How This American Stays Fit While Traveling

The best way to stay in shape is to run with the bulls!

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Aside from hours of walking, I like to do a bit of exercise while traveling, mainly to keep my muscles active so I won't be sore next time I do a heavy workout. So the idea of these workouts are not to build strength or speed, but rather maintain my progress from my workouts at home. While traveling, I have a small box of tricks I use to stay fit on the go. I own a TRX. I own a jump rope. Gravity is free. Check out the video below, and some sample workouts below that.

Sample Workouts

TRX Routine - 1 min per exercise (hotel or couchsurfing)
3 rounds
Row
Chest Press
Reverse lunges (per leg)
Crunches
Plank
1 min rest

Calistenics routine (Airbnb or a park nearby)
Fight Gone Bad (5 rounds)
1 min Burpee pullups
1 min Dips or pushups
1 min squats or squat jumps
1 min jump rope or supermans
1 min Rest

Bodyweight routine (hostal or couchsurfing)
10 x 10 pushups
3 x 10 lunges (per leg)
5 x 5 handstand pushups
3 x 8 single leg squats (per leg)

Extra Training

I also get a workout in with the types of poses I do in my photos. I often need to do several takes to get a good photo, so it's like doing reps at the gym. Flags, handstands, headstands, jumping, and pistol squats all make for great poses. (my gallery of handstands)

Flagging in Bilbao, Spain

Front lever in Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Jumping in Bucharest, Romania

Pistols in Volubis, Morocco

Maybe the hardest headstand I've done - in Valencia, Spain

The most common pose I do - a handstand (Grand Turk)

Bonus Tip

After working out in the morning, or after a long day of walking and doing crazy poses for pictures, I like to take a contrast shower. Basically, I shower with normal water (whatever your preferred temperature is) for 2 minutes to wash my body. Then, I turn up the heat as high as I can tolerate for 1 minute. Then, I switch to as cold as possible for 1 minute. I alternate three times hot and three times cold, ending the shower on cold. Using this strategy in the morning, I feel alive and awake, while using it at night relaxes my nervous system and prepares me for sleep.