How 4 pieces of equipment build the best travel gym

Keeping fit and training while travelling, whether you are on holiday or frequently in hotels with work can be tough. It is not always easy to get access to a gym, if you hotel has one then space is at a premium and you will have access to treadmills, bikes and a few dumbbells.

So what if I could tell you that everything you need to the ultimate travel gym will fit in your hand luggage or suitcase? The 4 pieces of equipment below combined with your own bodyweight are all you need to get a good workout in anywhere. That could be outside, in your hotel room or even up a mountain. These 4 items are always first in my bag when ever I travel.

• Gymnastic Rings

• Lacrosse Balls Or Trigger Point Massage Balls

• Resistance Bands

• A Good Pair Of Trainers

Doesn’t sound like much when you look at that list, but let me explain a bit more.

A Good Pair Of Trainers:

Get a pair that fit well, work with your running gait and support the arch of your feet. Forget the treadmills and stationary bikes use the trainers and get outside for a run, hill sprints or a long walk and explore the local area, immerse yourself in some culture while getting your exercise hit.

Lacrosse Balls / Trigger Point Massage Balls:

Foam rollers can take up space in a suitcase or be too large for hand luggage. Mobility and recovery work should always form a part of any training program and these are a great way to get the benefits of a foam roller and to be able to loosen up tight muscles while taking up minimal space in a bag. Combine these with stretching and moving and you have all the tools your need to smash your mobility work wherever you are.

Resistance Bands:

It doesn’t get any simpler or easier to pack than resistance bands! Cheap and effective and with varying degrees of resistance these should be the top of any shopping and packing list for someone that travels. Use them to add extra resistance to body weight exercises like push ups, good mornings, squats…or to get in the vital beach tshirt bicep curls if you are a man. Alternatively use them to assist you with exercises such as pull ups and core work. Start with a light band and increase the resistance as you get stronger.

Gymnastic Rings:

A favorite piece equipment for me wherever I am. These should be a staple in a gym as much as a suitcase. Invest in a good pair and they will last you for life. Gymnastic rings can be hung from beams, bars, trees and they provide no end of training options. Start with basic movements like inverted rows, pull ups, dips. You can use them to add extra stabiloity demands to exercises like push ups and L-Sits and can work up to whole body movements such as skin the cats, levers, muscle ups.

Its time to learn to master your body again! Become an unstoppable force of bodyweight training and use the equipment above to supplement this.

Pack these 4 items and along with your bodyweight you will never have an excuse not to get a good workout in whatever your goal is. There is no need for a gym… your hotel room, the beach, any outdoor space will become a place you can train. So what is stopping you?

If you are in need of inspiration or stuck for ways to maximise your training while travelling then have a look at some of the bodyweight based training programs in the online coaching page, alternatively get in touch for a bespoke program built around your needs.