Vacationing? You don’t have to lose progress on fitness

By Christopher B. Robrahn
Fitness Columnist

Planning a vacation this summer? One of the challenges I hear from many people who are focused on a regular exercise routine is how they lose progress if they can’t follow their regular pattern at the gym or with use of their regular exercise equipment.    

If you are dedicated to a regular approach with your fitness, have you given any thought to the best way to approach these breaks in your regular exercise?

Ask yourself, “what is the best way?” The answer may be bodyweight training.

As a fitness enthusiast and one dedicated to a fitness lifestyle, breaks in your pattern can be disconcerting. Many people, including myself, view it negatively.    

The reality is, regular fitness changeups or substitutions can be very beneficial. Bodyweight training based on the use of your own bodyweight can be an easy and effective way of training anytime. But particularly when on vacation, business trips or weekend getaways when you are not able to get to the gym or use regular weights, machines or other fitness equipment.  

True, many hotels have a gym, but many times there are high fees attached to use their facilities and are usually sub-adequate. And if your travel is camping, boating or other outdoor family trips, there may not be a gym option for you on that getaway.    

When we covered bodyweight training on the weekly fitness program I host, Spirit of Fitness, I had a chance to chat with two brothers who are Amazon best-selling authors on this topic. I had never thought of this approach to fitness as a structured, separate way to train, but rather as a stop-gap measure when you couldn’t use your typical equipment. It can be very effective.

Each morning, I start a positive day with my morning cardio and weight training work and, as a part of that routine, I use my own weight as part of the training. Doing stretches, pull-ups and three different types of pushups (regular, decline and incline) are very helpful.  

Adding crunches and leg kicks make my morning start running smoothly. I often add cardio work or even some step cardio if you have a step (or even a couple pieces of wood to use) can be effective. A simple item like a jump rope can also greatly add to a cardio weight training workout and compliments your workout changeups.  

Want additional ideas for this style of training? Put together a list that works for you of bodyweight training exercises. Make it training exercises you can do anywhere that can add to your fitness routines. I recommend doing a Google search to find ideas on bodyweight training exercises that work for you.  

There are many ways to evaluate fitness and health. Good exercise isn’t just about using free weights, taking fitness classes or the use of a few fitness machines. It’s about being active in a constructive way to challenge your physical body. 

Challenges come in all forms. If you want to be challenged, you can do so from a variety of sources. Make the world your gym and use your bodyweight to your advantage.

Copyright The Gayly – May 7, 2019 @ 7:10 a.m. CDT.