STACK's Guide to Working Out on Vacation
Though there’s no school, summer can be a hectic time for student-athletes. Trying to stay performance-ready while fitting in fun and travel creates a tough balancing act for even dedicated trainees. To add to the mayhem, most vacation trips leave you miles away from a gym and cut off from your daily routine and healthy eating habits. Stay in peak physical condition this summer, even while on vacation, with this compilation of STACK-approved tips and workouts.
1. Plan Ahead
A few minutes spent researching your vacation destination could prevent you from losing weeks of training time this summer. Staying at a hotel? Call the front desk to find out if they have a fitness facility and what equipment they offer. Many will at least have a treadmill, a stack of free weights and a physioball. Work with your coach to create workouts that use the available equipment. Check out the surrounding area to learn about the local terrain. Hills and stadiums can be great training venues. Customize your training with ideas from the following STACK workouts:
- Ultimate Full-Body Workout with Physioball
- Two Physioball Workouts for Strength
- How to Run Faster Without Using Special Equipment
- How To Build Muscle While Training Outdoors.
2. Pack a Portable Workout
Several training products are portable enough to go on the road with you. Resistance bands, agility ladders and TRX straps can be folded up, packed in a suitcase and taken anywhere. Don’t forget about bodyweight training and plyometrics. Start your vacation with the following STACK workouts:
- Try This At-Home Core Workout
- Resistance Bands Enhance Full-Body Strength and Power
- Three Resistance Band Exercises to Replace Dumbbells and Increase Intensity
- Bodyweight Training for Home or Travel
- Perform Real World Plyos to Be Better at Your Sport
- Develop Game-Time Performance with Plyometric Intervals
3. Stay Active
Simply moving around gets your blood flowing and your heart pumping. Instead of lounging on the beach, challenge others to touch football, swim races, beach volleyball or Frisbee. Go for a long walk or run on the beach—soft sand makes for killer resistance training. Walk wherever you can, take the stairs and participate in activities like surfing or snorkeling. Try these STACK workouts:
- How to Get Stronger Away From the Weight Room
- Sand Training to Build Speed and Strengthen Feet and Ankles
4. Get It Over With
The longer you wait to work out, the more likely other plans and activities will intervene. Wake up earlier than your fellow travelers and hit the gym. It may seem unappealing at the time, but imagine how much better you’ll feel at two-a-days when you get back home.
5. Include Others
You may not be the only one who wants to stay fit on your trip. Invite siblings, cousins and friends to join you in morning workouts. A buddy will not only make training more enjoyable, he or she will keep you motivated. Try these STACK partner workouts:
- Three Explosive Partner Med Ball Drills
- Athletes’ Performance NFL Workout: Superset for Rotational Strength and Power
- Single-Arm Towel Manual Resistance Row
6. Be Efficient
Shave time off your workout by performing short, intense sets, plyometrics and compound movements. Full body exercises will make your training shorter and more effective. Try these short, intense STACK workouts:
- 3 Short, Intense Workouts that Build Muscle
- 3 Workouts Guaranteed To Build Muscle
- 5 Best Supersets for Athletes
- Is There a Single Best Exercise?
7. Take Advantage of Rest
If you’re on vacation, you won’t always be able to get in a workout. That’s can be a good thing! Since muscles grow during rest, it’s OK to take some down time. As long as you remain active, taking a few days off, sleeping in or training at a lower intensity won’t destroy your conditioning.
8. Eat Healthy
Frequent restaurant meals and family events make maintaining high quality nutrition difficult but not impossible. Always try to make the healthiest choices, eat balanced plates and practice portion control. It’s fine to have ribs at the family barbeque—just not three racks. Stay hydrated, pack snacks and stay as close to your normal eating plan as possible.
Check out STACK’s 2012 Summer Training Guide, and start building your customized, on-the-road workout plan today!
photo credit: janetsjerky.com
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
MOST POPULAR
STACK's Guide to Working Out on Vacation
Though there’s no school, summer can be a hectic time for student-athletes. Trying to stay performance-ready while fitting in fun and travel creates a tough balancing act for even dedicated trainees. To add to the mayhem, most vacation trips leave you miles away from a gym and cut off from your daily routine and healthy eating habits. Stay in peak physical condition this summer, even while on vacation, with this compilation of STACK-approved tips and workouts.
1. Plan Ahead
A few minutes spent researching your vacation destination could prevent you from losing weeks of training time this summer. Staying at a hotel? Call the front desk to find out if they have a fitness facility and what equipment they offer. Many will at least have a treadmill, a stack of free weights and a physioball. Work with your coach to create workouts that use the available equipment. Check out the surrounding area to learn about the local terrain. Hills and stadiums can be great training venues. Customize your training with ideas from the following STACK workouts:
- Ultimate Full-Body Workout with Physioball
- Two Physioball Workouts for Strength
- How to Run Faster Without Using Special Equipment
- How To Build Muscle While Training Outdoors.
2. Pack a Portable Workout
Several training products are portable enough to go on the road with you. Resistance bands, agility ladders and TRX straps can be folded up, packed in a suitcase and taken anywhere. Don’t forget about bodyweight training and plyometrics. Start your vacation with the following STACK workouts:
- Try This At-Home Core Workout
- Resistance Bands Enhance Full-Body Strength and Power
- Three Resistance Band Exercises to Replace Dumbbells and Increase Intensity
- Bodyweight Training for Home or Travel
- Perform Real World Plyos to Be Better at Your Sport
- Develop Game-Time Performance with Plyometric Intervals
3. Stay Active
Simply moving around gets your blood flowing and your heart pumping. Instead of lounging on the beach, challenge others to touch football, swim races, beach volleyball or Frisbee. Go for a long walk or run on the beach—soft sand makes for killer resistance training. Walk wherever you can, take the stairs and participate in activities like surfing or snorkeling. Try these STACK workouts:
- How to Get Stronger Away From the Weight Room
- Sand Training to Build Speed and Strengthen Feet and Ankles
4. Get It Over With
The longer you wait to work out, the more likely other plans and activities will intervene. Wake up earlier than your fellow travelers and hit the gym. It may seem unappealing at the time, but imagine how much better you’ll feel at two-a-days when you get back home.
5. Include Others
You may not be the only one who wants to stay fit on your trip. Invite siblings, cousins and friends to join you in morning workouts. A buddy will not only make training more enjoyable, he or she will keep you motivated. Try these STACK partner workouts:
- Three Explosive Partner Med Ball Drills
- Athletes’ Performance NFL Workout: Superset for Rotational Strength and Power
- Single-Arm Towel Manual Resistance Row
6. Be Efficient
Shave time off your workout by performing short, intense sets, plyometrics and compound movements. Full body exercises will make your training shorter and more effective. Try these short, intense STACK workouts:
- 3 Short, Intense Workouts that Build Muscle
- 3 Workouts Guaranteed To Build Muscle
- 5 Best Supersets for Athletes
- Is There a Single Best Exercise?
7. Take Advantage of Rest
If you’re on vacation, you won’t always be able to get in a workout. That’s can be a good thing! Since muscles grow during rest, it’s OK to take some down time. As long as you remain active, taking a few days off, sleeping in or training at a lower intensity won’t destroy your conditioning.
8. Eat Healthy
Frequent restaurant meals and family events make maintaining high quality nutrition difficult but not impossible. Always try to make the healthiest choices, eat balanced plates and practice portion control. It’s fine to have ribs at the family barbeque—just not three racks. Stay hydrated, pack snacks and stay as close to your normal eating plan as possible.
Check out STACK’s 2012 Summer Training Guide, and start building your customized, on-the-road workout plan today!
photo credit: janetsjerky.com