The author is both a keen traveller and sportsman. With some lateral thinking and improvisation fitness can be maintained even when gym facilities appear to be in short supply.
Rucksack Workouts
Strength training can be carried out by stuffing your back pack with heavy items. Rocks or water are both perfect. There are a number of activities to choose from to avoid boredom. Rucksack press ups are excellent for bulk or strength training. In addition lying on your back with legs straight and six inches off the ground is great for your abdominals and quadriceps. Alternative exercises include performing calf raises of a step in your apartment with a back pack, and running with a back pack is superb for leg strength.
Circuit Training
Beds can be used as benches though they should not be used for trampolines! It is possible to put your feet under them to hold a sit up position or for decline press ups. Most circuit training exercises can be carried out if a reasonable space is cleared to train in. Steps ups can be practised on stairs as can triceps press also. Squat thrusts are fine as long as there are no people in the floor below you.
Dynamic Tension
For the uninitiated this is simply substituting weight training exercises for the same movement whilst tensing the muscle group. The advantage here is that spotters are not required though more repetitions are required to fatigue the muscle. In addition there is little risk of injury and little space is needed either.
Running
Running in itself is obvious though only a few people incorporate a run with sight seeing particularly in cities where transport is slow due to congestion in built up areas. Running in a new environment also has a novelty and excitement and running without planning a route prior to setting out can provide more of a challenge also.
Stretching
Holidays are a brilliant opportunity to improve stretching particularly if your friends take ages in the bathroom or fetching breakfast while twenty minute stretching routines can be incorporated easily.
Improvise
While the author was on holiday in South Africa he inquired politely concerning membership for a short period and was given a free one-off workout for his troubles. If you like football or rugby but have little space in your luggage, why not deflate a ball and carry a small pump with you? Lastly many sports have camaraderie about them. If you play basketball particularly in Europe it is easy to join in pick up games.
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