THE JOURNAL

Fitness routines, especially in the morning, can be extremely grounding, energising and balancing, but it can be challenging to maintain our regular practices while travelling. The solution is to develop travel-appropriate versions of our regimens that, while they may not deliver the exact same results, will help to keep us moving and improving, whatever the circumstances.
For this purpose, look to simple bodyweight exercises with lightweight equipment, such as resistance bands, that you can easily pack and take with you. And do your best to move outside in natural light with your feet on the ground, preferably in the morning. All this can go a long way towards getting over jet lag and resetting your body’s circadian rhythms as it moves across different time zones. Try these short movement sets, which provide high-impact, flexible options to keep you feeling fresh, strong and energised while on the road.
Band Circuit
Whoever said to follow the path of least resistance was incorrect. Resistance is how you grow. Resistance bands are the equivalent of having a mini-gym with you while travelling as you can use them in your hotel room, park or on the beach. You don’t need a lot of space, but they’ll add a lot to your practice. Using bands, these two movements create a nice little circuit that engages your core, glutes, quads, shoulders and back.
Pull-up Sequence
Chin-ups and pull-ups are ancient exercises, but they’re still a great way to build strength and endurance. However, there are better ways to do them, specifically by changing up your grip as you work your way through the routine. Whenever you’re exercising, it’s important to do the more neurologically complex movements first. That way, it’s more likely you’ll be able to maintain proper form as you begin to get tired. So, in this case, start with a prone grip for chin-ups, inhaling on the way up. Then move to the reverse grip for a pull-up, this time breathing out as you go up. Finally, with a neutral grip to finish, as it’s the easiest of the three, breathe in as your head goes above the bar.
Bodyweight Sequence
No gear, no tools, no fuss. Just you, your body and your willpower. With bodyweight exercises, whatever your level, you can create a workout that challenges your ability by pushing the number of reps, the length of time and the number of circuits. These three movements offer a glimpse of what’s possible with just your body, working your muscles from head to toe. I’d recommend doing three sets of 12 reps with two minutes’ rest between each circuit. Once that feels easy, try going all-out (with good form) for 30 seconds on each movement for three cycles.
Film by Mr Justin Chung