Staying active on your holidays

THE summer is finally here, and perhaps you are feeling good about getting back into your gym routine.

So what happens when you plan that week or two away? Are you going to keep active?

You could certainly keep the same gym routine and still enjoy your break.

You may be reading this and thinking, ‘You’re okay Gary. I will drink, eat and do nothing but lay about all day!’

That sounds like most people’s dream holiday, but what if you added a 20-minute workout or activity each day when you’re on your holidays. How much better would you feel during and after your holiday is over?

The positive benefits exercise has on our body and mind are too good to neglect. Imagine being away on holiday, enjoying a bit of downtime but feeling even better knowing that you have improved your body and mind by carrying out a workout or activity.

When I am away on holidays or even with work, I love to work out and try different ways of getting my daily movement in.

Here are several ways you can stay active during your break:

Pre-book fun physical activities

You can still be physically active and have fun. This could be anything from climbing a mountain, going horse riding, trying water sports, entering a local 5k race or hiring a bike for the day. Once you have found something you would like to do, pre-book it. The chances of you doing the activity will increase once you have it booked and paid for.

Explore with a run or bike

I love visiting new places. On the first morning of anywhere new that I’m staying I will go for an exploring run. If I’m staying in a hotel, I would normally ask the receptionist where is good to go and see. I put on my running shoes, and I go at a nice slow pace, taking in everything. It gives me ideas of what I can visit throughout the day, which coffee shops look the best, or an area I would like to explore further. You can do the same thing on a bike.

Look for a local gym

If you have just started back into your gym routine, chances are you want to stick at it. Check out the area you are staying in and if there isn’t a gym at your accommodation have another quick google search for gyms in the area. Most of them will have day passes and if they don’t, just contact them and ask can you come along to one of their classes or use the gym once or twice. They will be grateful for the business, and it will give you an opportunity to experience a different style or type of workout.

Take your gym with you

When I go to Donegal one of the first things I pack is a kettlebell. I may be a bit different from others but knowing that I have a piece of equipment that I can pick up and do a full body work out in 20 minutes makes me happy.

You don’t even have to take a kettlebell. Even putting your running trainers into your bag may be all the equipment you need. If the weight of a kettlebell isn’t something you want to carry around then there are other options like resistant bands, TRX and sliders.

Use what’s there

To be honest, you don’t need anything to keep up your gym routine, not even your trainers. I have done a full body workout using a chair in my hotel room. Body weight exercises like squats, lunges and press ups may be everything you need.

Add in a burpee and you’ll soon be ready to jump into the pool or sea.

Even when you are out running you may come across an outdoor gym or even a set of steps where you can jump, run, even tricep dips of.

Make if fun

No matter what you do, just make it fun – this could be a quick five minute workout or a three hour hike.