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Working Out on Vacation

It’s been a pretty light week attendance-wise here at CrossFit Relentless as many of you are on vacation. Fear not! Your time away will not disrupt your fitness journey. When it comes to working out on vacation, you have a number of options available to you.

Option 1: Drop in to another box
This is a popular option amongst CrossFitters who travel a lot. Dropping in to another gym ensures that you’ll get a WOD in, under the supervision of a coach. The CrossFit community is much larger than the great one we’ve established here at CFR, and it’s great to be reminded of that from time to time. It’s also nice to see what other gyms have to offer. Sometimes it gives you good suggestions for things we can do back home, and sometimes it helps you to appreciate what we have here. For recommendations, talk to other people who have traveled to the same spot previously.

Working out on vacation
Copyright: wavebreakmediamicro / 123RF Stock Photo

If you do decide to drop in, make sure you follow the proper protocol:

  1. Find a box ahead of time. Technology makes it super easy. Wodify has a great feature called Wodifind, so you can find gyms that use Wodify and log your data on the road. If there isn’t a Wodify box near you, you can use the CrossFit affiliate finder to find another box.
  2. Reserve your spot. If you’re using Wodify, follow the app. If not, reach out to the box via phone, email, or both. While we have a flexible drop in policy, some gyms limit the class hours available to drop ins. Make sure you talk to the owner and schedule your drop in ahead of time. Having a random drop in show up at the start of class can be stressful for the trainer, and some gyms may not allow it.
  3. Obey the coaches. Every coach has their own style. While you may not agree with everything or mesh with their style, you are in that coach’s home gym. They’ve been kind enough to welcome you into class, so be respectful.
  4. Expect to follow class. This means that if you are following your own program (competitor’s training, Oly, or the like), you may not be able to do your own thing. You can check with the owner/coach ahead of time, and if you’re lucky, they may be able to accommodate you. If not, jump into a regular class and make some friends. Again, you’re in someone else’s home, so be respectful.
  5. Buy a shirt! Show some support for the larger CrossFit community! If you travel a lot, it’s also a good way to remember where you’ve been.

Option 2: Hotel Gym or Room WODs
If you’re in a hotel that has a gym, you may be able to follow our regular programming with some modifications. For example, if the gym has dumbbells, you can do the DB variations of the barbell movements. For runs or rowing, use a treadmill or bike. Our WOD Archive posts tomorrow’s WOD at around 7PM the night before.

If the gym lacks weights or other equipment, or there is no gym at all, don’t worry! There are numerous bodyweight WODs you can do (Thanks to CrossFit New River for this one!). Running and swimming are also good options.

Working out on vacation
Copyright: goodluz / 123RF Stock Photo

Option 3: Do Nothing
Laugh if you want, this is a perfectly viable option if you’re on vacation. Unless you’re prepping for a competition, there is nothing wrong with taking a week off from time to time. If you do, enjoy it and don’t feel guilty. That being said, there’s a couple things you should expect when you return. First, you’ll feel nice and rested when it comes to strength work. You’ll be strong, but you’ll get winded quickly. Anything over 3 reps is going to suck. This means that metcons are going to suck too. We call this the CrossFit hangover. Don’t worry though, it usually passes in a week or so.

Working out on vacation
Copyright: haveseen / 123RF Stock Photo

Well, there you have it. Next time you go on travel, pick one of these three options and you’ll be all set. Enjoy your vacations!

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