171227 - Guest Post - Dr. Laura - Fitness Travel Tips

It’s the holidays! Many of us travel this time of year to visit family and friends, and some of us (myself included) travel throughout the year for work or pleasure. If you are gone from the gym for more than a few days, you may get a little stir crazy and be looking for ways to continue to get in a good workout. Over the past couple of years I have accumulated some workouts that are relatively simple, quick, and easy to do in a small, confined space such as a hotel or guest room.

First, don’t discount using your fitness to get the most out of your vacation! Are you walking for miles through a new city or exploring museums? Hitting the slopes, swimming in the ocean, or trekking in a national park? You have been developing your fitness at the gym, now you get to use it and make the most out of your travels! If you are looking to get your CrossFit fix, almost all boxes allow drop-ins for varying fees. And hey, if you have friends or family who CrossFit in town, let them know that they can drop in at Choice City and check us out!

Looking for free workouts that you can easily do in a small space? Movements such as air squats, push ups, sit ups, lunges, and burpees are all physically demanding and can be done anywhere. If you have access to a larger space or an outdoor area, try adding jump rope, sprints, or bear crawls. One of my favorite things to do while traveling is a Tabata, which does not take much time, yet can be intensive. If you search for “Tabata” on Spotify (even without a paid account), you can find free playlists that will count down your 20s of work and 10s of rest, so you don’t have to worry about timing yourself. Choose one to three movements and run through a Tabata of each (that comes out to 8 rounds, 20s of work, 10s of rest). Another favorite of mine (well, “favorite” might be a strong word) is a Crippler: AMRAP 10 of 10 air squats, 10 lunges, 10 jump squats, 10 jump lunges. You’ll definitely feel the burn after that one! I like this if you are in a place where you don’t really want to touch the ground (for example, a field station in Trinidad). Another solid workout with no equipment required is the new Abs Workout posted in the gym. Importantly, do NOT do the same workout multiple days in a row. Remember: you want your work to be constantly varied. Looking for more ideas? Check out this fantastic list of Free Fitness that Choice City has curated! I will choose some of these options based on what I have available to me (there is not always space for handstands, for example) and bring this list when I travel for longer periods of time.

Safe travels, enjoy your holidays, and remember that it is also okay to take a break. You will not lose all your hard work after a long weekend of not exercising, and Choice City will be here and ready for you when you return. Happy holidays!

-Dr. Laura Stein

WOD
Test 2 CrossFit HQ
15 Rep Max Clean and Jerk
Touch and go to the ground each time