Written by Imane Dodo
Image by @bala
The truth is that working out at home and on holiday is painful & confusing because you do not have the setup and comfort that you are used to at your local gym, and frankly we all rather be lying on the beach sipping mojitos than suffering in the heat. Thankfully, there are a few travel-friendly pieces of equipment that can be your saving grace, and enable you to keep your gains while you jet off. They are easy to incorporate into your full body routine even at home, they are light, easy to pack & rather inexpensive.
Best Portable Fitness Equipment
Jump Rope
Jump ropes are the most versatile piece of equipment. It provides a mix of full-body, high-intensity cardio and strength, from the comfort of your room, or poolside. It is also super fun and leaves room for creativity while improving your coordination and agility. We especially love this accelerator jump rope, it is very good quality (I have had mine for 7 years now and it is still intact).
Gliding Disc
Gilding Discs are a clear winner here. Inexpensive, light, and versatile, they are particularly great for core workouts and pilates-inspired moves (Think Lori Harvey’s abs). Gliding discs require a bit of experimentation to get used to but once you get there, trust me sis the results will be telling.
Ankle/Wrist weights
The chic, weighted bands can be worn on your wrists and ankles to add constant but comfortable resistance to your every movement.
Short Elastic bands
I swear by any sort of short elastic bands for glutes exercises. Girls, you all know how fast those glutes flatten once you stop engaging them. The devil works overtime so you gotta work even harder. We love these Shreddy short bands. They are of great quality and there are so many designs to pick from.
Tube resistance bands
Adidas
Weighted elastic bands provide a great alternative to gym weights but are equally, if not more, challenging than actual weights so do not underestimate them. The best resistance bands can blast your body from glutes to arms. I particularly love tube resistance bands due to the great range of upper body exercise options they provide because that is usually the body part that I struggle most to work out when working out at home. They also come in different resistance levels to suit your needs.
Gym Pouch
You really do need a light pouch to store all your equipment while traveling and/or to store your dirty workout clothes. Remember the goal is to remove any excuse that may come between you and your workouts. Living out of a suitcase can get messy and annoying. Having a pouch with all your workouts means that you can easily locate the necessary so you don’t waste time and make those gains. This La Pochette bag is designed as a sweat bag but can totally be used to store your mini pieces of equipment.
