Summer Vacation Workout Plan
The summer months are here and chances are, you're taking advantage of the great weather and taking a trip somewhere! Don't let a change in routine keep you from staying consistent with your workouts. In fact, sometimes a vacation can be a fun way to switch things up!
20-Minute LivFit Workout: Intervals Jump Rope and Strength
Boot Campers at Blackie's Pasture, Marin. Jump Rope intervals.
Whether you're in your hotel room, at a park, or on the beach, this cardio AND strength workout can be done anywhere with just a jump rope and your body weight!
Workout Program: 1- 3 minutes jump rope followed by 1 minute of strength training. Repeat for 10 sets.
1. For each day, pick one major muscle group.
Legs: squats, lunges, wall sits
Chest and Triceps: Pushups, Triceps dip
Back: Superman, pull ups
Core: Crunches (basic, oblique, reverse, etc.), Planks (basic, pike, side, dynamic, etc.)
Shoulders: Donkey jumps, handstands, mountain climbers
2. You will then alternate one minute jumping rope with a strength move.
3. Make sure that there is no more than 1 min rest (while doing strength exercise) between jump rope sets. Keep that heart rate up!
4. To keep it interesting, change up the strength move between sets. If you need ideas, refer to list of bodyweight exercises. (Example: For leg day, alternate between squats, lunges, and wall sits)
Example Workouts
Chest Day:
- 1 min jump rope
- 15-20 Push-ups (or as many as you can do in a minute
- 1 min jump rope
- 15-20 Push-ups
Continue for 8 more sets...
Leg Day:
- 1 min jump rope
- 30 squats
- 1 min jump rope
- 30 squats
Continue for 8 more sets...
I love my Jump Rope!!! 10 Minutes of Jump Rope is equivalent to the following:
- 30 minutes of jogging
- 2 sets of tennis singles
- 30 minutes of racquet and handball playing
- 720 yards of swimming
- 18 holes of golf
Got more room in your suitcase?
Throw in a resistance band. Great for Pull exercises like rows and bicep curls. My favorite are the Braided Xertube by SPRI For a full body workout a TRX suspension trainer is another great piece of equipment and one of my favorite items to travel with.
Tips for staying fit and healthy while traveling:
• Pack a large reusable water bottle. Water can be expensive and not always available while traveling. Make sure to fill it up as often as possible and stay hydrated!
• Take advantage of the new sights and walk as much as possible. See a set of stairs? Run up them 5-10 times to throw some cardio in!
• If you end up at a buffet, take a smaller size plate and fill up half of it with vegetables. Keep your portions small (although it can be tempting!) and have a big bowl of fresh fruit for dessert.
• Headed to the beach? Sand makes for a great proprioceptively enriched environment (in other words, the instability makes your muscles work harder to stay balanced). Cool off in the ocean after a good sweat session.
• Bring a pedometer and/or heart rate monitor to track your workouts and how much you're walking. (Read more about heart monitors here) Take a walking tour or find some hiking trails in the area; try to reach at least 10,000 steps per day.
Get creative and remember that all of the above can be modified or progressed for more difficulty! Add a jump or make it a single-leg move, and you will definitely feel the burn.
A vacation should be a time where you can relax and take care of yourself not only mentally, but physically as well. Take the time to include exercise, and you'll come back feeling revitalized and energized!