Blog Header Image

Sadie

   •    

December 15, 2024

The Best Workout Equipment to Travel With

The Best Workout Equipment to Travel With

Between holiday parties and work happy hours; family visits and food-oriented gatherings; and colder temperatures with shorter daylight hours — the holiday season has this neat knack of knocking us off the fitness wagon, so much so that marching onward with your nutrition goals and maintaining a consistent workout routine all while simultaneously scrounging up the holiday spirit can be… difficult.

When I travel for the holidays, whether from the living room to the garage or from my house here in Austin to my sister’s house in Georgia, I make it a priority to plan when and how I’ll be able to move my body. Over the years, I’ve found that staying active through the holidays doesn’t have to be a daunting task; all you need are a few travel-friendly pieces of equipment (though you can certainly get creative without any equipment at all), a 30-60 minute window in between family functions and a good playlist to set the mood.

If you’re in the market for some equipment essentials to pack for your travels, here are my top three, favorite pieces of travel-friendly equipment and some suggested workouts you can do anytime, anywhere, with anyone:

Rubber Resistance Bands

Photo from Amazon

Rubber resistance bands are probably my number one option when it comes to working out on-the-go as they’re compact and lightweight. These bands are a breeze to travel with, and they’re an incredibly versatile strength training accessory — affording you the luxury of not being bound to bodyweight-only workouts while you travel.

Grab a medium-to-light resistance band and try this workout before your uncle starts talking to you about politics:

30:00 E3MOM (every 3 minutes, on the minute):

12 Banded Good Mornings

12 Banded Squats

12 Banded Bent-Over Rows

12 Single-Arm Banded Strict Press (6R/6L)

*Perform these movements with some speed but more importantly — integrity. Your goal is at least :30s of rest each round.

Speed Rope

Photo from Amazon

Speed ropes are another compact travel companion but do not be misled: small as they may be, they pack a major punch. Single or double-unders are a very effective monostructural movement that’ll get your heart rate up in a hurry.

The Rogue speed rope is my favorite rope to work with as the handles hold a medium weight and the bearing system is smooth. Side note: if you have any desire to be proficient with a speed rope, finding the right rope for you is actually pretty important.

Grab your rope and give this quick and dirty lung burner a go:

50-40-30-20-10

Double-unders

Jumping Lunges

*We’re moving as fast as we can here (safely, of course). If you don’t have double unders, go for double the amount of single-unders. If jumping lunges hurt your knees, switch to reverse lunges with a high-knee hop at the top, performing all half of the reps on one leg before switching.

Fabric Mini Bands

Photo from Amazon

Fabric mini bands are the younger, sturdier sister to the rubber resistance bands. These are — gasp — also extremely lightweight and compact, making them easy to tuck into any pocket of any bag. These bands offer a focused type of resistance to primarily the lower body, totally transforming simple bodyweight movements into strength builders.

Grab a medium-to-heavy band and get your glutes ready for a good time while the turkey roasts:

5 Rounds for Quality:

12 One-and-a-Quarter Banded Squats

12 Banded Hollow Rocks

12 Glute Bridges with a 3s Hold

12 Banded Arch Rocks

12 Bent-Over Banded Kickbacks (12R/12L)

*Rest 1:00 between rounds. This is a slower bodybuilding style workout, perfect for if you’re not feeling up to a high-intensity session.

Happy holidays, Austin!

(Article originally published in Austin Fit Magazine)

Continue reading

Blog Image Spacer

Sweet & Spicy Korean Turkey Spring Roll Bowls

serving of meat makes 8 servings: Calories — 565⁣ Protein — 40g⁣ Fat — 21g⁣ Carbs — 33g⁣ ⁣ 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐲⁣ 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥: ⁣ ⁣ 3 lbs lean ground turkey⁣ 9 tsp garlic, minced about 9 cloves⁣ 34 cup brown sugar, packed⁣ 34 cup low-sodium soy saucetamaricoconut aminos⁣ 6 tsp sesame oil⁣ 1 tsp ground ginger or 2-3 tsp minced⁣ 1 tsp crushed red pepper⁣ 1 tsp black pepper⁣ Sliced green onions for garnish⁣ 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞⁣ 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥:⁣ ⁣ 10oz bag of shredded cabbage⁣ 10oz bag of julienned carrots⁣ 10oz bag of broccoli slaw⁣ 12oz bag of sea kelp noodles ⁣ 5oz greens of your choice, roughly chopped⁣ 5-10 mini cucumbers, sliced⁣ 1 bunch each of cilantro, mint, and Thai basil, roughly chopped⁣ 13-12 cup peanuts, chopped⁣ Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish⁣ ⁣𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠⁣ 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥:⁣ ⁣ 12 cup olive oil⁣ 6 tbsp rice vinegar⁣ 4 tsp honey ⁣ 2 tsp minced garlic⁣ Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste⁣ ⁣ To prepare: ⁣ — Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.