Do you miss exercising when traveling? Or do you want to stay in shape on longer trips?
If you are used to moving a lot in everyday life, the body can become completely dull from being on holiday.
We experienced this most recently during our 3.5 month long trip in Asia, where we had to think a little alternatively about the training, as we moved around a lot.
Fortunately, we were often near a beach, and we found that there are many good ways to use it.
And fresh air, the sound of waves and sand between your toes is not a bad training environment either!
1. Run
A little run up and down the beach is in many ways a perfect form of exercise.
It requires no preparation, special equipment or experience – just put one foot in front of the other and get going.
Running in sand is hard, so don’t expect to be able to keep up with your regular pace. Soft sand, on the other hand, can be very gentle on the knees and joints.
As a general rule, it is best not to run on the beach when the sun is highest in the sky – it is both insanely hot and dangerous for the skin. If necessary, start the day with a walk or run a little before dinner.
Alexander’s favorite is to warm up by running the length of the beach one way and then do interval runs on the way back – but the possibilities are of course endless.
After the trip, the ultimate reward is to jump directly into the ocean.
Alex takes a jog and airs the drone on Skylantari beach on Tinos .
2. Yoga
Get up with the sun and get your body moving with a leisurely round of yoga on the beach. It’s the nicest feeling.
It is a simple way to be able to move everywhere – even on the beach.
Of course, it requires that one can remember a few yoga movements, but if one has not tried it before, there are many good beginner videos on YouTube that one can check out in advance.
If you have a sarong or a beach towel, you can use it as a base, so you do not get too much sand on your hands and feet.
If one does not always have it so easy to get up early (as a certain person writing this article), it is also obvious to practice yoga in the cooler hours around sunset.
Morning yoga at San Blas in Panama.
3. Bodyweight exercises
Bodyweight exercises require self-discipline, but it is an ingenious form of training because you can train anywhere.
For example, you can put together a short routine with several exercises. Good candidates are arm bends, squats, lunges and the classic plank.
4. Swim
Swimming is a great form of exercise.
It is very gentle to use the whole body, and since most people are not wildly efficient at swimming, it does not take much for the combustion to really start.
A swim in turquoise blue water like this is good for the soul.
5. Leg
Even if you are not 7 years old anymore, you can easily play on the beach. It can be an unusually fun way to move the body a bit during the holidays.
Build a sand castle, play beach tennis or throw a beach ball. You can also practice standing on hands!
Alex practices handstand on the endless Long Beach in the Philippines.
Do you have a good tip for exercising on the trip? Feel free to share it with us in the comments below.
