People work so hard to get that beach body – why should you lose it while on vacation? Of course vacation is a time to relax but it does not mean you have to lose everything you’ve gained in the gym.
Getting in a vigorous exercise does not require a fancy gym – in fact working out on the beach in the sand can provide an additional challenging element and be a soft surface for jumping.
Here are six exercises that can be done in a hotel room, on the beach or other small space outside of a gym. Combining cardio and strength moves will make this a full body workout. I recommend doing this circuit two to three times with a minute rest in between.
• Jumping jacks (25 reps) – Jumping jacks maybe old school but they will get the heart rate up. If jumping are too hard on your back or joints, walk in place with high knees (shoot your knees as high up as you can) as an alternative.
• Mountain climbers (20 reps) – Start in plank position, drive one knee at a time up to the chest and repeat as fast as you can.
• Walking Lunges (20 reps) – Be methodical when you lung, aim to get your bent knee as close to the ground as you can. This exercise helps strengthen the gluts, quads and hamstrings.
• Standing Squats (15 reps) – Standing squats are another great leg strengthener. Stand with legs parallel about hip’s width apart. When bending, imagine sitting back into a chair and try to get your quads parallel to the floor. Sit back in your heels, then push to return to standing.
• Push-ups (15 reps) – There is a reason this one is a classic! Keep hands shoulder width a part and feet flexed hip distance apart. Tighten your abs as you lower until the chest is a few inches from the ground. Then push back up!
• Bicycle (20 reps) – Lie on your back, hands behind your head, legs bent. Bring the right elbow towards the left knee and straighten the right leg. Continue alternating sides like you’re pedaling. Think about lifting from your core to tighten your abs.
Adam Maielua is lead trainer at The Body Lab. The Body Lab with locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale, uses a method called Lagree fitness which is a hardcore Pilates-but-not-Pilates workout that includes exercises on a machine called a MegaFormer. The 50-minute class focuses on cardio, strength, endurance, core and flexibility and delivers better results in less sessions than plain old cardio. Visit thebodylabus.com for more information.
