How to get away from it all
press-ups... Give yourself a time limit of two minutes and see what number you can reach.”
He adds that it’s important to make the most of your surroundings. “When I went to LA recently, I did sprints on Venice Beach. I set myself a start and a finish line and I sprinted from one end to the other with 30-second rests.
“Maybe you could find a hill and challenge your partner or friend, and see who can sprint to the top the fastest. Or find a strong tree branch and practise your pull-ups.”
Hannah Luck (@hannahlouiseluck), also a trainer at Barry’s Bootcamp, suggests substituting gym equipment for resistance bands.
“You can stand on it and do bicep curls and tricep extensions,” she says. “[Or] hook it around something immoveable (like a hotel balcony railing, for example) and do rows, presses and lunges. Or you could even put it under the mattress of a sun lounger and lie down and do “resisted” crunches.
“A sun lounger is my favourite substitute piece of gym equipment,” she continues. “You can do tricep dips on it, stand on it and do reverse lunges, or carefully(!) jump or stand, on and off it to simulate boxjumps or step-ups.” Of course, as with any fitness regime, it’s important that you allow your body some time to recover. Down-time gives our muscles the space to renew and grow stronger, so you should use the holiday as an opportunity to sit back, relax and stretch out your weary limbs. Poppy Cross is a passionate advocate of rest days. “If that’s what you need, do it,” she says firmly. “It’s important to remember that a holiday is a well-earned break from everyday life,” agrees Luck. “Embrace a holiday as time when you allow your body and mind to recharge. “Don’t worry too much about doing proper workouts every day. Instead, enjoy the fact that your body is fit and strong and use it — to swim in the sea, and climb hills, and walk around exploring new cities. “Fitness is not just about smashing a daily workout. It’s about being functional, about having a strong and healthy body that allows you to live and enjoy your life in an active way.” We can all raise a piña colada to that.