How I workout while backpacking using just my body and backpack

If you’re on a budget like most backpackers, want to workout anywhere and don’t want to spend money at expensive gyms....read on.

I have created a workout which I believe is suitable for other backpackers, both men and women, looking to stay in reasonable shape while travelling. This workout is not designed for hard core bodybuilders looking to build large body mass, but instead for those looking for a semi-athletic and toned body shape using the least effort.

A Little History

When I was in my early 20s I attended a hard-core male only gym in North London. If anyone remembers the UK television programme “The Gladiators”, well, one of them trained there. His TV name was Rhino....and he looked like one. He was one of the nicest guys in the gym and would often offer to “spot” me, gym slang for standing by when performing a heavy exercise in case you got into trouble and needed help.....I remember spotting him a few times in return too!

As I’m now 55, I am no longer interested in going to a hard-core gym, it’s no longer about having huge muscles, not that it ever was, as it would have entailed protein powders, strict eating & dieting, pushing huge weights and ultimately if interested in competitions, steroids.

It’s now about general fitness and having a body shape for a man of my age that isn’t typically sagging but toned with some definition. I'm also no longer interested in packing a gym bag, traveling to a gym and spending 2 hours at a gym training. In reality, we probably spend over 3 hours doing the gym thing.

If travelling is your primary goal, no one really wants to spend hours on end exercising in a hot climate, when exploring is your main passion. I would rather spend my days at ancient temples, beautiful beaches and wondering quaint cobblestone streets in new villages and towns. My current approach is about achieving reasonable results, while minimising input; in other words, doing the least possible while seeing some muscle tone.

Working out when travelling is not easy, when backpacking it’s even harder as you don’t have access to a posh hotel gym and moving every few days is not conducive to settling into a routine.

The keen backpackers that really care about their fitness, will join a gym or go to a class or two on a daily or weekly basis. This only really works when you have settled down for a longer period of time which most backpackers don’t do.

A lot of time is spent tracking down a gym, if one is even available, then visiting a few to see which one is suitable and then finally deciding if the price is reasonable. Even in cheaper countries a day or weekly pass is not that cheap compared to a monthly subscription.

I tend not to do any type of cardio workout as I tend to walk between 4-5 hours everyday exploring wherever I am. Walking is my favourite mode of staying basically fit. In addition, there is no better way to get a feel for the new village or town that you’re in than exploring by foot. Even hiring a bicycle is too fast for me, especially when I focus on photography when time has no meaning.

Walking in itself helps with basic general fitness and combined with intermittent fasting is keeping me in a decent shape. I do however worry about the foods I eat as I have been eating other people’s food for so long. So despite looking OK on the outside, I’m sure my insides are not great. Eventually, I will settle down and be able to cook my own food again which will restore balance.

The main premise of the backpackers workout is to work out continuously without any rest or breaks. You use your own body and minimal weights as resistance. I often joke with my friends, that I can complete my work out in the same time it takes them to pack their gym bag and jump into their car to head over to their gym.

The clever part of this workout is having a whole week of rest for each muscle group. I now carry out this workout only twice a month, rather than every single week with no noticeable deterioration in my body shape.

As I write this article, I have been traveling for over 20 months and so can give you an accurate idea of the reality of doing this workout in a hostel environment. I will admit it’s not easy to complete as you have to get past your mental block of doing your exercises either in your dorm room or out in public areas and being seen by others.

To get over this mental block, you simply have to just get on and do it. Initially you will be embarrassed but the more times you complete your workout you will pass your mental block and it becomes your norm. One way to do this is to realise, this is probably the cheapest and quickest way of staying fit.....one thing I’ve learned is that backpackers love to save time and money. It is also fairly common to see other backpackers exercising, doing yoga, working and so on and so shouldn't take too long to get over any embarrassment.

Is This a Full-body Workout?

Yes it is, it targets everything, chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs and abs.

How often?

This full body workout is done over the course of 3 days. You could do this every week, that way your muscles have a whole week of recovery and building time. I currently do this every two weeks so only twice per month as a maintenance program rather than growth program.

The Approach

Using your own bodyweight, you can easily get a full body workout on the road without any equipment. The workout is based on HIIT (high-intensity interval training). This HIIT workout doesn’t take long to complete, in fact under 8 minutes for beginners, working up to 15 minutes.

Equipment

Back home in the UK, I would use individual dumbbell bars usually without any weights or sometimes with a quarter or half kilo plate on either side. The empty bars weighed just under 1.2kg each, as you can see, this workout is designed with low weights at its core. The only other piece of equipment you need is a bed or bench.

As this workout is designed for traveling and assuming it will be difficult to find dumbbells, alternatives are required. Simply put, you just need yourself, your backpack and a dorm lower bunk bed or bench.

Some backpackers have traditional huge 75 litre plus backpacks but will in addition have some kind of 20 litre day pack. It’s the 20 litre one you will use for the workout. Some backpackers have a cabin-sized roller suitcase, this is also fine to use.

Alternatively, you could use large books or a box with some weight inside which you may find in your hostel or hotel. I prefer to use something that is with me all the time, and that is my cabin-sized backpack. It’s not too big and I’m able to use it quite freely during my workout. I can easily vary its weight by choosing what items to leave inside. Currently the weight of my backpack when using it for my workout is around 5kgs. The important point is to have a backpack with a heavily padded handle to avoid it cutting into your hand. If yours has a thin handle, pad it with a sock or t-shirt.

Warm Up

I don’t do any and simply jump straight in, usually in the morning just after waking up and often still half asleep! You may however feel better completing 5 minutes of some kind of stretching etc.....for me I’m already a third of the way through my workout!

Workout Summary

Unlike many workouts that are based on a number of repetitions i.e. 15 press-ups; this workout is based on time. You perform an individual exercise for a specific amount of time and then immediately move onto the next one.

The first day you complete a chest and back workout. The second, a shoulders and arms workout. Finally on the third day, a legs and abs workout. I no longer do the abs part of the workout as you need to have very low body fat to actually be able to see the results.

Smartphone App

There are a multitude of smartphone apps that have HIIT workout programs, so you could choose to download and experiment and find one that suits you. All of the apps I downloaded could not be customised the way I wanted hence this program. After much trial and error I downloaded a free app called “Intervaly”.

This is not a workout app, but instead a timer app. Despite not being perfect, I was able to fully create my bespoke workout with the only problem being that the app had rest intervals by default. I simply reduced this to 1 second and ignore it during my workout.

The following workout is designed for beginners taking a maximum of 8 minutes. Over 8-12 months, the idea is to increase the total workout time to 15 minutes by adding time to each exercise as suits you.

Wherever you see the word (backpack) — use it as a weight.

Workout Breakdown

Day 1: Chest & Back (8 minutes)
Chest:
Flat Press Ups = 20 sec
(on floor)

Declined Press Ups = 20 sec
(feet on bed edge)

Inclined Press Ups = 20 sec
(feet on floor, hands on bed)

Bench Press = 2 min
(flat on bed or bench)
(backpack)

Fly’s = 2 min
(flat on bed or bench)
(backpack)

Back:
Left Arm Rows = 1 min
(bed edge, leaning down 45 degrees)
(backpack)

Right Arm Rows = 1 min
(bed edge, leaning down 45 degrees)
(backpack)

Overhead Twin Arm Rows = 1 min
(flat over bed edge or bench)
(backpack)

Day 2: Shoulders & Arms (8 minutes)
Shoulders:
Twin Shoulder Raises = 30 sec
(sat on edge of a bed)
(backpack)

Twin Shoulder Front Lifts = 30 sec
(standing)
(backpack)

Left Arm Side Laterals = 30 sec
(standing)
(backpack)

Right Arm Side Laterals = 30 sec
(standing)
(backpack)

Left Arm Rear Deltoids = 30 sec
(standing, leaning down 45 degrees)
(backpack)

Right Arm Rear Deltoids = 30 sec
(standing, leaning down 45 degrees)
(backpack)

Twin Arm Neck Raises = 30 sec
(standing)
(backpack)

Arms
Left Arm Curls = 30 sec
(standing)
(backpack)

Right Arm Curls = 30 sec
(standing)
(backpack)

Left Arm Concentration Curls = 30 sec
(sat on edge of a bed or chair)
(backpack)

Right Arm Concentration Curls = 30 sec
(sat on edge of a bed or chair)
(backpack)

Twin Arm Hammer Curls = 1 min
(standing)
(backpack)

Over Head Tricep Curls = 30 sec
(seated on bed)
(backpack)

Left Arm Rear Tricep Curls = 30 sec
(bed edge, leaning down 45 degrees)
(backpack)

Right Arm Rear Tricep Curls = 30 sec
(bed edge, leaning down 45 degrees)
(backpack)

Day 3: Legs & Abs (8 minutes)
Legs:
Squats = 30 sec
(standing)

Jumping Jacks = 30 sec
(standing)

Wall Chair = 30 sec
(legs at 45 degrees, back against a wall)

Alternate Leg Lunges = 45 sec
(standing)

Leg Raises = 1 min
(sat on edge of bed)
(backpack)

Calf’s Lift = 45 sec
(standing)

Left Leg Calf Lift = 30 sec
(standing)

Right Leg Calf Lift = 30 sec
(standing)

Abdominals:
Crunches = 30 sec
(on floor)

Air Bike Crunches = 1 min
(on floor, legs in air and cycle)

Plank = 30 sec
(on floor leaning on elbows)

Side Bends = 1 min
(standing)
(backpack)

Final Thoughts

Travel is about new experiences, but we shouldn't forget, especially if you're a long-term traveller, that keeping fit is also important. A workout not only helps your body, but also clear your mind. I would go as far as saying, that it is vital to keep your body healthy and free from diseases and doing some form of exercise is the key.

A strong immune system will help you ward off a multitude of travel related illnesses. Having a simple workout routine always to hand, requiring hardly any resources, empowers you to exercise almost anywhere without much thought. Whether you decide to try this workout or others more suited to your needs, doing something is the key.....all the best.

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