I’m preparing to go away for a few days. We’ll be camping and spending some family time together on a trip we take every year. Many years ago, I spent this specific trip trying to squeeze workouts in so I wouldn’t take a full week off from training. I’ve packed the jogging stroller and jogged all around the campground with a baby because I was so worried about missing any time from my workout plan. In retrospect, it was probably unnecessary.
These days, I take a longer view on my training. Most of the time when I’m away, I don’t plan structured workouts. Sometimes I end up doing something active because I feel like it, but I don’t stress if I don’t. Whether or not you should work out on vacation really depends on a few different factors.
The first thing I’d think about is how often you travel or take breaks from training. If you’re taking one vacation every few months, it’s probably fine. Honestly, it might even be beneficial to take a little training break. Most people come back feeling refreshed and excited to train again.
On the other hand, if you’re traveling every month for work or taking frequent long weekends away, it might be worth figuring out how to keep some consistency while you’re gone. Missing a week of training every few months is very different from missing a week every month.
Another thing to consider is whether you’re preparing for something with a specific timeline. If you’re just lifting to get stronger and healthier, missing a week isn’t likely to have much impact. If you’re twelve weeks into a powerlifting meet prep or training for a marathon that’s six weeks away, that’s a different conversation. In those cases, it might make sense to find a gym for a workout or two so you can stay on track.
I’d also think about who you’re traveling with. If getting your workout in means disappearing for two hours while your partner wrangles three kids alone, maybe that’s not the hill to die on. Your workout will still be there when you get home.
On the flip side, if you’re spending a week in a beach house with seventeen extended family members who all have Opinions™, maybe an hour at the gym is exactly what you need. Sometimes the workout isn’t about making progress. Sometimes it’s about preserving your sanity and avoiding The Great Family War of 2026.
And then there’s the big one: is this a once-in-a-lifetime trip? We went to Europe in the spring for ten days, and I didn’t work out once. I don’t know when I’ll get back to Europe. I can go to the gym at home literally any day of the week. Given the choice between Beethoven’s childhood home and a gym, I chose Beethoven’s house. I feel great about that decision.
If you decide to take the week off, don’t feel guilty about it. Just let your coach know ahead of time so they can plan your programming accordingly.
If you’d rather keep moving while you’re away, you’ve got plenty of options. You can find a gym and stick with your normal program. You can find a gym and do a modified version based on whatever equipment they have. If your hotel has a fitness room, you can absolutely make do with whatever’s there. Or you can plan some simple bodyweight workouts if that’s more realistic. Your coach can help with any of those.
The point isn’t that there’s one right answer. The point is to make the decision on purpose. Don’t work out on vacation because you’re afraid one week will erase months or years of progress. At the same time, don’t skip a workout you genuinely want to do because someone on the internet told you that “rest is productive.”
Think about your goals, your trip, the people you’re with, and what will make this vacation better. Then make the choice that fits this vacation.
