How We Stay Fit While Travelling
One of the unexpected challenges of long-term travel, especially as we get older, is staying consistent with fitness.
A few years ago, we set off on what we jokingly called an adult gap year. That gap year has since stretched well beyond a calendar year, and we now spend a significant amount of time on the road. While travel brings incredible freedom and variety, it also disrupts many routines.
And unfortunately, unless you are very careful, that usually includes the routines that keep our bodies strong, mobile, and pain-free.
We rarely stay in hotels, and if we do, they are almost never the type that come with a gym.
And lugging fitness equipment around with us simply isn’t realistic for the kind of travel we undertake.
So we faced the question that is common amongst travelers who want to (or in our case – need to) keep up a reasonable level of fitness in order to enjoy their travel experiences.
How do you stay reasonably fit, mobile, and strong while travelling without turning keeping fit into a burden?
For us, the answer turned out to be surprisingly simple: Apart from walking, resistance bands are our go-to piece of equipment
Why Staying Fit While Travelling Matters More After 55
Travel can be physically demanding in many ways.
Think long flights, extended periods of sitting, carrying heavy luggage, sleeping in unfamiliar beds, and suddenly walking far more than usual can all take a toll. Without some form of regular movement and strength work, it’s easy to become stiff, sore, or fatigued on trips that are meant to be enjoyable.
We’re not chasing peak athletic performance here. Our goal is far more practical and simple:
- To walk comfortably for long periods
- To protect our joints and balance
- To maintain strength for everyday movement
- To recover quickly between travel days
That’s where resistance bands have become an essential part of our travel routine.
Lightweight, Portable, and Effortlessly Convenient
The biggest advantage of resistance bands is their portability.
Our set of bands weighs almost nothing and takes up less space than a pair of shoes. They fit easily into our suitcase, often in a packing cube and sometimes they even go in one of our laptop bags if we aren’t flying.
Another advantage of the type we use (see pic above), is that you don’t have to take the whole caboodle with you on every trip. Each colour represents a different resistance (or weight if you want to compare the resistance to a dumb bell).
This enables you to select what resistance you are going to work with for your upcoming trip, and only pack those bands. We mostly do this on short trips when space is perhaps even more limited and we will only do a few sessions before returning to HQ.
Irrespective of how many bands we pack, we can (and have) used them in a wide variety of settings:
- In hotel rooms
- In holiday apartments
- In parks or quiet outdoor spaces (including beaches)
- On balconies or patios
- Even on trains and ferries 🙂
Resistance bands do indeed make it possible to train anywhere!
For us, they’ve become the ultimate “pack once, use everywhere” fitness tool.
A Full-Body Workout from One Small Set
Another positive aspect of Resistance Bands is that they are incredibly versatile.
With just a few bands and some imagination (or a suitable work out programme – plenty freebies available on the internet) you can work every major muscle group:
- Legs and glutes
- Back and shoulders
- Chest and arms
- Core and stabilising muscles
Resistance bands are also versatile in terms of why you use them as they can cover:
- Strength training, using controlled movements
- Mobility work, especially for your shoulders, hips, and spine
As we’ve aged, we’ve noticed how quickly our joints can become stiff, especially when we have been sitting for long periods or sleeping in a different bed almost every night.
The antidote for this is to keep the joints moving through as full a range of motion as you can manage, and do this as often as you can.
We have found that Resistance Bands are particularly good for this because they allow smooth, controlled movements without unnecessary heavy loading.
We’ve also them useful for:
- Warm-ups and muscle activation (ideal before a long day on your feet)
- Balance and stability exercises. So important as we get older.
- Stretching and recovery sessions after a long day
Even on travel days, we still try to fit in what we call an “exercise snack”. It’s a short 5 -10 minute session using the bands. It might not sound like much, but consistency really is king.
Over time, those small sessions have made a noticeable difference to our baseline strength, posture, and overall mobility.
Resistance Bands vs Dumbbells: How Do They Compare?
Before settling on resistance bands, we did consider alternatives like dumbbells or kettlebells.
But, In reality, they simply aren’t practical to take with you when you travel.
Even without that consideration, we feel that resistance bands have a lot to offer for anyone looking to keep fit and healthy, rather than bulking up.
Here are some points for comparison.
Constant Tension Throughout the Movement
With free weights, gravity does most of the work. That means some parts of an exercise are harder than others.
Resistance bands provide constant tension throughout the entire range of motion. This keeps muscles engaged from start to finish, which is particularly useful for slower, controlled strength work.
Joint-Friendly Training
Resistance bands are low-impact and forgiving on the joints. For older adults, or anyone with past injuries or joint concerns, this is a major advantage.
Movements feel smoother and more controlled, while still providing enough challenge to maintain and build strength.
Progressive Overload Still Applies
To get the most from resistance bands, it’s important to choose a set with multiple resistance levels.
Progression can be achieved by:
- Using thicker or stronger bands
- Doubling up bands
- Slowing down the tempo
- Increasing repetitions
- Adjusting leverage and positioning
In other words, you can still apply the principle of progressive overload even without the bulk and weight of traditional equipment.
Not a Complete Replacement for Weights
Resistance bands aren’t a perfect substitute for heavy free weights if your goal is maximum muscle mass.
But that’s not we are looking for as we get older.
We are far more interested in general strength, mobility, travel fitness, and staying active.
In that respect, they’re hard to beat. Even when we’re at home, resistance bands remain a regular part of our routine.
What to Look for in Travel-Friendly Resistance Bands
Not all resistance bands are created equal. And once you start looking, you’ll be amazed at the variety of options on offer.
Which can be, at best, confusing and at worst, down right irritating as it makes making a decision so much more difficult!
After a lot of research and even more muttering, here’s what we’ve found works best for travel.
Multiple Resistance Levels
Look for a set that includes light, medium, and heavy options. This allows you to tailor exercises to different muscle groups and gradually increase difficulty.
Durable Material
Latex or high-quality rubber bands tend to last longer and provide smoother resistance.
Cheap bands can snap or lose tension quickly.
Handles or Loops
Some people prefer bands with handles, while others like loop-style bands.
We travel with a set that you can interchange handles, ankle and door attachments. That makes them very versatile, but again, you can pick and choose which attachments you take with you, and which you don’t.
(You’ll find a resistance band sets we’ve personally used and recommend linked below.)
How We Actually Use Resistance Bands When Travelling
Our approach is intentionally simple.
We ideally aim for:
- 3–5 short sessions per week
- 10–15 minutes per session
- A mix of strength and mobility
A typical session might include:
- Squats or split squats
- Rows or pull-aparts
- Pressing movements
- Core work
- Mobility drills for hips and shoulders
Having said all that, life often gets in the way, especially when on the road, and so we often revert to the “exercise snacks” concept mentioned earlier.
We also adjust the exercise intensity based on how much walking or activity we’re doing/have done that day.
The goal is to support our travel, not compete with it.
So, Are Resistance Bands Worth Packing?
For us, absolutely.
They’ve enabled us to:
- Stay consistent with fitness while travelling
- Maintain strength and mobility without a gym
- Recover more easily from long travel days
- Feel more capable and confident on active trips
Most importantly, resistance bands remove excuses. When your fitness equipment fits in your bag and your workout fits into 15 minutes or less, it’s much easier to stay on track
Final Thoughts
Travelling well as we get older isn’t about pushing harder. It’s more about good preparation.
Resistance bands are one of the simplest and most effective tools we’ve found for staying fit, mobile, and comfortable on the road. They’re lightweight, versatile, and adaptable to almost any situation.
If you’re an active traveler over 55 looking for a realistic way to support your fitness while exploring the world, then we believe resistance bands are well worth considering.
