Do all your efforts in sticking to a well-planned workout routine go down the drain when you’re traveling because of the lack of access to exercise equipment and gyms?
Well, stop sabotaging your fitness goals just because you’re on holiday! Here are some of the best travel workout equipment you can bring along with you, so your physique stays in tip-top condition.
Jump Ropes
Think jumping rope is just for kids in the playground? Think again. The jump rope is one of the cheapest, and best investments you can make when it comes to your fitness.
But – why?
Well, it’s an extremely effective form of cardio that is a great calorie-burner.
And let’s face it: after a full day of sight-seeing, you’re probably not too keen on heading out again for a run. Lucky for you, a great workout can be achieved within the hotel even without a gym.
You can jump rope in a small space without needing additional exercise equipment.
Pros
- Coordination: you need to perform the exercise with a steady and regular cadence to sustain jumping rope; this can help refine the coordination between your eyes, feet, and hands.
- Cognitive function: the learning of new motor patterns involved in jumping rope enhances your overall cognitive function.
- Extremely portable: jump ropes do not take up much space; in fact, if you wanted to, you could fit them in your handbag! Their portability definitely makes them the best portable exercise equipment for travel.
Cons
- It does not build muscle.
Does it fit in the hand luggage?
Of course!
Workout Ideas
You can refer to the following video for workout inspiration:
Recommended Products
Survival and Cross Premium Quality Jump Rope
Are you a beginner to jumping rope, but still want to reap the benefits of cardiovascular exercise when you’re traveling?
You need to get yourself a pair of jump rope from Survival and Cross then. Your purchase comes with a downloadable exercise manual that teaches you all you need to know about getting the most of your new fitness equipment.
Also, the jump rope is fully adjustable – it comes with two sliding screws and collars that set the handles at your preferred rope length. The excess cable length can then be simply cut off.
Degol Tangle-free Skipping Rope
When you’re in a new country, you want to maximize the amount of time you have on exploring places, and sight-seeing. You definitely do not want to waste precious time on untangling your jump ropes.
And this is why you need DEGOL’s tangle-free skipping rope – its ball bearing system avoids the twisting, winding and bending that you commonly experience with other ropes.
Also, you don’t need to worry about having to replace the ropes when in a foreign country. The jump rope is designed with braided steel wire that is coated with PVC, ensuring durability.
WOD Nation Speed Jump Rope
If you’re an advanced skipper, you’d appreciate the speed that WOD Nation’s jump rope offers. The swivel bearing in the tip of the cord ensures that the cable doesn’t lose momentum even if your hand position or swing isn’t perfect.
And you know what the fast speed means – you can complete an intense, fat-burning session within 10 minutes and head out to explore, knowing that you’ve smashed your workout for the day!
Did I mention?
The jump rope also comes in a nylon carrying bag, so you don’t have to worry about it getting tangled up in your luggage – making it the ultimate portable exercise equipment for travel!
TRX Suspension Trainer
Many of us opt for body-weight exercises when travel – they can be quickly done in the comforts of our hotel rooms, and require minimal fitness accessories.
But there’s a big problem with body-weight exercises.
They focus too much on ‘pushing’ movements that target the front side of the body’s muscles. For example, push-ups that hit the chest. As a result, our back muscles responsible for ‘pulling’ actions (pull-ups and rows) can become neglected.
Over extended periods, this may lead to muscle imbalances and injuries. You don’t want that to happen to you, do you?
Enter what I think to be the best travel exercise equipment that targets the back muscles: the TRX suspension trainer.
Find out more about suspension trainer options to find the best one for you.
Pros
- Low impact: its suspended nature puts minimal stress on your joints.
- Tones muscle: the body-weight exercises allow you to tone and hold on to the muscles you built.
- Hits the ‘pulling’ muscles: you can target your biceps and back muscles with the TRX suspension trainer; this is impossible if you worked out with no equipment at all.
Cons
- Insufficient lower body training: you might end up with lesser stimulus to your leg muscles than if you performed body-weight exercises because of the inherent, suspended nature of the equipment.
Does it fit in the hand luggage?
Definitely!
Workout Ideas
You can refer to the following video for workout inspiration:
Recommended Products
TRX All-in-one Suspension Training System
The TRX All-in-one suspension training system promises to provide you with everything you’ll ever need to build muscle and burn fat. It comes with indoor and outdoor anchoring options so you can choose to work out at the park near your hotel room if you fancy.
Beginner to building muscle? No worries – TRX has got you covered. Your purchase includes a 36-page full-color workout guide that provides you with all the help and knowledge you need. That’s not all; you also get access to the TRX app for hundreds of workouts that you can plan and track.
What’s your excuse for not working out while traveling now?
TRX GO Suspension Trainer System
If you already know what you’re doing and you don’t need the 36-page guide from TRX, you can just purchase the GO suspension trainer system. It gives you everything included in the All-in-one package, minus the guide.
And it’s cheaper, too! Score.
Resistance Band
Ever thought that resistance bands were useless? Well, stop resisting resistance bands if you want to get a good workout in, while on the road!
There are multiple resistance levels available – light, medium, or heavy. You can choose the most suitable level for your personal fitness ability. Even if the light resistance ends up too challenging for you in specific exercises, you have the option of giving more slack on the band, so it becomes easier.
Also, these inexpensive and lightweight exercise equipment can fold up and easily slot into any available slots you have in your bags.
Pros
- Adapts to various fitness levels: in addition to the availability of different resistance levels, you have the freedom of giving more slack or tension to decrease or increase the challenge of the exercise.
- Cost-effective: it doesn’t matter if you buy them individually or as a set, resistance bands are relatively inexpensive and affordable.
- Allows for full-body workouts: you can get in both upper and lower body workouts by anchoring the bands to stationary objects in your hotel room, and this makes it one of the best portable workout equipment.
Cons
- Insufficient resistance for serious bodybuilders.
Does it fit in the hand luggage?
Why not? In fact, it’s the smallest item on this article’s list. In my opinion, this makes it the best travel workout equipment available!
Workout Ideas
You can refer to the following video for travel-friendly workout inspiration:
Recommended Products
Upowex 5 Stackable Exercise Bands
Get an intense full-body workout in with UPOWEX’s stackable exercise bands. The 5 color-coded resistance bands range between 10 to 50 lbs: they can be used alone or stacked in any combination, so you achieve the resistance you desire.
Worried that the bands will snap while you’re in the midst of a row?
Don’t fret – the bands are made of the highest quality natural latex that is known to be extremely durable. Each one of them is double-layered and will retain their resistance for a long time.
Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands
Fit Simplify’s resistance loop exercise bands range from extra-light to extra-heavy – this makes them perfect for you even if you are just a beginner or a seasoned workout warrior.
Not quite sure what you can do with the resistance bands? Just refer to the 41-page E-book that comes with your purchase of the bands! You’ll get access to full-colored, illustrated exercises that show you how you can safely work up a sweat with the bands.
Prefer videos to books when learning? You’re in luck: you’re also privy to online video guides so you can follow along in the comforts of your hotel room!
Upowex Pull Up Assist Bands
Still struggling with your first pull-up? Work on them when you’re away on holiday with UPOWEX’s pull up assist bands! Simply anchor them on a stationary pole or door frame, and you might just be able to flaunt your perfect pull-up form to your friends when you return home.
These bands are not just for pull-ups either – you can also use them to add resistance to the bench press, push up, squats and Olympic lifts. Very useful if you’re able to find a gym near your hotel!
Ab Wheel
Seems like those pesky infomercials got one thing right: the ab-wheel roll-out is one of the best portable gym equipment you can bring with you on your travels!
Not only does it provide you with a great, next-level core challenge, the exercise also activates your lats, shoulders, chest, biceps, and triceps! It’s essentially a great exercise that works your entire upper body.
Pros
- Great upper body workout: it is not only a core exercise; it also effectively targets nearly all your upper body muscles.
- Offers variety: crunches and sit-ups can get boring; the ab wheel roll-out provides a fun alternative exercise that you can add into your routine when you’re training the core.
- Challenging: the instability of the exercise makes the ab wheel roll-out infinitely more challenging in comparison to traditional core exercises like planks, sit-ups, and crunches.
Cons
- Puts an unwanted strain on the lower back if you’re currently lacking the necessary core strength to perform this exercise safely.
Does it fit in the hand luggage?
Only those that are portable or foldable! You can always check in your normal-sized ab rollers if you wish.
Workout Ideas
You can refer to the following video for workout inspiration:
Recommended Products
Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro Roller
First time performing ab wheel roll-outs, and afraid that you’re straining your lower back unnecessarily? Get yourself Perfect Fitness’s Ab Carver Pro Roller then. Its ultra-wide wheel tread offers you greater stability when you’re rolling forward and sideways.
You won’t need to worry about the possibility of falling flat on your face because you lost grip mid-way through the roll either. The ergonomic hand-grips are textured to prevent your hands from slipping.
And the best part?
The handles are removable! This essentially means easier storage and transport for when you’re on the road. Save space in your hand carry or check in luggage!
Fitnessery Ab Wheel Exercise Equipment
Fitnessery’s ab wheel equipment really stands out because of the incredible additional materials you get with your purchase.
But wait – what additional materials, and why should you care?
- Knee pad – gives you knee support, so you don’t end up with bruised knees after your workout session.
- Nutrition E-book – we all know that nutrition plays just as big a role as actually exercising when it comes to revealing the abs; this book gives you valuable diet guidance so you can finally see your abs.
- Abs Workout E-book – you’ll never run out of core exercise ideas ever again.
Elite Sportz Equipment Ab Wheel Rollers
What’s better than a single-wheeled ab roll out equipment? One with two wheels, of course!
The ab wheel roller from Elite Sportz Equipment is designed with two wheels – this provides you with more stability and can instill the necessary confidence in yourself to perform the exercise with the proper form (finally).
Also, the handles of the equipment are made with a combination of hard plastic and soft rubber that offers a really excellent grip.
Dry Bag Dumbbell
If you’re a bodybuilding fanatic, you’ll know that nothing quite replaces the stimulus your muscles get from using weights.
Obviously, you’re not able to carry around your favorite 5 and 10 KG dumbbells in your luggage. I mean, you could, but you’re wasting precious storage space in your luggage. And you’re probably hitting your baggage allowance even before you pack in your clothes and necessities.
So – what do you do if you know you don’t have access to a gym, and yet you want to maintain your muscle mass?
You go for dry bag dumbbells.
Do you know why they make the best travel weights? Well, when they’re not functioning as weights, you can empty them and use them as your regular bags! Talk about versatility.
Pros
- Versatile: can your dumbbells function as bags? No? I thought so – I believe the dry bag dumbbells are one of the most versatile weights available!
- Easy access to filling material: you can choose to fill the dry bags with sand or water; these filling materials can easily be found even if you’re traveling. You can get water from your hotel bathroom, and sand from a nearby park or beach.
- Portable: just flatten it out and pack it into your hand-carry or check-in luggage.
Cons
- Bulky: when compared to a 5 KG dumbbell, the 5 KG dry bag dumbbell is going to be significantly bigger. This can make it difficult to perform specific exercises.
Does it fit in the hand luggage?
You bet! Just fold it up, and it fits nicely!
Workout Ideas
You can refer to the following YouTube videos for workout inspiration:
Recommended Products
Mokan 10 KG Heavy Duty Dry Bag Dumbbell
Is 10 KG too heavy for your regular routine?
Don’t fret: Mokan’s dry bag dumbbell is designed with internal graduations and markings so you can adjust the amount of filling to achieve your desired training weight.
Also, the removable, soft-grip handle provides you with a comfortable weight-lifting experience. You can be assured that there will be no accidental unfastening of clasp while you’re amid an intense bicep curl.
Meister MMA Portable Sand Kettlebell
The Portable Sand Kettlebell from Meister MMA is meant to replicate traditional kettlebells: you can perform all the exercises as you would in your regular kettlebell fitness routine. Swings, squats, presses, pulls, curls, twists – anything’s possible!
The portable kettlebell promises no leakage of filling material; it’s constructed with a single piece of heavy duty PVC material.
Synergee Adjustable Fitness Sandbag
Used to heavier weights in the gym? Get the fitness sandbag from Synergee then. When you order the sandbag, you’re entitled to 4 filler bags that have a maximum capacity of 11 KG each.
This means you could potentially have a sandbag that weighs nearly 45 KG – how’s that for a challenging weight?
But – would the sandbag rip with such a heavy load?
Good question. Fortunately, no. The sandbags are constructed with an ultra-durable outer shell that is made from robust and waterproof nylon corduroy. The nylon is also reinforced with triple-stitching.
Exercise Everywhere
How to Stay Fit While You Travel
I know, I know – it isn’t easy to stay committed to your workout routine when all you want to do is binge-eat good food and explore new places.
We all need help sometimes; this is why I’m offering you three fitness tips that can help you stay in (relatively) good shape when you’re traveling:
Walk to Your Destination
Be honest: do you really need to Uber to your dinner place when it’s at the very most 3 blocks away? No – you don’t. Just walk there! It’ll help you burn off calories and can count towards your cardio activity.
And the best part?
You’re probably getting a more personal look at the country that you’re traveling in. Let’s face it: if you were in an Uber, you would not have noticed the tiny shops along the corners of the street. Your face would have been glued to your phone the entire duration of the car ride.
Get Your Workout Done First Thing in the Morning
Do a quick 15-20 minutes workout the first thing you wake up. You don’t even have to brush your teeth or comb your hair – no one is looking, anyway. You can choose to use any of the 5 major categories of portable workout equipment mentioned in this article or just use body-weight – it’s entirely up to you!
The most crucial part is that you get it out of the way first thing in the morning. This ensures that you won’t skip out on it when you return to your hotel room all tired out from sight-seeing in the evening.
Sign Up for Physical Activities
Always choose physical activities when possible while you’re traveling; you can go for hikes, play water sports, or cycle around the city. Ultimately, you’re not going to tone those muscles, or burn calories if you’re not moving.
And besides, those activities are fun! I don’t see why you wouldn’t participate in them.
Conclusion
Staying fit when you’re traveling doesn’t need to be complicated. Hopefully, you’ll be getting yourself at least one of the mentioned portable fitness gear to bring along to your next holiday destination. Be sure also to follow the fitness tips, so you stay committed to your fitness goals!
Enjoyed our article on some of the best travel workout equipment? Let us know in the comments section below. Also, do tell us if you’ve tried any of the equipment mentioned – we’d love to hear your thoughts and experience!