Normally when I take a vacation…I take a vacation. We are talking laying around on the beach, sipping margaritas and eating bonbons all day long. The only activity that might qualify as "exercise" is grabbing my surfboard to catch some waves or strapping on my snowboard to cruise down the mountain. With these vacations that I take for pleasure, I need that downtime - the chance for my body and mind to recover from the fast-paced, high-pressure society we live in. It's like hitting the reset button, clearing the cache, and realigning with what is really important in life.
However, since this current trip to Thailand is more of a working vacation, I'm taking a more proactive approach to stay in shape for the performances I have lined up when I get back to NYC. Want to know what I’m using as my vacation workout template? Here's my program for the next week:
Vacation Workout Plan
- Exercises from my KEY TO YOUR CORE workout (3 times this week)
- Giving myself the occasional barre
- Some light stretching (every day)
- Partaking in traditional Thai massage (hopefully 2 or 3 times - This is the first time I've had this type of massage…whoa is it intense! But, I'm loving it! It's been a game changer, especially after being crammed in a plane for 20 plus hours on the trip over here!)
I get it, vacations can be a challenge to your progress sometimes. There's so much value to be had in getting out of your usual routine and location, but at the same time, you don't want to backslide, especially when you have to perform a few days after you get back. But, instead of trying to cram in a ton of time-consuming exercise while you are away, vacations can be an opportunity to listen to what your body needs and change things up a bit. Plus, let's face it, when you're on vacation (even if it's a working vacation!), you want to be able to enjoy the beauty and experience of being in new location. The last thing you want is to feel stuck in a routine that eats up all your time for exploring. This template is my solution for that;)
This is only the second day that I've been here, but so far I'm feeling amazing and energized despite dealing with the time change and jet lag of being on the opposite side of the world! So, the next time you find yourself on vacation in the middle of a performance season, listen to your body to see what you need and feel free to use this as a template to keep yourself fit for dancing.