Travel tips for working out on the go

For a lot of us, sticking to a training program is all about routine.  You make your workouts a part of day-to-day life and the next thing you know, they’re second nature.

But what happens when life throws you a curveball?  Weddings, birthdays, family vacations…these things happen.

Here are a few thoughts on keeping your fitness program on track even when life takes you on the road.

Bring your gear.  You know what stinks?  When you’re motivated to work out, have some time to spare, and don’t have what you need to get out there and run.  Bring your sneakers, some clothes, and an extra bag to protect the rest of your stuff from your smelly gear.

Embrace the facilities.  Lots of hotels have gyms and hitting one when you’re on the road can be a great change of pace.  They’re typically well-maintained and often full of motivated folks giving off good, positive energy.  The hotel pool can also be a great fitness tool, especially if you don’t have access to one at home.

Head out and back.  It’s easy to be intimidated by the idea of going for a run when you’re away from your usual route.  Put your mind at ease by planning a simple “out and back” run.  Simply head out in one direction and turn back once you reach the halfway point.  With a little help from your audio alerts you can focus on your run and let your headphones tell you when it’s time to turn back.  Just make sure to do a little homework and make sure the route will be generally safe and secure.

Consider alternative workouts.  Sometimes, despite the best intentions, doing workouts as planned just isn’t in the cards.  If time or logistics are becoming a problem, be willing to do something else for the sake of staying active.  You might not have half an hour available for a good run, but you can probably squeeze in a few minutes to do some simple stretching or circuit exercices instead.  Staying active, even if it isn’t your ideal workout, will help keep you on track and make it a little easier to get back in the swing of things once you’re home.

Relax.  It’s easy to adopt a mindset that missing a workout (Or two. Or ten.) means you’ve failed your training program.  That simply isn’t true and can turn a small setback into throwing in the towel for good.  Don’t let a break in your routine be the end of you.  Even if you do miss a few workouts, don’t let it be a big deal.  Take a deep breath, move on, and pick up where you left off once you get back home.

Hopefully some of these tips will help keep you on track during your travels.  Has anybody out there been having success getting workouts done despite travel or other breaks to your routine?  Tell us about it in the comments!