Vacation and time for rest. But get up from the sun lounger occasionally and make sure to maintain the good training habit even during the vacation, experts advise.
Here are the tips that prevent both laziness and training routine from collapsing this summer.
The biggest vacation enemy is when training stops completely, warns Magnus Lindwall, professor of psychology with a focus on health psychology at the University of Gothenburg.
It's very much about habits and setting up your environment, that's the key. And reducing resistance and planning ahead, he says.
Vacation means a chance for recovery. But when rest results in prolonged sitting, the risk is that the physiological systems, such as how we take up energy in the body, are disrupted, according to Emma Haglund, associate professor of biomedical science with a focus on physical activity and training at Halmstad University.
A little is better than nothing, just doing a few squats protects different physiological systems in the body, she says.
Classic Squats
Sometimes it's enough to get up from the sun lounger for a squat that activates the larger muscles.
It's a classic. If you're sitting anyway, you can take the time to stand up and sit down ten times, says Emma Haglund.
There are habits we maintain every day. Brushing your teeth, for example. It may be a tedious activity, but we do it anyway, and it's not directly unpleasant to brush your teeth. But training can be. Sweat and training pain can create resistance that makes us choose to skip training when daily routine is blurred into vacation planning, according to motivation researcher Magnus Lindwall.
Communication and Reward
One trick is to build training into the environment you're in, so it becomes natural and doesn't take time, energy, or cost extra. It can, for example, involve laying out training clothes the night before or jogging to the beach when others take the car or bike.
Longing also works. Longing to talk to a friend on a light jog or to listen to the latest podcast episode.
It's a simple life hack, to reward yourself. You long for the moment and then the training doesn't feel so tough, concludes Magnus Lindwall.
Outdoor Gym
More and more municipalities are investing in outdoor gyms in connection with parks, playgrounds, and green areas.
Swimming
Combine utility with pleasure and swim a few laps in the sea and lake. Swimming strengthens most of the body's muscles, including the heart.
Running or Power Walk
Discover new places and get your pulse and blood circulation going by running or taking a power walk along the summer's beaches.
Yoga
A training form that exists in different variants and levels of difficulty. If you're at a campsite, there may be opportunities to participate in group training.
Stair Training
This training is effective if you want to train the muscles in your legs and buttocks. Take the opportunity to train on the city's stairs during the summer.
Rubber Band
Rubber bands easily fit in your bag. With the help of different exercises, you can put together a full-body workout.
Sources: Gym chains STC and Nordic Wellness
