It’s fair to say that most people are at their happiest when their mental, physical, and emotional health is well balanced. Yet, this is easier said than done and can be challenging to put into practice, especially when you spend a lot of time traveling as health and fitness become less and less of a priority when you’re on the road.
However, the good news is that just because traveling may have messed with the exercise regime you had back home, it doesn’t mean you cannot work out and stay fit and healthy when you’re on the move.
Nowadays, we are fortunate enough to have access to portable workout equipment that is lightweight and takes up little room in our luggage, which means you can use them in a hotel room, a park, or a beach and still get a fantastic workout.
In this post, we’ll give you the Top 10 Best Travel Workout Equipment, which will make great Gifts for the gym rat in your life!
What Is the Best Travel Workout Equipment?
Choosing the best travel workout equipment for you depends on your level of fitness and space allowance; however, some companies provide superb portable workout equipment.
Furthermore, combined with cardio being as accessible as it already is, you no longer need an excuse not to exercise.
I will share a list of the best travel workout equipment, so health and fitness can now become a priority for you.
I’ll cover jump ropes, resistance bands, yoga mats, and everything else available.
Who needs a gym to stay in shape when you’ve got travel workout equipment.
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These days, portable yoga mats are incredibly lightweight and perfect for those who want to practice yoga and stay in shape on the move.
Yoga mats have advanced so much that they can weigh as little as 2 pounds, are easily foldable, and can be neatly packed in your suitcase, carry-on bag, or car, making it a simple bit of kit to tag along with you without taking up much space.
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The TRX All-In-One Suspension Training System is a simple set-up and provides a full-body workout using only a few easy straps.
Unbelievably, it weighs less than a yoga mat at a mere 1.7 pounds, ideal for carrying in your bag while traveling.
Two different anchors come with the set, easily secured to any door, tree branch (if you’re working out in the park), beam, or rafter for a fantastic indoor or outdoor workout.
Another benefit of the set is that it only includes five items: a door anchor, a suspension training strap, a suspension anchor, a small mesh travel pouch to make it easily portable, and a 35-page workout guide.
Skipping is a great cardio workout that improves agility, balance, endurance, and coordination. Once you become consistent with it, you’ll see results quickly.
The beauty of skipping is that it can be done anywhere and doesn’t require much space. You will always find room at most hotels or take yourself down to the local park instead.
Skipping is a full-body workout, engaging the quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, abs, oblique muscles, forearms, biceps, triceps, shoulders, back muscles, and chest.
Over the last ten years, resistance bands have become increasingly popular.
Fitness and health experts have been shouting their benefits from the rooftop, and they deserve a place in accompanying you on your travels.
Ideally, you want a set that contains four or five resistance bands, each having a different resistance level ranging from 2 to 30 pounds.
Most brands’ resistance bands come with two soft-grip handles and sometimes two ankle straps, which adequately cover you for upper and lower body workouts.
In normal circumstances, dumbbells would be the last thing you’d read on a travel workout equipment list, given a large percentage of them are cast iron, meaning they are neither light nor portable for most travelers.
However, cast iron dumbbells are not necessary when you can use water-filled dumbbells.
Water-filled dumbbells are affordable and portable and allow you to still get in a great workout when you’re on the road.
The ab wheel is perfect for those who travel as it is small, light in weight, and is a killer piece of equipment to add to your workout.
However, don’t be fooled by the name, as an ab wheel doesn’t just work the abs; it is more beneficial than that.
It works the core muscles, such as the abs, transverse abdominus (the front and side ab muscles), the spine stabilizers right the way down to your tailbone, the triceps, and lats (back muscles).
For these reasons alone, the ab wheel is worthy of being a part of anyone’s travel workout equipment.
A quality mini foam roller is an essential piece of travel workout equipment.
It’s no good exercising if you’re stiff and sore for days following, and this is where foam rollers work their magic. They have a rollable surface that targets small and large muscle groups, allowing faster recovery.
Furthermore, many of those who travel suffer from stiffness and cramp, particularly in their legs, back, and feet.
However, fear not, as you can use the foam roller to self-massage any knots out of those body parts to help you feel looser and fresher, enabling you to continue enjoying your travels.
Small enough to fit in any carry bag, the hand gripper is a great little device to work on your grip, and it’s not just beneficial for weightlifters or rehab patients to use; it’s ideal for anyone who would like improved hand strength.
Never underestimate the importance of hand strength as it is necessary for most sports and activities such as lifting, baseball, golfing, rowing, and climbing. It is also helpful for other outdoor activities.
These days, most hand grippers are incredibly durable and robust, built to last a long time. Also, most come with 8-10 different strength levels, making them suitable for beginners to world-class athletes.
If push-ups are a staple part of your workout, whether you’re at home, in a hotel, or outside in nature, push-up handles are a great option as they aim to reduce strain on the joints, allowing a more effective push-up.
Push-up handles are portable and affordable and perfect for all levels of fitness. They also feature comfortable rubber grips and a non-slip base, making them safe to use on many surfaces.
The telling benefit of this product is that it significantly reduces the pressure on the hands and wrists, which helps increase the strength in your arms, shoulders, chest, and core muscle groups.
Fitness trackers are an excellent tool for keeping you accountable and increasing your motivation by tracking your activity and steps each day.
The benefit of wearing one when you travel is that you can keep motivated and get those steps in, regardless of whether certain days are more sedentary than others. For example, if you are flying, you can do a few laps of the aisle to increase your daily activity.
Another plus of wearing a fitness tracker is that it helps you monitor your heart rate, breathing, amount of calories burned (although this is a rough estimate), and even quality of sleep patterns, which most travelers struggle with at some point.
So, have you found the Perfect Gift for the workout fan who travels a lot?
While traveling can be a fun part of a vacation for some people, it can also be stressful and tiring, especially for those who travel a lot with their job.
However, if left unmonitored, traveling can impact your diet. It is easier to opt for poor food choices such as fast food and candy for convenience while on the move.
Having some travel workout equipment with you allows you to exercise while you are away can offset some of the damage by burning some additional calories and helping keep you in shape. Exercise is vital for releasing endorphins that can boost your mood, ideal for lowering stress levels that may come with traveling.
Commit to setting achievable daily goals and get the family involved to make it fun. There is plenty of portable workout equipment to choose from on this list, so use this as a reason to keep up with your exercise regime wherever you are going.
This post originally appeared on Savoteur.
About the author
Chris Jones
Chris is the founder ofLiveLift.Lifewhich covers topics on how to improve your health, mindset, and increase your productivity. Read articles on the best exercises and workouts, optimal nutrition tips, and productivity hacks to level up your life.