If you like strength training and traveling, you may feel conflicted. It’s difficult to get access to a gym with weights while traveling and you may be worried you will lose all your strength gains. Don’t worry as in this guide we will give you some ideas on how you can stay strong while traveling.
Get Free Gym Passes while Traveling
Most commercial gyms will offer a free 3-day pass or weeklong pass. All you have to do is walk in and ask for a pass. This is a great way to try out different gyms in different cities and find one that you like. If you are only going to be in town for a short period of time, this is a great way to get a workout in. Note that most gyms will require you to live close by or be a resident in order to get a free pass. If you are going to try this strategy, you should call the gym ahead of time to see if they offer free passes and if so, what the requirements are.
If you are traveling and don’t want to deal with the hassle of getting a free gym pass, you can always pay for a day pass or a week pass. Most gyms will allow you to pay for a day or a week at a time. However, it is often quite expensive to do this, so it may not be the best option if you are on a budget.
Bring Your Own Equipment
If you are traveling and want to make sure you have access to a gym, you can always bring your own equipment. This is a great option if you have limited space in your luggage. You can pack a small set of dumbbells, a resistance band, and a jump rope. These items will allow you to do a full-body workout in your hotel room or Airbnb.
A small set of dumbbells and resistance bands may not be adequate for your workout routine if you are a bodybuilder or powerlifter. In this case, you can still bring your own equipment if you have a car or truck and are traveling by road. You can easily fit 300 pounds, a barbell and a small squat stand and bench in the back of even a small car like a Honda Fit. If you have a larger car, you can bring even more equipment.
Work at a Large Company with Worldwide Offices
If you work for a company that has multiple offices around the world, chances are they also have high quality gyms. You can use these while traveling for work and not have to worry about losing any strength gains. This is a great option when traveling for work as you can still get your strength training in while being productive for your company. And you don’t need a car.
Use Friend’s Home Gyms
If you are traveling to a friend’s house, take advantage of their home gym. This is a great way to get a workout in while also catching up with your friend. If they don’t have a home gym, see if they wouldn’t mind you working out in their living room or backyard. If traveling by car, you can bring your weights with you to use at your friend’s house.
Use Resistance Bands
If you are very strong, resistance bands are far from ideal. However, Rogue makes some very heavy duty resistance bands that might be adequate to challenge you. For most people, resistance bands are a great way to get a strength workout while traveling. They are light, small, and easy to pack. You can do a lot of exercises with just resistance bands.
Bodyweight Exercises
If you don’t want to bring equipment with you and can’t get access to any while traveling, then you can still do bodyweight exercises. These won’t be as effective as using weights, but they are still a great way to maintain your strength. You can be creative in the ways you make the exercises harder, such as adding repetitions, holding for longer, or using one arm at a time. You can also find rocks on the ground and use them as weights for some exercises. Most places have rocks.