Travel.

Working out.

They're like oil and water. They don't mix.

Working out is most effective when it's part of a routine. But travel is the least routine-based thing anyone could possibly do.

Having made a lot of physical gains over the last year, I don't want to completely abandon working out while I'm on the road. But I also don't want it to consume my time during this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore so many new cultures and countries.

Thus, after a lot of back and forth on if or how I might work out while traveling, I settled on a few principles that I've been following to strike a balance between my two passions.

Conservation

The name of the game is conservation.

I don't have the time, nor the built-in routine to make serious gains and I know that.

Not to mention that putting the right fuel in my body while traveling means I'd probably be doing so at the expense of experiencing the local cuisine and food culture, which I love to do.

So instead of focusing on making gains, the focus is on maintaining them. The science suggests that to do this, I actually only need to train once a week.

I've scaled up a little higher than that–my (imperfect) aim is to work out every other day which comes out to 3 or 4 days per week. This is a huge downgrade from 6 days a week while I was in Metz, or 2-3 workouts a day this past summer, but it should be enough to maintain.

Not to mention, the more I work out, the more delicious food I can eat while traveling! 😉

Simplicity

The other name of the game is simplicity.

I've already mentioned that routines are hard while traveling. Keeping things simple is the best way to ensure that I actually stick to the goals I've set for myself.

Working out while backpacking and being in a new city adds inherent complexities. I have to find a gym and sign up for a trial or day-pass. I have to unpack and repack all my clothes. Even showering can add complexity as I often share a shower with many other people.

Thus, I've attempted to remove as many variables from the equation as possible. Instead of going to gyms, I go to outdoor calisthenics parks, as every city has them and I don't have to sign up for a membership to work out there.

I also go running, which has even less variables to it than a calisthenics workout. All I have to do is walk out the door and start my watch.

Running also has the added benefits of being a great way to explore a city and giving me a lot more leeway to eat more food than any other activity I might do because it burns the most calories out of any cardio workout.

My Workouts

I am to work out every other day, alternating between my cardio workout and my calisthenics workout.

Both are extremely simple, and I love it that way because it means I don't have to think about anything.

Given that solo traveling requires constant decision-making, already having the workout figured out is a big bonus in my book.

Here are my 2 different workout options:

1. Hour-long run: sometimes I shorten it to 30 or 45 minutes depending on time, but as a rule of thumb, I set out to complete an hour, rather than a distance.
2. 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 sit-ups: I break it down into 20 sets of 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 sit-ups. It's easy and I can jump right into it at any calisthenics park.

Because these require very little thought and very little creativity, but still happen to be good workouts, I've been able to do these (approximately) every other day without feeling like I'm sacrificing my time in a city.

In fact, sometimes it even enhances the experience!

I've gone on beautiful beachside runs in Nice (France), Paphos (Cyprus), and Aqaba (Jordan).

I met some great locals at a calisthenics park in Granada (Spain).

I even got to partake in endurance races in Austria, France, and the UAE! Doing so helped me connect with cities in these countries in unique ways that aren't available to a normal backpacker.

Takeaways

In short, working out while traveling is hard to do without feeling like you're sacrificing your experience.

But it's not impossible.

The most important thing to do is to keep things as simple as possible. Creating workouts that don't require fancy equipment or gym memberships are ideal while traveling.

Finally, it's important to temper expectations.

I know I would feel disappointed if I sacrificed my travel time for staying in tip-top shape. Striving to maintain my fitness feels sustainable and the manner in which I've worked out has given me the added bonus of seeing a city in a fun and different way!

Here's to keeping the gains while on the road!