Holiday travel workouts for hotel rooms and family visits

Holiday travel throws off almost everyone's routine. Long drives, airport delays, unfamiliar beds and a packed schedule of visits can make a week fly by without a single workout.

The good news is that you only need a small patch of floor and 10 to 20 minutes to keep the habit going. These workouts are built for tight spaces and thin walls, so you won't wake the whole house.

Pack for success

You don't need gear, but a few small things help:

• Shoes you can train in. If you only bring one pair, make it a pair you can walk and work out in.
• One set of workout clothes. Having them ready removes an excuse.
• A resistance band (optional). It weighs almost nothing and adds a lot of options.
• A water bottle. Travel days are easy to get dehydrated on.

The hotel room workout (quiet, no jumping)

Clear a space next to the bed. Do 3 to 4 rounds, resting about 45 to 60 seconds between rounds.

Form note: For dips, keep your shoulders down and away from your ears and only lower as far as feels comfortable. Make sure the chair is sturdy and won't slide. If dips bother your shoulders, swap in more push-ups.

The guest room workout (when the house is still asleep)

Staying with family usually means sharing space. This one stays low to the ground and close to silent.

Bird dog cue: On hands and knees, reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back until they're in line with your body. Pause, return, and switch. Keep your back flat like a tabletop.

The travel day reset (10 minutes)

After hours in a car or on a plane, your body usually wants to move more than it wants to train hard. Try this at a rest stop, in the hotel, or as soon as you arrive:

1. Walk for 3 to 5 minutes, outside if you can.
2. Do 10 slow bodyweight squats.
3. Do 10 hip hinges (hands on hips, push your hips back, stand tall).
4. Do a doorway chest stretch for 30 seconds on each side.
5. Do a hip flexor stretch in a half-kneeling position for 30 seconds on each side.
6. Finish with 10 arm circles in each direction.

Use what's around you

A family's house or a hotel often has more equipment than you think.

• Stairs: Walk them for a few minutes as a warm-up, or do step-ups on the bottom step.
• A backpack or suitcase: Load a backpack with books or water bottles for squats and rows.
• The hotel gym: Even a small one usually has dumbbells and a treadmill. Try the routines in our 20-minute workouts and add weight.
• The neighborhood: A brisk walk is a great way to see where your family lives and get some fresh air.

Make it fit the trip

When you're visiting family, time with them comes first. That's what the trip is for. A few ways to fit training in without missing anything:

• Work out first thing, before anyone else is up.
• Invite a cousin, parent or sibling to join you. Our partner and family workouts have ideas for every fitness level.
• Choose active outings: a hike, ice skating, a walk to see holiday lights.
• Let some days just be rest days. Recovery is part of training.

Coming home

The hardest workout of any trip is the first one after you get back. Plan it before you leave. Put it in your calendar for the day after you return so it's already decided. If you train at Boom, both our Lehi and Pleasant Grove gyms are open 24/7, which helps when you're getting home from a late flight.

If you have a health condition or an injury, check with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.