Travel Fitness Tips That Work at Home

This post originally was posted on my magazine, Style Adventure. It may be a while before many can travel again, but some of the fitness tips I have used in small spaces like hotel rooms or rental spaces work well at home. If you’ve never liked working out, or have not done it in a while, now is a perfect time to get a clean start and get active. You may find things you enjoy that you can incorporate into your life after we’re out of quarantine.

Use What’s Available

If you’re lucky enough to have a pool or home gym, you probably don’t need this article! But, I used to have a home gym and didn’t make use of it after a while. So, if you’ve left your equipment to rust, brush it off and find some new ways to use it on YouTube. Or, rearrange the layout and see if that inspires you to start using it.

Workouts for Any Space

Exercises like high-intensity interval training (HIIT), pilates, pushups, yoga and squats can all work in any space. You can check online for workouts that fit your needs and space. Or my post with my new favorite workouts, has three great ones.

If you don’t have a mat, use a towel. Depending on your space, a mat may take up precious necessary space. Towels work just as well. 

If you feel that you need to use some equipment, I suggest resistance bands, a TRX for suspension training and a jump rope for cardio. Don’t forget your headphones if you need to listen to music while working out.

Keep Active Without Gym Equipment

• Walk around your home for half an hour or more at a time to get in your steps.
• If you’re in an apartment, condo our house with multiple floors: Walk up and down the stairs. If you are in an apartment or condo, do this as early in the morning as you can to avoid other people. It’s impossible to socially distance in stairwells. I’m not a morning person, so I have to look for different ways!
• For cardio, you can use a jump rope and do jumping jacks. I’d only recommend this if your knee joints are good.
• If you’ve got space, try High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to give yourself a total body workout. You can find programs online that you can do with little to no equipment. 
• TRX suspension training can help you build strength, flexibility and balance. You need some space to use the suspension set.
• Use resistance bands. These are stretchy bands that provide weight-like resistance when you pull on them.
• Do pilates, pushups, planks and squats to take advantage of your body weight.
• Yoga can help you stretch, unwind and strengthen your core and balance.

These are just some ideas that I’ve used when travelling to workout at home. Check out some more travel tips that work at home on this blog.