SHOULD I WORKOUT ON MY CAMPING TRIP?

Sometimes there is nothing more thought-provoking than the idea of going away on a trip while you’re in a really good routine at the gym. There is no equipment where you’re going, and you aren’t going to have service to tap into a full body workout on YouTube. So, what will you do? And while you’re thinking about that, another question that might be consuming you is what is it that you’re going to eat? How will you say no to the typical foods that you see while on camping trips and other summer holidays with friends and family?

Will you lose all your momentum? Should you meal prep the heck out of your holiday so that you can stay on track? Will your body resent you for taking a few days off? Will your family judge you if you insist that you start your day with something that serves you before having a communal breakfast of pancakes, sausages, and probably more coffee than you’re used to?

Will you be able to jump back into the swing of things when you get home if you slack for a whole week? These are extremely consuming thoughts to have and questions to ask, and while they’re valid and normal, we believe it’s okay to go without them. At least, you can try, right?

Instead, what if the first question was whether or not you want to work out while camping (or on some sort of adventurous summer get-away that you’ve been looking forward to for months)?

If your answer is a genuine ‘yes’ then we have a few ideas to throw your way because let’s face it - you don’t need a gym, you don’t need equipment, you don’t need internet, you won’t lose momentum if things look different, your family will survive, and yes, you will be totally OK when you get back and head back into the routine that you’re currently loving. 

And heck, if you’re not in a routine that you’re currently loving, did you know that it’s possible to start loving one while you’re out of town?

Here are our thoughts, and we hope that you take them into consideration when you are thinking about an upcoming camping trip or holiday to the cabin.

First thought - if you WANT to continue working out while away, you should. Your body obviously wants that for itself and you have the power to give it what it wants. However, be open-minded! Things are likely not going to look the same as they usually do. Instead of letting this derail you, try allowing it to excite you instead.

Switching things up with some camping exercises has the potential to be a lot of fun! Sure there is no treadmill, but there is land, and you’ve got legs! There won’t be any weights or bands, but there will be rocks, trees, hills, and probably a body of water somewhere! Most places that involve camping (unless you’re out on crown land) have some sort of play structure as well and guess what, you can turn that into your own little gym before the kids even make their way out to play! So, as I mentioned, if you ARE wanting to work out while you’re away, you should! Preparing yourself with the fact that it’s going to look a little different is important, and then get creative!

Second thought -  incorporate FUN into your workout, and instead of thinking of it as a WORKOUT, think of it as exercise or fitness, instead.  There are so many ways that you can get your heart rate up (this is the most important thing to try to do) while you’re out of your usual environment. Cardiovascular activities are going to be your best friend while you’re away!  If you’re any sort of outdoor adventurer while you’re camping (I presume you are, or you wouldn’t be camping) then chances are you’re going to be out and about doing a bunch of things already, so turning these activities into your workout is something worth thinking about. If you spend eight hours of your day outside exploring, chances are you’re getting enough movement in anyways, and finding ways to increase your heart rate (cardiovascular activities) while you’re out and about shouldn’t be too hard.

Third thought - don’t go at this alone. If you’ve got kids, guess what? You can get your heart rate up while playing with them! Don’t just get them to run to the furthest tree and back on their own, go with them. Don’t ask them to roll down a big hill and just watch, do it with them. Asking them to jump into the lake to cool off, why don’t you do the same thing and see how long you can tread water? If you’re encouraging them to play games at the playground and get better at the monkey bars, then chances are you know what I’m going to say. Play with them. Monkey bars as an adult are ridiculously hard, so don’t feel gutted if you can’t do them. Instead, try holding on for as long as you can and touching your knees to your chest a few times. Then, run around the grass for a bit and come back and do it all again. 

Letting your kids or your partner get involved is going to make it that much more enjoyable, and likely it’ll feel less like work. Everyone gets a bit relaxed and taps into their inner child when camping and spending time outdoors, so don’t be afraid. It’s OK to have a good time, to run around, be terrible at things, and fall over laughing before trying it all again. 

Heck, laughing until you almost pee is a workout in itself - so, make the best of your vacation! You’ll thank yourself later.

Fourth thought - please, for the love, do not feel like you need to meal prep. Sure, camping consists of more carbs, more processed foods, and maybe a few more alcoholic beverages…but you know what? It’s all okay. You know what your goals are, and if you’re out there doing those cardiovascular activities and getting your heart rate up, all while simply being more active than you usually are because you’re out exploring and having a good time, then you will be just fine. Instead of having seven s’mores, have one (or two, because who can have just one of anything anyways). Want to add potato chips to your burger because it reminds you of being a kid? GO FOR IT! Craving a hotdog but normally you don’t eat hotdogs because you know what they’re made of? Have one if you want it! Holidays and getaways are supposed to be fun. You’ll feel so much better about yourself if you go into it willing to have fun, all while knowing that you’re going to be adding activities into your day simply because you can.

Fifth thought - rest. Sure, holidays and getaways can include some camping exercises and cardiovascular activities, but it’s also okay if you’re a really busy person in your day-to-day life and you want to rest your head, lay in the sun, or read a book in one sitting. 

Rest is so flippin’ important, and chances are you deserve it. Don’t for one second think that if you enjoy rest during your time off that everything you’ve done for your health and your wellness up to this point is going to disappear. Life doesn’t work like that, okay?

You deserve to rest. You deserve to have fun. 

You can have it all. 

Fifth thought - should there really be any more thoughts? For someone who continues to think of things as time goes on, there can always be more, but like any other situation, sometimes less is more. 

Instead of thoughts, why don’t I give some examples of cardiovascular activities that can be done pretty much anywhere? Unless you’re camping in an urban jungle, I bet that you’ll be able to do a few of these things wherever it is that you’re going. Whether you’re camping or spending a week at the cabin, try these camping-friendly exercises:

HIKING - you don’t have to summit a mountain or be gone for six hours to reap the benefits of a hike. There are obvious benefits to your physical health (you’re walking on flat terrain and at times on an incline/decline) but you’re also getting so many other benefits such as fresh air, an epic view, time in nature, Vitamin D, new experiences, time with friends (or solo time) and in the end, a sense of accomplishment. If you’re not sure what hikes are around you, try an app like ALLTRAILS to explore what nearby trails you can find (driving to a hike is something we’re always willing to do, as it makes for a great activity for all ages groups) or simply put on your shoes and start walking - see where you get.

JOGGING - this is something you can do pretty much anywhere, and no, you don’t have to be good at it. If jogging isn’t your thing, then pick a landmark that’s somewhere in front of you while out on a walk (a tree) and then jog to it. Once you get there, walk again and choose another landmark. When you say go, start jogging, and don’t stop till you get to the landmark. You can do this over and over and over again and it can be done on a trail, on a back road, in a field, or even in the campground!

Kids love this activity too, so invite them to play by saying “lets race to the river”, or “beat you to the top”. 

Of course, if you want to set a timer for thirty minutes and put your headphones in and smash out a jog, go for it! Whatever works for you and makes you happy is ultimately what we’re going for.

SWIMMING - if you’re going somewhere that is located near a body of water, we challenge you to jump in. Swim, tread water, or simply play your own version of catch with a friend. Spending time in the water will make you happy, but it’s also incredibly good for you. If you’re not a swimmer, treading water is a great way to still be social, while raising your heart rate! Take your partner or a friend with you, and if you can hold a conversation while treading water then you’re already ahead of most people as that is not something we’re very good at!

PLAYING ON THE PLAYGROUND - if the location you’re going to has a playground, use it to your advantage. You may want to wait until all the toddlers and kids are out of your way, or you may want to ask them to join. A good old-fashioned game of grounders can keep you constantly moving, and the simple act of climbing up and down structures, using the monkey bars, and jumping on and off of things is going to get your body doing things it isn’t used to, which benefits you in so many ways!

CHOPPING FIREWOOD - if you know how to use an axe, this can be a great way to get your heart rate up. Please, be careful, and ask for instruction if you need it. Otherwise, get chopping. You’ll feel really proud of yourself when the fire is warming you up at night knowing you worked hard for it.

PLAY GAMES - organizing with a partner or a few people to play a game can be a great way to get your heart rate up. Pack your baseball gloves and a ball and have a game of catch. If there’s enough of you, make up some sort of game that resembles baseball that allows you all to run (without it actually having to be baseball because maybe there is no baseball diamond where you are). Or, play frisbee. See how many throws you can get in a row without dropping it. We often play frisbee for hours because we’re trying to get more and more and more throws/catches than before, and it often involves a whole lot of running and diving to make it to where the frisbee is going because let’s be honest, we’re not that great at frisbee and sometimes it doesn’t go where you think it’s going to go! Flying a kite is also a sure way to get some steps in and don’t even get us started if there is a boat with any sort of object to pull behind it. Whether you’ve never tried wakeboarding, water skiing, tubing, or what have you - if the option is there, try it (even just once). 

WORKOUT - there is no need to bring any sort of equipment with you in order to do an actual workout while you’re camping. Your body weight is enough, and if you’re looking for more of a challenge, there is likely going to be something around your campsite that you can use for extra weight. If you are currently working with a coach, one hot tip we have is to let your coach know that you’re heading out of town and ask them to help you come up with some twenty-minute bodyweight workouts that you can do while you’re gone. If you’re not working with a coach, we suggest putting together some small sequences of body weight exercises and committing to completing 4 rounds of 15 reps of at least 4 of any of the following movements:

**THANKS https://darebee.com/muscle-map.html FOR THIS IMAGE**

For example, choose at least four movements that you can do wherever you are, and work through a sequence of them at your own pace - remembering always to rest and drink a lot of water (especially if its hot outside). Do 15 reps of movement one, 15 reps of movement two, 15 reps of movement three, and 15 reps of movement four. Rest and drink. Then, repeat this four times to complete your four rounds.

Obviously, if you want to do three rounds of five movements, you do you.

The important thing isn’t that you do anything perfectly, its simply that you do something especially because you’re the one that said you wanted to, right?

OTHER - there are likely a few things (okay, a lot) that we’ve missed, however, we believe you’re all pretty smart and that you sort of get where we’re going with this. Beach volleyball, bocce, kubb, spikeball, baseketball, skipping rope, badminton, capture the flag and things like geocaching are additional things you could do to stay active while out camping with your friends and family.

To conclude, if the question is whether or not you should workout while you’re camping, than the answer is yes. That is, of course, you want to. There are many ways to do this, as you’ve read in this blog, so it’s important to remember that working out doesn’t have to always look a certain way. 

However, if you ask yourself this question and deep down somewhere you feel like the answer is no and you actually want to just take some time off and focus more on rest and recovery? Then please, don’t work out! You know your body best.

Interested in what it’s like to have a coach in your back pocket to help you navigate these situations so that you can continue to be your best self? Please, head to our website to find out more www.dunnebells.com .

Happy Camping!