7 secrets to keep your training gains whilst on holiday

7 secrets to keep your training gains whilst on holiday

It’s summer, which means a lot of us are dashing off on our long awaited summer holidays. Now, whether that is a lads’ week in Ibiza, or an experience of a lifetime in Thailand, none of us want to lose our training gains while we’re away. For some of us, it’s more than that too. You might be heading in to pre-season for example, and don’t want to lose the hard graft you’ve already put in. Or, you might be mid-season and can’t afford to go back unconditioned. Either way, you want to keep your for while your away, and here are my best tips.

• It’s okay to rest! We sometimes become so engulfed in our training and our goals that we forget to take a rest. A holiday can be the perfect time to relax and let your body recover, but that doesn’t mean you have to do nothing for the whole time. It also doesn’t mean that you have to train 3 times a day every day and not enjoy yourself. Find a balance.

• Use your surroundings! Holiday’s can provide you with some of the most beautiful training backdrops. Up in the mountains? Get out on a mountain trail, or swim in the stunning lakes. On a beach? Us the sand for a lower impact cardio session that’s tougher on the muscles and the lungs! Anyway, the point is, use where you are to motivate you to train.

• Stay active! Grab your mates, or your family, a couple of bikes and go and explore the amazing place your in. Especially if you’re up in the mountains, mountain biking can be the perfect way to stay active and explore. If you’re on the beach, go and grab some sea kayaks, or a surfboard and stay active that way. Wherever you are, there is always a fun, easy way to get the heart rate up.

• Grab a partner! Take the kids with you, take your partner with you, take the mate you met at the restaurant with you… just take someone with you. It’s so much easier to train with someone, especially on holiday. The kids would love running around on the beach while you’re doing a few squat jumps and burpees, and I’m sure you’ll run quicker when they’re hot on your heels!

• All-inclusive? Take advantage of the good stuff! Now, this is where everything could go horribly wrong. Most of us have been on those all-inclusive holidays where ‘calories don’t count’ and ended up in a food coma from inhaling the buffet. While it’s good to enjoy what’s on offer, over indulging can make you feel really lethargic and not make the most of the holiday. Take advantage of the good stuff. There are always tonnes of fruit available on tap, a variety of meats and there are always eggs at breakfast. Take in the culture, but don’t go too over the top.

• Take a skipping rope! This is the best tip I have! If you’re going on something like a city break and won’t have much more room than the hotel room to work out, then this is gold! It takes up minimal room and can really get your heart rate going. There are loads of workouts you can do with a skipping rope, and most everyday workouts can be modified for it too. Write some workouts down, grab your skipping rope and you’re off!

• Go easy on the alcohol! Another tough one, the all you can drink diluted beer, or the cheap European lager. Either way, it’s gonna have a massive affect on your training. I’m not saying stay t-total for the whole time, but just be selective with what you’re drinking and when. It’s easy to get carried away, we’ve all done it, but if you have a workout planned for early in the morning, that pint of beer and a hangover is going to start to look slightly less appealing!

So there they are, my 7 top tips for training while on holiday. Remember, don’t forget to relax and have a good time, just keep things ticking over the best you can. If you have a strength and conditioning coach who provides your programme, have a chat with them and see if they can give you a modified programme for that week or two. Get some advice off others who are going on holiday. Most of all, enjoy it and have a brilliant time!

Abbie Parsons, Sports Therapist