Travel can be physically demanding. From carrying heavy luggage to walking tours and all manner of destination activities in between, it can wreak havoc on your body. Nobody wants to spend their vacation with muscle soreness and stiffness or worse, injured.

In planning one’s trip, a fitness routine is not usually on the to-do list. However, doing ‘functional’ training pre-travel can help build strength and endurance and reduce wear and tear on your muscles and joints. While having a customized exercise plan for your individual needs and fitness level is ideal, there are some things everyone can do to get fit to travel. Today’s Wellness Wednesday presents some options:

• Walk everywhere! Start with a set distance and gradually increase it over a period of time. Use the shoes you intend to take with you.
• If cycling, hiking or skiing at your destination, enroll yourself in a clinic to work on your skills before you depart. Community centres and gyms often offer short-term sports training for all levels of fitness.
• Exercises for your core (i.e. musculature of the abdominals, back and hips) will help you be better able to carry a backpack. Make sure the pack is ergonomically suited to your body and use the hip belt to help take the pressure off of your shoulders.
• Practice makes perfect! Pack the suitcase as you intend to take it and practice walking around the block with it. This will help with endurance. If not, time to repack a lighter load.
• Squished on an economy airline seat? Packed into a local bus like a sardine? Being flexible can help you contort your body into small spaces. But don’t forget to stretch afterwards to return your muscles to their original length. Plus, a quick and gentle stretch before bedtime can help you relax and induce a sound sleep.

Regular exercise and activity is beneficial to your health and well-being whether you stay at home or travel abroad.

Check out the Weal World Travel YouTube channel for our squat tutorial video.