No gym? No problem…
With the Christmas and New Year holidays coming up it's a time when people often go away on vacation and forget their gym routines and fitness goals. While some may be fine with this, there are others who want to get in some workouts wherever they are no matter the location. As such, here are my top 4 exercises which can be done anywhere with no equipment.
Push-ups
This is a classic bodyweight exercise that is often one of the first introductions many people get to strength training. It can be done in any space big enough to lie down in which is a huge benefit when you are staying in small hotel rooms or tents. It also has the benefit of working a heap of muscle groups. Properly executed push-ups work the chest, triceps, and core. They can be made more difficult by raising the feet onto a box or chair or made easier by doing them from the knees. They are definitely worth including in your holiday workouts
Squats
Squats, in my opinion, are one of the best exercises you can do. Ever. No seriously, start squatting if you are not already! They work most of the muscles in the lower half of your body, and even the core to a certain extent. They also are able to be done in the same amount of space which a chair usually fills. A great thing if you are looking to get a workout in without moving a whole lot of furniture around at the batch. To make these more difficult you can split your bodyweight so that you have more on one leg then the other (then switch legs) or even do single leg squats if you are strong enough. To make them easier use a chair and pause when your butt hits the chair and then stand again.
Planks
Planks are one of my favourite exercises whether on holiday or not. There are a heap of variations which you can do to keep them interesting also. Again you need only enough space to lie down in and they are a great core workout. The normal plank involves bracing the core and holding your weight on your toes and elbows with your body in a straight line. To progress these and make them more difficult, lift one limb off the ground. I usually start people with lifting a foot off the ground and keeping their hips stable. For the really advanced, you can lift an opposing arm and leg off the ground and hold that position for a period of time before switching.
Mountain Climbers
These are in the same category as burpees in that most people really dislike them. But again, they are a great total body exercise and can include some cardio when done for a decent period of time. They work more than just the legs as the arms and shoulders are needed as stabilisers and the core is working overtime to adjust for the constant movement of the legs. I highly recommend them as a quick exercise to do when you have a little time to kill.
Happy Christmas!
So there you have it, 5 exercises to get you through the holidays when you have no equipment to use and no gym to get to. Of course, you may prefer to simply kick back and relax on holiday and work off the extra Christmas calories in the New Year. Either way, make sure you relax, unwind, spend some time with family and friends and stay safe over the holidays.
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