Fitness on holiday isn’t about maintaining an existing routine – it’s about adapting to one. Forget the gym back home. Think sea swims at sunrise, a run before the heat sets in, bodyweight circuits in the hotel room or, better yet, on a shaded terrace. Here, Nike Running coach Emmanuel Ovola and On brand ambassador Warren Whitely share their tips on how to return from holiday in better shape than you left in.

“Movement should become a part of the break,” says Whitely, who hosts movement experiences with Soho House, Six Senses and Kenya’s Ishara. “It feels good to do something early before breakfast – that feeling of gratitude as you set foot on the ground to run a new scenery.”

Choosing the workout style and intensity is usually dependent on the temperature. When it’s hot, leave cardio and higher intensity workouts for the early morning or when the sun goes down.

Ovola, who aside from his work with Nike is a trained physiotherapist, accomplished marathoner and founder of Cultural Health Club, thinks the gym is optional. “We can train to failure,” he says. “This maximises our muscles output and contraction – by doing two to three sets of simple exercise to complete failure we can get similar benefits as training in a gym with heavy weights.

“You can also use gravity by using a longer lever arm or elevating a part of your body. Press ups with your legs elevated to 40 degrees, for instance. And isometric static hold exercises, such as a wall sit.”

Whitely recommends starting off with dynamic movements that warm up joints and activate muscles. “Mobility is the absolute priority for me – simply stretching or mobilising for 10 to 15 minutes a day goes a long way,” he says.

“Press ups, high planks, side planks, leg raises, inchworms, lunge rotations, lateral bounds, high knees, air squats, split squats, squat holds – I usually throw together a nice variation of whatever feels good on the day, six exercises, 12 to 15 reps, three to four times,” he says. “In 20 minutes, you’ll feel like a million bucks.”

“Beach running is definitely more of a challenging experience for your muscles,” Ovola says. “The sand falls away and makes your feet sink, and that creates more muscle and tendon demand to stabilise your legs. It also helps you stay in more control, as you won’t be able to increase your pace in the same way as you would on the road.”

If bodyweight or running aren’t your bag, seawater swimming offers significant mental health and dermatological benefits, as well as physical. Studies show that swimming in the sea can improve your mood and reduce negative feelings while helping you to be present.

“Eating enough high quality and volume of food will ensure you have the energy and enthusiasm to train,” Ovola says. “It will maximise your sleep. A lot of people forget that even sleep requires energy.”

“Wellness-conscious hotels are starting to tweak their menus towards healthier alternatives,” Whitely says. But eating healthy shouldn’t take away from the experience or prevent you from trying whatever the place has to offer (even if it’s a resort buffet).

“The main pillars of recovery are sleep, nutrition and exercise periodisation,” Ovola says. “The last one lends to the need to have low-intensity sessions, including stretching, yoga and walking.”

Bring light layers that can be styled with one another and a lightweight jacket in case of unpredictable showers. As for the footwear, find well-cushioned, bouncy and versatile daily sneakers, such as the Nike Vomero Plus or On’s Cloudsurfer Max.