PLAN AHEAD
Research your destination. Not sure if there’s a Gold’s Gym where you’re headed? Check out the Gold’s Gym Locator to find one in the city you’re traveling to. There are more than 650 Gold’s Gym facilities in 36 states and 25 countries, and a Gold’s Gym Travel Pass gets you 14 free visits each year to any other Gold’s Gym location.
Plan on pounding some pavement? You can find a route in advance by browsing user-recommended running, walking, biking and hiking routes at MapMyFitness.
PACK GEAR
First up: workout clothes. If your suitcase space is at a premium, pack one exercise outfit (top, bottom, socks and shoes) that you can wash in your hotel sink. Borrow detergent from your host, or request it from the hotel’s front desk.
Next up: portable fitness gear. If you’re looking to squeeze in some exercise within the comfort of your room, consider tossing any (or all) of the following items into your luggage:
How Rock Stars Do It
It’s March Music Madness time again so we found out how some musicians manage to stay fit and healthy despite long hours on a bus and grueling show schedules.
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Fitness apps: Given their on-the-go lifestyle, it’s not hard to imagine why touring artists turn their phones into personal trainers. One folk rock band says they’ve been using the Hundred Pushups app for almost two years. The app provides an easy guide to pump-up your push-up capabilities.
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Healthy riders: Green rooms filled with booze or bowls of M&M’s are, apparently, out of tune these days. Most musicians now fill their back stage with healthy snacks like almonds, veggie platters and protein smoothies. In addition, some bands keep their buses “junk food free” and ask fans via Twitter where to find fresh meals along their tour route.
- Yoga: Before they hit center stage, some stars like to get centered on a mat. One pop band front man said he became a yoga devotee because it’s easy to do anywhere, which is essential for his travel-heavy lifestyle. [Want to try for yourself? Get some yoga basics here.]
What: Jump rope
Why: It’s incredibly lightweight and provides a great cardio fix.
What: AquaBells travel weights ($49.95 for dumbbells; aquabells.com)
Why: Fill these collapsible weights with tap water, and you’ll have dumbbells that weigh as much as 16 pounds each.
What: GoFit Ultimate ProGym ($26.92; amazon.com)
Why: This exercise kit contains three resistance tubes with two handles, two ankle straps, one door anchor, an exercise booklet, a 25-minute DVD workout and a mesh bag to carry it all.
TRY THE NO-FRILLS HOTEL WORKOUT
Can’t find a gym? Forgot to pack gear? Don’t worry—these basic moves can be done with everyday items you can find in a standard hotel room.
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Use the hotel phone book as a dumbbell and do biceps curls, overhead presses and front and side lateral raises. Do 3 sets of 5 to 10 reps of each.
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Pull out a hotel desk chair for triceps dips. Do 3 sets of 5 to 10 reps.
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Do 3 sets of 10 push-ups and sit-ups on the hotel bed. The “give” of the mattress will challenge your balance and increase your core strength by working your stabilizing muscles.
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Put on comfortable shoes and climb the stairs, two-at-a-time, for 30 minutes to get a kick-butt cardio routine.
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Grab a bathroom towel and use it as a stretching tool. Stretch the towel over your head and bend side to side. Try 5 times on each side for 5 to 10 seconds for a deep oblique stretch. Then stretch the towel horizontally in front of you and slowly swivel to the right side, hold 5 seconds and then swivel to the left side and hold 5 seconds. Finally, sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Loop the towel around the bottoms of your feet to help stretch out your back and hold for 10 seconds.
