No Gym... No Problem- Staying Strong on Vacation... for Mamas

You finally started that routine. You've been consistent for weeks and you're starting to see muscles you never knew existed. In fact your biceps are starting to show and you're digging how your arms look in tank tops.

Now it's time for the family vacation. You are determined to stay consistent- you've written your routines and BAM!!! You walk into the hotel gym and all you see is an exercise bike and some mismatched dumbbells.

All you can think of is that little voice from the Peanuts cartoons saying 'whaaa whaaa.'

Fortunately after a few run-ins with this scenario I decided to smarten up and bring a gym with me. It's just a few pieces of equipment but now, regardless of what the hotel gym looks like, I can continue building strength while also making the most of my vacation with my family.

No, I do not carry weights- I can barely pass the weight limit with just my clothes.

I bought and carry on a set of these bad boys:

These little babies can provide excellent workouts- they take up very little space and are relatively inexpensive. Band workouts can be intense, they can allow you to continue on with your strength gains, and if used with very little rest can substitute for a bit of cardio as well.

While these workouts might not be perfect, they are definitely better than being stuck with nothing the entire week.

Here the two band routines I'm doing on vacation this summer.

Band Routine 1:

Band squat press

Band row

Band chest press

Band biceps curls

Band triceps extension

Band Routine 2:

Band latt pulldown

Band hyper-extension

Band lying chest press

Band glute bridge

I hope you'll join along with me in trying these workouts!

If you're not interested in trying bands, check out my 10-minute bodyweight hotel circuits that I posted last week.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and whether or not you workout on vacation. And, if you want to hear more about my workouts on and off vacation, grab a spot on my mailing list where I share insights into movement, motherhood, mindset and sometimes making stuff!

Lauren