Vacation & Exercise - A guide to having better vacations

Want better vacations? Its just a workout away ...

Vacation + Exercise .... you might be thinking "What the ?#%! Are you out of your mind?" "Thats why I'm going on vacation in the first place!"

At first glance it might seem preposterous to even hint at the fact that going  on vacation and working out should be even remotely connected in the same sentence. But just hold your horses for a quick second and think about it.

Vacations are meant to recharge us from the stresses of the day to day grind that is our lives. Even if we are on a Staycation, we hope to get away from some of the things that can drag us down mentally and physically.  Take a step back and just find our mojo so that we can come back and be a better version of ourselves.  If your vacation is far from home you no doubt put a lot of time and effort to plan  the perfect getaway. Not to mention the money you spent on it! You  want to experience all the joys of life to a greater degree for yourself, or with family and friends. Gaze at beautiful vistas, savor delicious dishes, bask in the glow of sun kissed beaches...   

Pause those dreamy thoughts... Now think of exercise. Trust us we aren't being cruel.

It’s no secret that exercise is proven to relieve stress, improve memory function, enhance sleep, and boost your overall mood. Exercise can clear the brain and release chemicals that intensify your levels of enjoyment. It releases endorphins that make you feel all good and happy inside. Of course, we would love to have those benefits everyday. (Which you can)

But when would they truly be invaluable?  Vacation! Just because your taking time away from your life doesn't mean you should stop the good  things in it! You don't stop eating, and sleeping when you are home do you? You still do those routine things just probably in a non enjoyable rushed way.

Just because your taking time away from your life doesn't mean you should stop the good things in it!

Think about it. On vacation, many times you do the same things you do at home. But the way you do them is just different. You are not rushed. You have the luxury to take long strolls, to hover over exquisite dishes, to sleep in and ignore an alarm clock. You take the time to smell the roses as it were. And that's the secret!

Don't completely stop exercising on vacation, just change it a bit. Vacation is the perfect time to enjoy your workouts even more than usual. You don't have to cram in your exercise session in between life. Just like everything else on your  time away, take your time and enjoy it. It all depends on your viewpoint.

In fact, let's say exercise is not currently part of your lifestyle, but you know you want to and should workout more. Well, vacation is the best time to start working out! You can take your time with it enjoy it with out stress and then incorporate it in to your regular routine once you get back home. 
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Ok, so maybe we have started you thinking positively about exercise on your next vacation. What exactly do you do? Well it depends on what you have access to as far as equipment. But more on that later. Here are a few overall suggestions:

• Don't get sick: Make sure to drink plenty of water and support your bodies immune system and stomach function with proper supplementation. Include Probiotics, Fruits & Greens, and Omega-3 EPA DHA oil daily before and during your trip.
• Pack equipment: Nothing big and bulky. Just a few simple pieces of equipment like a stick roller, bands, and sliders can easily fit in your carry on and give you varied and enjoyable workout.
• Roll and stretch more: Take the time to really work out knots in sore muscles and increase blood flow. Think of this like an exercise spa session.
• Warmup longer: This is your opportunity to treat yourself and make up for all those hurried warmups you crammed or even skipped. Yeah you know you are guilty!
• Forget the timer: (If you are doing a weightlifting workout, that is) Stop watches, clocks, timers ughh! Don't they just stress you out! So forget them. Instead this is the chance to listen to your body. Try focusing on deep breathing between sets. Your body will tell you when to go. 
• Don't PR: Most likely this is not the time to hit a Personal Record or a 1 Rep Max in your Squat or Bench Press. Respect your body and the stresses that travel puts on your body. Instead focus on safe healthy full range movements.
• End it with HIIT: Make sure that you finish each exercise session with some form of intense conditioning. Get that heart rate up. Start sweating. This will help release toxins as well as endorphins and clear that brain fog associated jet lag,  and it will just clear away any sluggishness. 

Now as far as specifics. For our Dark Horse Sports clients we offer custom built workouts for whatever environment they will be in. Hotel gym, minimal equipment, or even no gym at all. However if you are interested just fill out the form below and we will send you a free, video guided, no equipment needed Vacation Workout!

Vacations are very special times where the whole point is to get away from the normal drudgery of life and really enjoy yourself. So do just that get the most of your next vacation with a workout!


​Cheers!