Business Travel and Working Out

keithjleslie

Anybody have to travel for business and still work out? I am starting a new job after the 1st of the year and I need to develop an exercise workout strategy for when I am on the road. Are there any gym networks or national gyms that are better than others for working out when travelling? Are you just using hotel gyms? What do you do for nutrition like protein powders, etc. What is the most effective way to pack for travel with exercise clothes etc. I have traveled for business in jobs in my past but I was not fit, now that I am fit I do not want to jeopardize my fitness level and want to continue to build muscle.

Any and all in put is welcome.

Thanks in advance.

BlackandWhitePhotoOp

I don't travel for business, but everyother weekend I go to see my partner. I always pack work out clothes and a jump rope. Maybe you can pack some work out dvd's just encase the hotel doesn't have an exercise room. Also, some hotels have indoor pools, so you can do laps for exercise.

DMZ_1

A lot of it would depend on the type of hotel where you stay. Hotel gyms are helpful and if there's a good swimming pool indoors, even better! Eating is harder without kitchen facilities.

LeanButNotMean44

I travel for business frequently. My key is booking a hotel that has a decent gym, which can be hit or miss. Many times the photos on the hotel's website are not an accurate depiction, but I try to stay at hotels where I know the gym will fit my needs. I have found that hotels on the west coast seem to have better gyms for some reason. I also usually bring my own snacks with me - almonds, protein bars, etc. As far as packing exercise clothing, if it is a lifting only day I will usually wear the top/shorts twice rather than bring more clothing.

I also have a set of exercise bands but have not yet had to use them.

mo135

I travel exetensively for work and here's what has worked for me. First, I try to stay in a hotel that has larger rooms such as a Residence Inn. This serves two purposes: There is space to workout in the room with Insanity, and the in room kitchen so I can control what I eat. I hate hotel gyms (or gyms in general). Early in the morning those normally small places get crowded and there's no way I'd do Insanity in public since I tend to look like a rhino struggling under the effects of a tranquilizer dart.

As to protien powders, etc? My favorite is Met-Rx since it comes in individual serving envelopes. I pack enough envelopes in a gallon size zip lock bag incase one splits open in transit (so far has never happened). I mix it in a wide mouth Nalgene bottle using non fat milk stored in the room's full size fridge.

I also pack a couple days worth of exercise clothes. The hotels I stay in have DIY guest laundry so it is easy to have fresh workout clothing on hand. Hope this helps.

kgeyser

My husband travels a lot, and the gym facilities can be hit or miss. He just got back from a trip and the only gym was in another building, accessible by tram. Of course the tram didn't run during the hours he had free to exercise. Since he's been traveling for work for years and we had encountered this problem before, we invested in a TRX system. He just throws it in his bag, it's only about 2 lbs, but it gives a good workout.

Stage14

It depends on what you want from a gym when you're traveling. Hotel gyms tend to be mostly or completely cardio machines, rarely having a decent free weight set, so I don't use them unless I have to. However, if you are looking for largely cardio and machine work, they can be a great amenity.

Anytime Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness both let you use any of their locations. Anytime has a ton of locations but is concentrated in the South. 24 Hour is a national chain, but they only have around 400 locations total, so they aren't everywhere either. Planet Fitness is pretty national and If you will be traveling to the same areas pretty regularly, I would look into if either of those are located near where you'll be traveling. For me, Anytime is close to about 80% of my traveling, and the rest of the time I find a gym that will let me buy a day pass (usually run $7-$14) and use them.

Planet Fitness looks to be easy to find in almost every state and you can use any location with a black card membership, but they are also mostly cardio without a good set up for lifting heavy, so in that case, I'd save the $20 a month and use the hotel gym personally.

lpwhite0528

This is all awesome advice.

kaaaaylee

I crossfit, so I find boxes in advance near where I'm staying. If I know I have social dinners and things, I stay somewhere with a gym so I can workout there in the morning.

There are a ton of things online if you google "hotel workouts", but I'm not that motivated.

Any national gym chain may be good to look into. PF or if you know you'll be travelling to the same area a lot check out what's there.

MeanderingMammal

Personally I pack running kit and identify hotels that I can run from. It's getting more difficult to find something that's got 10K easily from the hotel, but it works out. Dislike gyms intensely but sometimes it's unavoidable.

The other option is swimming, particularly if it's a couple of nights and I'm on an off night from running.

AlliSteff

I travel for work maybe once a month. I am usually jam packed during the day, so going out and finding a gym is a bit silly in my situation.

I typically do the 7 minute workout app (7 minute HIIT with nothing needed but a towel on the floor and a chair) on my phone- in my hotel room. I do 3-4 rounds of it, and that seems to be good enough for my travel needs. That way I just bring my sneakers, shorts and a sports bra and go to town.

I use Bluebonnet powder, and they sell individual packets that I travel with (I have found the TSA to be rather unhappy with a plastic bag of unmarked powder in your carryon).

I have also purchased a foldable yoga mat, and sometimes do YouTube videos on my ipad.

chr12bu

I'm away travelling at the moment. Out in the Middle East, and it's rather hot for running outside (being used to the usual British weather). Running outside seems tricky in some countries that are geared up for cars rather than pedestrians - business hotels always seem to be on business parks on the edge of town, with only major roads for access.

Luckily, my hotel does have a gym, which I've been taking advantage of, but thanks AlliSteff for the tip about the 7 minute workout app - not heard of that before, and thanks kgeyser for the TRX tip - I've not seen those kits either.

I've bought some protein bars with me, but I've been going for the protein in the breakfast buffet.

Packing exercise clothing is minimal - my room has a washing machine and dryer (which is great for a daily gym kit wash - I'd hate to wear the same kit all week unwashed!) - how does everyone else cope?

manhn1

Besides the hotel gym, I check out if there is a YMCA nearby. Most YMCA provide daypasses for a small fee (not all, though--looking at you, San Jose). If your own gym is part of IHRSA, then check out if other gyms are part of that program. If so, they will allow to use their gym for a discounted rate.

I also check out community centrers, which usually have daypasses at a relatively low cost.

I'm Canadian so not too sure, but places in LA Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness and Planet Fitness are pretty much anywhere, right? Is getting a pass from one of those gyms worth? Can the gym membership perhaps be considered a business expense?

I also check out for local running groups or local running stores that may have group runs on the days I'm there. There is also something called November Project, which began in Boston but there are locations throughout. They do outdoor workouts at abnormally early hours and it's free.

TiberiusClaudis

Travel regular, when I do, like you, never quiet sure what type of gym facilite are at the hotel or near by. I usually stick to a 3 day split routine then one day off. But when I travel I go on a full body workout, as I'm never sure if I'll have meetings or something pop up so that I can't make it to my next day's workout. If I do make it to the gym two days in a row, then I do some type of cardio on that day or swim.

I find diet is much more of a problem as i can't accurately gauge food weights. So, I eat very plain things like steamed shrimp...you can eat like 9 oz of shrimp and have a low calorie/high protein meal..just watch what you dip them in. Or I have baked, skinless chicken. And for lunch, I stick with eatting a can of tuna fish...boring, but when I get back home and step on the scale I'm usually both relieved and pleasantly surprised.

jaxnjosh

There is an app called workout trainer by skimble. Download it. Its free and there are tons of bodyweight exercises you can do. It really pushes you. I use the app whenever I travel