Here’s a common scenario that pops up all the time:
“I’m traveling for the next few days. What should I do for my workout?”
Great question!
Today, I want to share with you my go-to workout routine for when I travel.
I’ve used a variation of this workout for over a decade with clients who are traveling for work, a wedding, a long-overdue vacation, you name it.
Let’s break it down together so you know exactly what to do the next time you hit the road. 🙌
But first, I like to ask a really important question:
“What do you want this trip to look like?”
Because there’s no one “right” answer.
You might:
- Stick closely to your current program and hunt for a hotel gym, etc. (important if staying consistent matters for your goal – or just if you enjoy it!)
- Take a much needed rest week (which is totally fine – research suggests that one-week of full rest does not hinder strength or muscle building. 💪)
- Or switch to a travel-friendly plan to maintain momentum (that’s what we’ll cover today!)
Whatever it is, we just want to know why we’re doing it so we can plan accordingly.
For anyone who wants to move, feel good, and return home without losing your rhythm, here’s my go-to Travel Bodyweight Workout Framework.
The 5-Movement Framework
When I’m traveling, I keep it simple with a full-body workout split that hits a bit of everything.
That way, I’m not “waiting” to work other parts of my body. I might not even get to that next workout, as travel can be unpredictable at best!
Exercise #1: Squat Pattern
Progressions:
Tip: If you struggle with squat mobility, try placing a rolled up towel under your heels to give yourself a bit of elevation. This takes ankle mobility out of the equation! Recommended for Assisted and Bodyweight squat variations. 👍
Exercise #2: Push Pattern
Progressions:
Tip: Initiate the push-up by imagining you are leaning forward slightly from the shoulders – it will make it harder!
Exercise #3: Hinge Pattern
Progressions:
Tip: The hinge is one of the harder things to train while on the road. If you can’t get a good workout with one of these, I like trying a Lateral Squat or Lunge as an alternative.
Exercise #4: Pull Pattern
Progressions:
Tip: The other challenging trait to train on the road. I particularly like the Corner Tuck but see what works for you! I’ve had some clients pack a Resistance Band so they can add things like Band Rows and Pullaparts without it taking up a ton of space.
Exercise #5: Auxiliary / Core / Conditioning
Options:
Tip: This is a “free-for-all” spot in the workout. I’ll typically do some sort of Core movement here, but this is a good place to throw conditioning or any other specific auxiliary work like Lateral Raises using a backpack, etc. if you’d prefer!
How to Use It
You might have noticed: “But Matt, there’s no sets and reps listed here?”
I can’t sneak anything past you. 😉 I typically run this one of two ways:
A. Time-Based Circuit:
Work 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds. Cycle through all 5 moves for 2–5 rounds.
You can level this up by switching to a 40 second work, 20 second rest timer instead.
B. Rep-Match Rounds:
Start your first round by doing as many reps as you can with good form (up to 30 reps. If you can do 30 reps, try a harder variation if you can!)
Then, do 1 or 2 more rounds where you MATCH the total number of reps you got in the first round, EVEN IF you have to take short 10 second breaks to get there.
Example: Round 1: 10 pushups
Round 2: 8 pushups – rest – 2 pushups
Round 3 (optional): 6 pushups – rest – 3 pushups – rest – 1 pushup
Depending on which option and how many rounds you choose, this workout will run you 10-25 minutes and leave you feeling accomplished and ready to tackle your day. 💪
Travel doesn’t have to be a setback. It’s just another environment to adapt to.
You get to decide whether this trip is a deload, a ‘maintain-the-momentum’ week, or a chance to test your creativity in order to stick with the plan as-is.
You’ve got this!
-Matt
P.S. In case you missed last week’s newsletter announcement, prices for our NF Coaching program are going up on November 1st. So now is a great time to check out our program if you’ve been on the fence to get in at our current rates. 😃
