Travel will derail fitness plans faster than it takes to utter the words “vacation mode.” Hotel amenities are nonexistent, tiny, or inferior, and plane travel and flight schedule alterations offer numerous opportunities for opting out of a workout altogether. The result is arriving home weary and soft, which can take weeks to correct.
Getting exercise on the road doesn’t require perfect weather or high-tech equipment—just a bit of creativity and consistency. Here are 20 great workouts that’ll work in any hotel room, airport gate lounge, or open area you come across on your travels.
Bodyweight Squats
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and lower your body as if sitting in an invisible chair until your thighs are parallel to the floor. This fundamental movement works your legs, glutes, and core without requiring any equipment.
Start with 15-20 repetitions and increase as you get stronger throughout your trip.
Push-Up Variations
Classic push-ups work your chest, shoulders, and triceps while engaging your core for stability. If regular push-ups are too challenging, modify by placing your knees on the ground or doing them against a wall.
Advanced travelers can try diamond push-ups or single-arm variations for increased difficulty.
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Plank Hold
Hold yourself in a straight line from head to heels, supported by your forearms and toes. This isometric exercise strengthens your entire core and improves posture after long flights or car rides.
Start with 30-second holds and work up to two minutes, focusing on keeping your hips level and breathing steadily.
Lunges
Step forward with one leg and lower your body until both knees are bent at 90-degree angles, then return to the starting position. Lunges work your legs and glutes while improving balance and coordination.
Alternate legs for 10 to 15 repetitions per side, or try walking lunges if you have more space available.
Burpees
Start standing, drop into a squat position, kick your feet back into a plank, do a push-up, jump your feet back to squat position, then jump up with arms overhead. This full-body exercise combines strength training with cardiovascular conditioning to provide a comprehensive workout.
Even five burpees will get your heart rate up when time is limited.
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Mountain Climbers
Begin in a plank position and alternate bringing your knees toward your chest in a running motion while keeping your hands planted. This exercise provides excellent cardiovascular benefits while strengthening your core and shoulders.
Aim for 30-60 seconds of continuous movement, maintaining good form throughout.
Wall Sits
Lean against a wall with your back flat and slide down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, as if sitting in an invisible chair. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds to work your quadriceps and glutes.
This exercise works perfectly in hotel hallways or any space with a solid wall.
Jumping Jacks
Start with feet together and arms at your sides, then jump while spreading your legs shoulder-width apart and raising your arms overhead, then return to the starting position. This classic exercise provides cardiovascular benefits and can be done in minimal space.
Do them for 30 to 60 seconds to warm up or as part of circuit training.
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Tricep Dips
Use a sturdy chair, bed edge, or hotel room desk to support your hands while lowering and raising your body weight with your arms. This exercise effectively targets the back of your arms without the need for weights.
Start with 10 to 15 repetitions and focus on controlled movements rather than speed.
High Knees
Run in place while lifting your knees as high as possible toward your chest with each step. This cardiovascular exercise gets your heart pumping quickly and requires minimal space.
Aim for 30 to 60 seconds of continuous movement, pumping your arms naturally as you would while running.
Single-Leg Glute Bridges
Lie on your back with knees bent and lift your hips toward the ceiling while keeping one leg extended straight. This exercise targets your glutes and hamstrings while improving core stability.
Perform 10 to 15 repetitions per leg, focusing on squeezing your glutes at the top of each movement.
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Pike Push-Ups
Start in a downward dog position and lower your head toward the floor by bending your elbows, then push back up. This variation targets your shoulders more than regular push-ups and helps build upper-body strength.
The movement mimics overhead pressing without requiring weights.
Calf Raises
Stand on your toes and lower back down repeatedly to work your calf muscles. Use a wall for balance if needed, or try single-leg variations for increased difficulty.
This exercise helps counteract the effects of long periods of sitting during travel and can be done almost anywhere discreetly.
Russian Twists
Sit with knees bent and lean back slightly while rotating your torso from side to side. This core exercise targets your oblique muscles and improves rotational strength.
For added difficulty, lift your feet off the ground or hold a water bottle for resistance while twisting.
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Step-Ups
Use hotel room chairs, park benches, or sturdy luggage to step up and down repeatedly. This exercise works your legs and glutes while providing cardiovascular benefits.
Focus on controlled movements and alternate which leg you lead with to ensure balanced muscle development.
Bear Crawl
Move forward on your hands and feet with knees slightly bent and hovering just above the ground. This full-body exercise targets your core, shoulders, and legs while also improving coordination.
Crawl forward for 10 to 15 steps, then reverse the movement to return to your starting position.
Yoga Flow Sequence
Combine downward dog, warrior poses, and child’s pose into a flowing sequence that improves flexibility while providing gentle strength training. Hold each pose for 30 to 60 seconds and focus on deep breathing.
This works especially well for morning routines or evening wind-down sessions.
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Sprint Intervals
Find stairs, hallways, or outdoor spaces for short bursts of high-intensity running or fast walking. Sprint for 30 seconds followed by 60 seconds of recovery walking, repeating 5 to 8 times.
This efficient cardiovascular workout requires minimal time while delivering maximum benefits.
Superman Exercise
Lie face down and simultaneously lift your chest, arms, and legs off the ground, holding briefly before lowering. This exercise strengthens your back muscles and helps counteract the forward posture that can develop from sitting for long periods during travel days.
Perform 10 to 15 repetitions with controlled movements.
Hotel Room Circuit Training
Combine 5-6 exercises into a circuit, performing each for 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest between movements. Repeat the entire circuit 3 to 4 times for a complete workout in 15 to 20 minutes.
Combine upper body, lower body, and cardiovascular exercises for a balanced training regimen that suits any schedule.
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From Gym Dependence to Movement Freedom
Fitness culture has evolved a long way from requiring expensive gym memberships and hi-tech equipment to being able to embrace simple, yet effective movements that can be done anywhere. The best travelers have learned that consistency trumps ideal circumstances, and that shorter, more frequent sessions of exercising prove to be more effective than infrequent, but longer sessions of exercise.
Modern travel fitness is about maintaining your energy levels and preventing stiffness due to sitting for long hours, rather than trying to be at your best when traveling. The goal is not about getting home healthier than you left, but to remain healthy and energized so that you can actually make the most out of every second of traveling.
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