Exercising on your vacation can be somewhat of an unconscious activity, if you combine it with sightseeing. When we hear the term 'exercise' we might picture a gym or treadmills without contemplating the thought that exercise can be as simple as using your own body weight. Here is a categorical list of different ways to exercise on your next vacation

Body weight Exercises:

At your place of stay, you can perform simple bodyweight exercises like:
1. Push ups - Good for chest, shoulder and triceps muscles. "Give me 20 soldier!"
2. Dips - Isolates triceps muscles
3. Chin ups - If you can find a sturdy horizontal bar that is position above your standing height than this would be perfect for your back muscles.
4. Squats - The king exercise of the lower body. Utilizes quadriceps, glutes and calves, all important for the beach!
5. Lunges - An exaggerated step motion which really works the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes

Now without trying to sound like a drill Sergent, these exercises are great if there's no equipment or gyms around. But then, who would go to a gym on vacation? I'm guessing you want something that takes the pain of exercising away while including the enjoyment of sightseeing. Below are some ideas:

1. Rollerskating - If it's Summer and your at a beach then get on ya blades and skate the town red! The great thing about skating as compared to running is you can put in some effort and use the momentum to glide the rest of the way. Not bad if you just want to glide and ogle at the hot bodies on the beach. Watch out for poles!

2. Bikes - Hire a bike and get some exercise as you take in the sights and smells of the environment.

3. Walking - Well duh! No, I don't mean it that way. If you in places that have lots of stairs, challenge yourself and use the stairs instead of the esculator. Ever seen the escalators that have stairs right next to it? The stairs is like a desert! I understand the escalator is like a mini ride but after what you've eaten, you better take the stairs!

4. Swimming - If your anywhere near a pool use it for your advantage. Do a few sets of laps mixed with floating periods of admiring some of your neighbors while loathing the others.

5. Sport - If your there with your family, take some time out to play some sport near a famous landmark. You can go home with the memory of playing soccer on the beaches of Copacabana or outside Old Trafford.

6. Yoga - Ever watched yoga shows on TV? Sometimes you'll seen them practicing it in a very quiet park or near a beach. Take advantage of this opportunity and enjoy the relaxation benefits of yoga in pleasant environment. If National Lampoons Vacation is anything to go by, your gonna need it!

7. Fitball - Same deal as before. The fitball, or Swissball, is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment ever produced. Forget the Bowflex, the fitball can accommodate anything from sit ups to squats, while getting you lean and trim after a night out at a foreign McDonalds.

These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg. Since the dawn of time, people have been discovering new and simplistic ways to get fit without a gym membership but like most things, it all comes down to imagination.

Learn more about this author, John Mcklain.
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