Action stars always seem ready for anything, but staying in that kind of shape takes work, and it gets even harder when you’re always on the move.
Flights, hotel stays, road trips, and changing schedules can easily throw your usual routine right off course. But the good news is you don’t need a global gym membership to keep your conditioning in check.
Building a Workout That Fits In Your Carry-On
When you’re always traveling, the best workout is one that requires the least setup. This is where bodyweight exercises become the ideal choice, and they’re easy enough to do in your hotel room, by the pool, or anywhere you have some space, really.
Try building a simple circuit around push-ups, squats or split squats, lunges, planks, and mountain climbers. You can even throw in a few burpees to get your heart rate up!
A resistance band or jump rope can also add more variety without taking up too much room in your suitcase.
More importantly, don’t worry about trying to recreate your entire hour-long gym routine. A focused 20-30 minutes is plenty. Remember, when you’re on the move, you’re training for movement, not individual muscles.
Make the Trip Part of Your Training
Exercise doesn’t only count when you’re sweating through a structured workout. Travel-hopping itself can give you countless chances to stay active without making your time away feel like a training camp.
Explore a new city on foot, swim at the hotel, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or work a hike into your sightseeing plans. These are all natural ways to get moving.
The same thinking applies wherever you’re headed. If you’re taking a popular cruise to Mexico, for example, you could spend a port day exploring on foot, take a quick dip, or squeeze in a workout in your cabin. Resort stays, road trips, and city breaks will all give you similar opportunities, too.
Don’t Let Travel Wreck Your Engine
The workouts might get all the attention, but hydration, nutrition, and sleep are just as important.
Long flights, late nights, and eating out can leave you with less energy than usual, so give your body a little leeway. This doesn’t mean you need to obsess over every meal, either. It’s about finding a balance between protein, vegetables, and filling whole foods, while still enjoying local meals.
Making a point of keeping your water intake high can also help you feel more energised throughout the day.
The 20-Minute Action Star Workout
If you’re short on space and time, and are looking for a bit of workout inspiration, here’s a 20-minute routine you can keep in your back pocket:
- 3-Minute warm-up: March or jog in place, followed by arm circles, hip rotations, and a few dynamic stretches.
- 12-Minute circuit: Cycle through squats, push-ups, reverse lunges, mountain climbers, and plank variations. Repeat this for several rounds at a steady, controlled pace.
- 3-Minute cardio finisher: Go with high knees, shadowboxing, or burpees to finish with your heart rate up.
- 2-Minute cooldown: Slow things down with some easy stretches and controlled breathing.
With this routine, you can easily adjust the number of reps, rest periods, and exercise variations to suit your fitness levels. There are no prizes for racing through the circuit, so do what works for you. If a hotel workout feels a little uninspiring, though, you can always use some shadowboxing to pretend you’re preparing for your next action scene.
The Secret Is Staying Consistent
Maintaining your fitness and conditioning while traveling really doesn’t require a bag filled with exercise gear or another gym membership. What you want to do is stay as consistent as possible. A few short sessions, plenty of walking, and getting enough nutrients and rest are all you need.
Your surroundings and schedule might change from one destination to the next, but the objective stays the same: keep moving and stay ready for action!