiday season, many of us tend to take a plane or have a road trip in order to see family members. Staying in a different environment may pose a challenge in keeping up with a workout program though. Here are some tips to balance fitness with travel.
Change Your Program
Training your muscles at a different frequency in order to accommodate travel is a great strategy that can be used to maintain mass and strength. For example, someone who trains one body part per day (chest on Monday, legs on Tuesday, etc.) would benefit greatly from condensing their split. Say you know you'll be traveling over the weekend and will be without access to a gym. Doing an upper body workout on Thursday and a lower body workout on Friday will ensure that your muscles are properly trained. They'll need two to three days to recover anyway, and you'll find yourself maximizing protein synthesis when you return home to train the following Monday.
Get In Workouts Whenever You Can
If you're planning to stay in a hotel, choose one that has a fitness center. These vary in terms of quality, so another tip is to do research online ahead of time to compare facilities or read reviews. Those finding themselves staying with family can use calisthenics to do what they can in order to keep their muscles working. Push-ups on the floor, calf-raises on the edge of a staircase, etc. You can always find a way to train.
Stay In The Routine
Some exercise is better than no exercise. If your body is used to a morning workout, then try and keep it in that groove. An option is to prepare some packable exercise equipment in your suitcase like a yoga mat, resistance bands, jump rope, or even a hand grip strengthener.
Another option is to find a nearby gym. Merritt Clubs is a member of IHRSA's TrainAway program, which lets you find gyms and buy access at participating gyms directly on your phone. With the TrainAway app, you can you can have a day pass ready in a matter of minutes! Ask a manager at your Merritt club for the code that gives you 25% off a day pass.
Whatever your method, try and ensure that you do not falter from chasing your goals.
It is important to remember that fitness is a marathon, not a sprint. Adapt to the challenges of the holiday season and you will continue to see progress!
