The options for workouts and exercises are limitless when we have access to a gym with fitness equipment. But what happens when we don’t have access to a gym? How can you maintain fitness levels while traveling, or even at home?
This article presents options for those who have minimal or no equipment to work with. Incorporate some of these tips the next time you find yourself at home or in hotel room without the luxury of your fitness center.
Although it may seem like a hassle to break from your normal routine, exercises that use body weight as the primary means of resistance allow you to take a break from heavy lifting, offer an ideal time to let the muscles rest without the usual high demands of exercise, and are more than adequate for short-term maintenance periods. These types of routines could also be a good way to start a new exercise program by preparing the muscles for heavier weights down the road.
When developing any workout, a good strategy is to focus on compound movements that target large muscle groups such as the chest, back, and legs. The benefit here is three-fold. First, working these muscle groups stimulates the most muscle fiber, producing a better overall workout and greater calorie burn. Secondly, compound movements enlist the help of smaller muscles as well, increasing the amount of work performed. Finally, compound movements can work as many muscles as four to eight single-joint exercises, making better use of an already limited amount of time.
The “No Equipment” Workout
Warm-Up: Before you workout, be sure to perform a light warm-up for at least 5 minutes. A good warm-up will raise your core body temperature and reduce the chance of injury during your workout. Some warm-up exercises that require very little space and no equipment are: jumping jacks, walking or running in place (vary speed to your level), and small hops as if you were jumping rope. To make it more interesting, roll up a towel length-wise, place it on the floor, and jump over it from side to side.
Circuit Training: A great way to get a quality workout in a limited amount of time is through circuit training. Choose one or two exercises from each section below (a, b, c, and d). Perform each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, and move to the next exercise. Continue this circuit for 20 – 30 minutes.
- Upper Body: tricep dips using chair or bench, push ups (incline, decline, normal width, wide grip, narrow grip, etc.)
- Lower Body: body-weight squats, lunges, side lunges, invisible chair (sit with back against wall using your legs to keep you in a seated position as if you were sitting in an actual chair), step ups (using chair or low platform)
- Core: crunches, forward planks, leg lifts, scissor kicks, oblique crunches, side plank, side lying leg lifts, mason twist, good mornings, back plank
- High Intensity: high knee jumps, high knee run in place, quick feet, mountain climbers, burpees
Stretch: After your workout is complete, stretch your muscles to restore them to their initial length and to improve flexibility.
Final Tips
- When traveling, call ahead to possible hotels. Inquire about on-site fitness facilities or agreements with local gyms that allow you to work out at a reduced rate or for free.
- Run outside or walk
- When performing circuit training, shorten the rest periods between exercises to vary the intensity of the overall workout.
- When traveling, your diet becomes even more important, especially if you aren’t able to workout as much as you normally do. Take time to look for healthy restaurants, purchase some fruit and healthy snacks for the hotel room, and try to avoid long periods between meals.
Body weight and core exercises are excellent ways to get a quality workout. These types of exercise are a staple of my workout, even when I have access to the gym. Oftentimes, I’ll use some of the following equipment to help isolate muscle groups or add variety to my workout. I have had great success augmenting my workouts with 
Striking a Balance – Mixing Cardio and Weights