For those focused on fitness, vacations can be a minefield of diet and workout mistakes. Between Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Years, there are plenty of opportunities to pamper yourself and skip the workouts. And considering there are only 3,500 calories in a pound of fat, it doesn't take much to undo the efforts you put in all year.
That said, vacations don't have to be wasted time. For one thing, you need to keep your macronutrients in check during the days when you don't binge on cravings. A few days of meals outside of schedule will not affect your progress. We propose 6 types of training to ensure that you stay active on vacation. Something is always better than nothing.
Workouts to stay motivated on vacation
Push a car
No, this is not a joke. Pushing a car is a great way to increase the difficulty of your cardio. Move the car on a flat, empty street, put it in neutral, put your hands on the bumper with your elbows slightly bent, and push.
Even though you think you are very strong, it is best to make sure you have a friend in the driver's seat to keep the car straight. Do this for 10 sets of 15 meters, resting as needed between each set. If you are with a friend, rest while he or she takes his turn.
Do a download week
One strategy is to take it easy or make it easier. One week off is a planned decrease in training volume and frequency that gives your muscles and nervous system a break from a more intense workout. Typically a download will last one week.
You can extend these holidays making your typical training session, but net uciendo s weight lifting is about 50 to 60 percent of maximum l of a repeat. Downloading is one way to make the vacation work for you in terms of your training schedule. Not only will you keep doing your workouts, it will be a real part of the plan. Therefore, you will not have to feel guilty.
Lift, carry and throw anything
You don't need an olympic bar to get an effective lift. There are many primitive solutions. Do you want to work on your physical form? Go to the field, take a stone and walk as long as possible. Drop the stone and then repeat. Or, load a wheelbarrow with sandbags, weight plates, dirt or rocks and push that.
You can also throw stones to increase strength and sand. We know it's not a great approach to increasing your strength or muscle volume, but it's a fun and effective way to keep yourself motivated on vacation.
Use the 20/20 training method
If you've never heard of the 20/20 training method, it's a simple yet brutal way to pack on a lot of volume. You will want to choose an exercise that allows you to do a little more with weight. This works well with deadlifts, front or back squats, or the bench press .
You'll warm up first and then load the bar 70 percent of your max for one rep. Every minute by minute, you will do a repetition. After the first five minutes, you will add five kilograms to the bar. After those five minutes, you will add two and a half kilograms more. In the last five minutes, choose a weight that you consider a "heavyweight." There you will be finished. With the warm-up included, it shouldn't take you more than half an hour.
Try the EMOMs
This training model follows the line of the previous one. EMOM can be performed with any exercise, with or without weight, and can be scaled to be long or short. Choose an exercise (or more than one), select the number of repetitions you will do and set a timer for 20 minutes. You will do the assigned repetitions at the beginning of each minute and then you will rest the rest of the minute. At the beginning of the next minute, you will do another set of the same movement or, if you are doing more than one movement, you will move on to the next exercise.
EMOMs are a great way to bundle a lot of work into a limited time frame. Also, these can be done in the gym or even in your living room. This method is effective because it forces you to work by controlling your rest periods.
There are many possibilities, such as:
- For strength : choose a movement or two antagonistic exercises (like deep squats and bench press) and do five moderate to heavy reps each for a 20-minute EMOM.
- For more muscle : choose one exercise per muscle group you want to train and do 12 reps per exercise. As for time, do eight minutes per muscle group you want to train. If you are training biceps and triceps, set a timer for 16 minutes. If you're going to train your chest, shoulders, and back, set the timer for 24 minutes.
- To burn more calories : Choose three to five dynamic exercises, such as kettlebell swings and burpees, and aim for 10 intense reps. For this circuit, set the timer for 30 minutes and prepare to break a sweat.
Ditch the weights
You can do a great workout with just your body weight. You can also use everyday items, such as tables, chairs, and backpacks, to exercise your muscles and sweat. Also don't feel like you need to come up with a perfect bodyweight training plan. On busy days, pick up some bodyweight moves and do a five-set circuit. Logically, a 20 minute workout with your body weight will not turn you into a muscular Adonis, but it will burn some calories.
