I love to travel, whether that be for personal or business reasons, but I understand how it throws us off our standard routine and as such, usually our fitness regimen as well. Trust me, I find it a struggle at times too.
Now I will start by saying this, it’s okay (even more so, it’s good) to take rest and de-load weeks, but obviously, we don’t want our travels (especially if they happen to be regular) to set us back in our goals and healthy lifestyle.
One of the ways in which I keep on top of my fitness while traveling is preparation. Whether that be picking a hotel with a built in fitness center, when possible, or choosing workouts I can do in my hotel room or at a nearby park, or by finding various fitness centers or classes in the area that I can just drop in.
And while you can get a great workout just by doing bodyweight exercises, I have to admit that I always pack a few items in my suitcase that I can bring with and that don’t take up much space, to help take my workouts to another level or add more variety. So what do I pack?
Jump Rope
Yes, you can just pretend to jump rope, but jump ropes don’t take up much space at all and totally kick my butt! I’m so glad CrossFit reintroduced me to jumping rope, I don’t think I had done it since I was a kid!
Resistance Bands
I’ve said this a million times and you’re about to hear it again, but resistance bands should be in your arsenal regardless! They are a great way to get in strength work beyond body weight while traveling, but you can also use them to aid in various stretching and mobility movements.
Mini Bands
These are really another form of resistance band but I think they’re worthy of mentioning separately. I tend to call these things “booty bands” because I’ll put them around my ankles and step side to side or lift one leg at a time front, side, and back and boy, oh boy, does my booty feel it!
Running Band or Belt
So technically you can run with your phone in your hand, of course, but I love to pack my running belt so I can stuff my phone and key into the belt before heading out for a run. This is what I do at home, so if I can do this when I travel too, it just makes it much easier.
Water Bottle
This may seem kind of silly to mention, or maybe just obvious, but I always travel with a reusable water bottle. Not only does it keep water nearby when I’m working out, but you can bring an empty bottle through security and fill it at the water fountain. Plus, so many airports have those easy-fill stations for water bottles now, so I definitely take advantage and save money from the $3 bottles once you get through security.
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What are some of your must-have travel-friendly fitness equipment?
How do you stay active while traveling (whether for business or personal)?
Resistance bands are amazing! Super easy to pack and definitely ups a workout
For sure!
I usually book a hotel with a gym, or if there is a great park nearby – even better.
Perfect! My company for work owns a condo we stay in when traveling to the main office, so I don’t have that option for work, otherwise, I do the same.
Great tips! To be honest, I’ve never actually thought about filling my water bottle once I get through security. I always put it in my luggage to fill when I get to my destination. I’ll have to consider that the next time…although I do like being able to get rid of the bottle once I finish the water. ?
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I just can’t deal with the cost of bottled water past security, it’s crazy!
I love mini bands. They are the best!
YES, THEY ARE!
Resistance bands and a jumprope are my go to travel items!
These are great tips! I always travel with my resistance bands and water bottle
Those are some good suggestions. Although, I usually just do workouts that require now equipment when I am traveling.
I just bought resistance bands and they totally kick ass!
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When we travel it is usually to go to the lake so we work out all day. However, my water bottle is a must! This is a great list for if we ever travel somewhere else. Thank you for sharing!
I don’t think I’ve ever packed workout gear when traveling. It’s probably because when I travel it’s for my vacation and I want to take a break from everything. LOL But this is a great list and it’s small stuff that I could easily take with me next time to incorporate a little working out into my vacation 🙂
Never thought to include some of these workout pieces when traveling, I just usually find the hotel workout room and swim some laps in the pool.
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I usually opt for no equipment workouts or pick active activities while on a trip. This is a great list though–i need to get some resistance bands!
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These are all really great suggestions! We love to use the elastic bands to workout with at home. My daughter loves to jump rope and it is great exercise!
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Yes when I travel I usually never work out! Then when I get back it totally throws off my fitness routine. These 5 things would be perfect to keep me working out if I don’t get to a gym.
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Usually I just give up on working out all together when we go anywhere that won’t have access to a gym or stairs or a running path. These are great ideas! I’ll have to keep them in mind next time we travel.
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I usually like going for a run outside when traveling, but I also always travel with those mini resistance bands, love them!
I always focus on making no equipment workouts when I travel and it never really occurred to me to bring my speed rope or bands! Such a good idea, I get pretty tired of push up/burpee etc workouts!
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I love working out when we travel! I usually take it outside and walk or run in the city we are visiting….to me it is the best way to explore and truly take in the sites, smells, and culture. I love early morning runs when you can see everyone waking up and starting their days! I also LOVE that I recently have started using that jump rope too…UHHHH such a simple but effective piece of equipment.
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