Whether you’re a pro bodybuilding and fitness competitor with a rigorous promotional and guest appearance schedule, a working professional regularly traveling for business, or just someone taking a weekend getaway, maintaining your workout routine can be challenging when you’re away from home base. Taking a break from the gym every now and again usually won’t steer you off the path to your goals, but consistently straying from your plan certainly can.
Here, world-renowned trainer and 19-time Olympia champion coach Hany Rambod takes us through his five tips for getting the most from your workouts while you’re on the go.
No matter your profession, Rambod maintains that planning ahead is a key component to staying on track for anyone. While certain cities may be short on gym options, most will have at least a few hotels with respectable gyms or at least one that will get the job done.
“Unless one of my athletes is required to stay at a specific hotel for logistics purposes, I always tell them to do their research ahead of time and find either a hotel with an adequate gym or find a hotel within walking distance of a gym.” Google makes it very simple to find gyms or fitness centers nearby, and unless you’re traveling to the middle of nowhere, there’s no reason you can’t find a spot where you can get a decent workout in.
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Check out a Band
You may not expect someone who’s known for training champion bodybuilders to be recommending resistance bands, but Rambod emphasizes that a few easy-to-pack bands can make all the difference when you’re short on equipment.
“Bringing along a few bands with varying levels of resistance can allow someone with a basic knowledge of strength training to get a great workout in almost everywhere. They’re light, don’t take up much space in luggage or even a small carry on, and you can take them nearly anywhere.”
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Get creative
Before starting your workout, it’s important to take inventory of what’s available, then come up with a plan.
“There have been times when I’ve had athletes message me in frustration to tell me all they have is an adjustable bench and some dumbbells. So let’s say all you had was an adjustable bench and some dumbbells and needed to train arms. You could do alternating dumbbell curls, then put the bench on an incline and do one-arm dumbbell preacher curls, then sit down and do concentration curls. For triceps, you could do overhead extensions, followed by kickbacks, and finish off with bench dips. That’s a legit arm workout with the most basic of equipment.”
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Reps and Rest
If you’re limited to lighter free weights or machines with lighter stacks, going heavy sometimes isn’t an option. Rambod recommends getting comfortable with doing a higher-rep routine with less rest time between sets to maximize the effectiveness of your workout.
“The base of my FST-7 training program focuses on finishing your routine off with seven sets, all done with very short rest periods in between. Using this type of program that incorporates more reps, less rest, and a focus on pumps over just moving weight can be a great option when training with less resistance than what you’re used to.”
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Train heavy before traveling
If his clients know they’ll be traveling, Rambod always recommends training the body parts for which more equipment and heavier weights are needed while they’re at home.
“It’s always easier to train arms or shoulders at a small gym or a hotel fitness center than it is legs or back. Get the heavy workouts in while you’re at home and save the smaller body parts for the road with some light dumbbells and bands.”
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Enjoy the scenery
Use your cardio time to get out and see things! Rambod always tells his clients that if they’re in a beautiful city with a picturesque skyline or someplace that has a trail with scenic views, don’t sit on a treadmill and stare at a wall for an hour.
“Get out. See the world,” he says. “If you can get a workout in and still make the most of your time away in a unique place, that’s winning!”
