Milos Vujnovic Posted In 
So, lately, I’ve been receiving questions from Iron Serpent readers who are going out on a vacation and still want to work out while on it! That’s definitely commendable and I’ll be glad to write something about this.
Before we begin, I’ve created a 6x times a week bodyweight routine which you can do with few resistance bands and an ab wheel. You should be able to do this in your hotel room – and of course, on a beach, if you feel like it.
Please note that I haven’t included anything like pull-ups or dips or similar exercises which do require some kind of equipment. However, if you’ll have something similar available at your hotel (or on the beach), I’ve created one more additional routine which you’ll see in this post.
So let’s get started!
Recommended Equipment
- Ab wheel
- Resistance bands
- Stopwatch
Other than few different resistance bands, an ab wheel, and a stopwatch – all of that which can fit in a small bag while traveling – I don’t think you’ll need any other special equipment for your workouts while on vacation.
Additionally, while creating this routine I had in mind that you don’t need to be an intermediate or elite athlete to perform these exercises – even so, I’ve included replacement exercises just in case you’re not able to do them due to injury or anything similar.
The Vacation Routine – First Cycle
| Push A | Lower A | Pull A |
|---|---|---|
| Push-Up 3×12 | Squat 3×12 | Back Extensions 3×12 |
| Diamond Push-Up 4×10 | Jumping Jacks 4×10 | Superman 4×10 |
| Banded Shoulder Press 3×12 | Single-Leg Deadlifts 3×12 | Band Pull-Aparts 3×8 |
| Banded Shoulder Abduction 3×8 | Hip Hinge 3×8 | Banded Bent-Over Row 3×12 |
| Banded Overhead Tricep Extension 3×8 | Bird Dog 4×6 | Banded Bicep Curls 3×8 |
| Banded Tricep Press 3×8 | Leg Raises 4×8 | Banded Hammer Curls 4×6 |
| Plank 3xF | Ab Wheel 3×10 | Plank 3xF |
| Dead Bug 2×10 | Glute Bridge 3×12 | Dead Bug 2×10 |
The Vacation Routine – Second Cycle
| Push B | Lower B | Pull B |
|---|---|---|
| Close-grip Push-up 3×12 | Squat Jump 4×6 | Scapular Push-ups 3×12 |
| Incline Push-up 4×10 | Burpees 4×10 | Donkey Kicks 4×10 |
| Banded Deltoid Raises 3×12 | Sumo Squats 3×12 | Banded Pulldown 3×8 |
| Banded Pull-Backs 3×8 | Banded Squats 3×8 | Banded One-Arm Rows 3×12 |
| Banded Triceps Kick-Back 3×8 | Lunge 4×6 | Banded One-Arm Curl 3×8 |
| Banded Kneeling Tricep Extension 3×8 | Hip Hinge 4×8 | Lying Banded Bicep Curl 4×6 |
| Ab Wheel 3xF | Plank 3×10 | Ab Wheel 3xF |
| Wall Sit 2×10 | Side Bridge 3×12 | Wall Sit 2×10 |
Weekly Schedule
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Push A | Pull A | Lower A | Push B | Pull B | Lower B | Rest Day |
Things to keep in mind
For a dynamic warm up, I recommend using my own warm up routine which I’ve written about here.
Always be sure to keep your core engaged by breathing with your diaphragm and bracing your abdominals hard.
Use common sense and watch your technique on your exercises. If something hurts, stop doing it (obviously).
Can’t do a push-up? Do incline push-ups instead or a kneeling push-up.
Can’t do back extensions? Do reverse snow angels instead.
Can’t do a pull-up? Use a box or a bench and do negative pull-ups instead. Also, you can wrap a band on your knee(s) and do a band-assisted pull-up as well.
Can’t do the presribed number of reps? Do the exercises to failure (please note that this is related to this routine exclusively and should not be applied to different routines).
Rest times should be no more than 60 seconds between each working set.
Does Your Hotel Have a Gym?
If it does, in most cases it will have machines and very little amount of free weights. In that case, check out my machine-only routine which you can do.
Need a Simpler Routine With Not Too Much Varying Exercises?
No problem at all! Check out the routine below which you can do three times a week – but please have in mind that you’ll need some kind of bench (for dips) and a bar (for pull-ups and rows). You can also do regular dips if you have equipment for it.
| Workout A | Workout B |
|---|---|
| Pull-Ups 3×8 | Chin-Ups 3×8 |
| Inverted Rows 4×10 | Dips 4×10 |
| Banded Shoulder Press 3×8 | Banded One-Arm Rows 3×8 |
| Banded Overhead Tricep Extension 3×8 | Banded One-Arm Curl 3×8 |
| Squat 3×12 | Squat Jump 4×6 |
| Ab Wheel 3×10 | Plank 3xF |
Recommended equipment
- Ab Wheel
- Resistance Bands
- Stopwatch
Weekly schedule and Cycle Rotation
| Week 1 | Workout A | Workout B | Workout A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | Workout B | Workout A | Workout B |
| Week 3 | Workout A | Workout B | Workout A |
| Week 4 | Workout B | Workout A | Workout B |
Optionally, you can do something like the Athos Mobility Routine during your rest days as well, which is a (free) dynamic warm up complex which I’ve created. Click here to learn more about it.
As an example, one week would look like this:
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workout A | Rest Day | Workout B | Rest Day | Workout A | Rest Day | Rest Day |
Closing statement
First of all, i hope that you’ll enjoy your vacation – you’ve definitely deserved it! 🙂 these routines will hopefully help you to keep your body working properly while you’re enjoying your time off – and most importantly, you’ll be able to easily continue on your regular training plan once you get back to your daily work schedule.
Cheers,
Milos