10 Outdoor Workouts to Stay Fit While Traveling

During travels, adhering to a rigid fitness routine can get a little difficult. However, this does not mean that you need to compromise your fitness goals. You just need to be more resourceful. Grab workout opportunities and take advantage of all possibilities. Traveling will present you with a wide variety of opportunities.

When the sun is out, and the sky is clear, you can trade an indoor workout for an effective outdoor version. Here are a few ways to add fun and variety to your workouts on your travels:

1. Jogging

Let’s start with the most simple and easy way to include exercise in your travel itinerary. Instead of sleeping the mornings away at your hotel, a better idea would be to go jogging and explore your surroundings. Jogging provides a variety of benefits such as improvement in endurance, better sleep, and boosting the effectiveness of the immune system. These benefits of jogging can greatly improve your travel experiences.

Jogging is perfect as an exercise for all fitness levels because it does not put too much pressure on the body. Jogging is neither as strenuous as running nor as easy as walking. It’s somewhere in between. Maintain a consistent pace and jog for longer durations for maximum benefit.

2. Recreational Team Sports

This is a good way to get to know people and boost your fitness simultaneously on your travels. Team sports have several physical, psychological, and social benefits. If you choose a sport that is popular among the people in the place you are visiting, you can get a more immersive experience of their culture. You could ask to join teams playing outdoors or attend structured coaching sessions.

3. Hiking

Hiking is a joint-friendly exercise. It is a great way to combine exploring places and working out. When you go hiking, you will be activating a variety of muscles for the sake of stabilizing the body.

This is because hiking involves movement over uneven terrain. Hiking can help strengthen your lower body. Since a hiking tour typically lasts a few hours, it can easily count as a workout. You will probably carry a backpack which (even though it may be light) will still add to the workout because you will be carrying it around for a few hours.

4. Biking

For longer distances, consider renting a bike. Join guided biking tours if you are unsure of the routes. Cycling can enhance your musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health. Mountain biking will make for a tougher full-body workout, but you should only go for it if you have some previous experience. It might not be a good idea to try it for the first time in a strange place. Cycling in general is a good way to work out your core, legs, and glutes.

5. Swimming

Swimming counts as an effective full-body workout. You can gain a host of benefits from swimming laps around the hotel pool. Better yet, if there is a safe swimming spot nearby, such as a lagoon, lake, or stream, you can take advantage of that. According to studies, swimming can help control blood pressure and sugar.

Would this benefit not make your trip much better? Swimming is a great exercise option for most people. If you had an extra decadent dessert, no problem! Wait for an hour, go swimming, and burn those extra calories.

6. Yoga

What better way to reclaim control over your mind and body than practicing yoga in picturesque locations? Practice yoga sequences that suit your skill and fitness level.

Yoga is not another workout fad. It’s an ancient discipline that is still relevant because of its numerous benefits. At any destination, you can easily practice a full-body yoga workout that includes stretching and strengthening poses, meditation, deep breathing, and relaxation.

7. Pilates

For sculpted muscles, additional flexibility, improved strength, better posture, and enhanced well-being include a Pilates workout in your travel fitness routine. Pilates promotes mindfulness and body awareness. These exercises coordinate movement and breathing to work the primary mover muscles as well as the smaller stabilizer muscles.

During travels, the most common complaint is pain in the back. Pilates helps reduce back pain and the risk of injuries and strains. Pilates, being a low-impact form of exercise, won’t leave you feeling post-workout fatigue. Instead, since it stimulates feel-good hormones and cardiorespiratory capacity, it will leave you feeling invigorated.

8. Calisthenics Workout

Calisthenics exercises use your body weight for resistance. Calisthenics is a low-resistance form of strength training. You don’t require any equipment, so you can easily take your workout outdoors.

Imagine performing these graceful exercises against a scenic backdrop. The combination of physical exercise and fresh air will produce better results.

To obtain maximum benefit from your calisthenics workout, you have to perform exercises quickly. This means you cannot pause for more than a minute or two between your sets. You can increase the challenge with advanced exercises.

9. Resistance Band Workouts

Resistance bands are quite lightweight and easily portable. These bands are also relatively inexpensive and easy to procure. You can add them to your luggage and bring them out at your destination for an effective workout comprising the best resistance band exercises.

Resistance bands are very versatile, in the sense that you can easily control the angle of your training with them. These bands are best for targeting smaller muscle groups. You can use these bands discreetly even while sitting in an aeroplane or car. When you take a resistance band outdoors, you can loop the band around any stationary objects such as a tree or a pole.

10. Outdoor Gym Workout

This is a great way to meet other fitness enthusiasts and like-minded people. In many places, gym equipment is installed in public parks. Typically, anyone can use this equipment free of charge. If you are around such a park, make use of this facility. You can enjoy being out in nature while performing a complete gym workout.

The Bottom Line

Supplement the effect of your workouts with nutritious food and adequate sleep. Explore local cuisine, but practice portion control and make healthy food choices. If you don’t have an hour or two to exercise at a stretch, you can exercise at different times of the day. Try to include a variety of activities and most importantly, have fun. Click pictures to remind yourself of how fabulous you looked and felt!

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