Holidays and bodybuilding: how to combine sport and relaxation while maintaining your skills?

Bodybuilding and strength sports in general are very ungrateful to those who practice them. Practicing a resistance sport requires regularity and intensity in training, otherwise, you will make very little progress. But what's more, if you stop your physical activity for a while, you risk quickly losing the little muscle and strength you have gained over long weeks, or even months of training. Only, the holidays are fast approaching...

While most athletes are relatively unconcerned about it, true bodybuilders, those who truly want to gain and maintain muscle mass, prefer to avoid losing mass and strength. Obviously, they are quite rare, but in this case (and I am one of them), it becomes quite difficult to go away for a few days, let alone go on vacation for one to three weeks without training. Is it possible, however, to limit the loss of muscle and strength linked to the lack of physical activity?

Bodybuilding and vacations, how to reconcile your sporting goals with the lack of intense physical activity?

Let's just say that these days, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find a hotel or vacation rental that doesn't offer some sort of fitness activity on-site or nearby. Most modern hotels are equipped with a small gym, often with minimal equipment, which can be a real help. If you're vacationing abroad, you might be more likely to find well-equipped exercise rooms . With the proliferation of gyms popping up all over the city, exercise options are also becoming more numerous and varied. But does that mean you have to spend your vacation working out like you would at home? Probably not, and for several reasons...

Taking a break or training at a lower intensity allows you to recover better before resuming training.

Even if you think your body is a machine, it also has its limits. To this end, it can be useful to take a break without ceasing all physical activity. In truth, therein lies the trap. Ceasing all forms of sport will not only make you lose muscle mass and strength, but it will also impact your return to previous performance levels. In this case, taking an active break is certainly the best solution. In this context, it's not wrong to assume that your vacation spot is able to offer you a variety of physical activities that you can practice at a moderate intensity. Likewise, if you are a serious bodybuilder, it is highly unlikely that you have chosen a vacation spot completely devoid of sports opportunities.

Practicing a complete sport during your vacation will allow you to maintain your physical condition without losing much.

Maintaining your fitness during your vacation will always be easier if you practice a complete sport like swimming, for example. Since you can easily enjoy a pool, you'll certainly be able to enjoy the pool early in the morning, before the families invade the premises. The ultimate complete sport, swimming also allows you to work your back and pectorals with a certain intensity. Remember, however, that you're on vacation to recover, not to set new records. Also, keep in mind that this type of active recovery will allow you to start again on a very good physical basis, with little loss of muscle mass and strength. In addition, this type of cardiovascular activity will also allow you to improve your oxygen volume and mitochondrial generation, which can only be beneficial when you resume strength training.

Similarly, cycling on vacation will give your thighs a useful workout. However, avoid exhausting yourself; it's always tempting to try to go faster while cycling, which can quickly become exhausting. Also, consider that improving your endurance will allow you to gain strength and muscle mass later on. Similarly, some clubs or hotels are sometimes well-equipped in terms of weight rooms. Even if you don't find the quality or comfort of use that you enjoy in your own sports environment, you can still make the most of the equipment that will be made available to you. But in this case, how can you make the most of it?

What strength training should you do if your vacation spot has a gym?

Hotels or resorts that offer small gyms are generally quite poorly equipped. Cardio equipment often outnumbers weight benches or machines. However, if your resort's small gym is equipped with a quality bench press or multi-function machine, you can already perform most of the exercises necessary to develop all muscle groups. However, a simple flat bench or an incline bench and a few dumbbells will already do the trick. In this case, you can already achieve good quality muscle maintenance with good basic exercises. However, don't fall into the trap of insisting on doing intense workouts with a high volume of muscle work.

Remember that your body also needs rest, and you're not inexhaustible, no matter your age. Instead, focus on active recovery by taking advantage of the pool to do a few laps, cycling, running, or playing tennis. If you avoid exceeding your recovery capacity, your body will repay you three times over when you resume intense strength or cardio workouts .

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