Post: #1

I am traveling a lot, so my gym options are usually pretty basic, without a lot of free weights. Basically, if you walked into a typical hotel gym, there would probably be a limited amount of weights available. This is what I do. Is it fine? Most of the workouts I am finding online are involving free weights, which I don't usually have access to.

Any recommendations? It comes out to around 11 to 13 exercises or so when I am done with a full body. Or if I have more options, I can break it into 2 day sessions. Actually, I usually work out half of my body one day, and half the next, with 30 minutes of cardio.

Here is what I usually do:

1. Back - Lat Pull downs and Rows. Sometimes Shoulder Shrugs with Dumbbells.

2. Chest - Incline Press and Bench Press. Sometimes Chest Fly's if the machine is available. Mix between Dumbbells, machine weights, or free weights.

3. Legs - Leg Press, Calves and Thighs with Machine Weights.

Note: Never do squats.

4. Shoulders - Shoulder Press and Lateral Raise with Dumbbells usually.

5. Triceps -

"Seated Triceps Extension
Sit down and hold one dumbbell with both hands behind your head, elbows at 90 degree angles, upper arms straight up.
Raise the dumbbell with both hands until your arms are close to being fully extended and slowly lower it back after a short pause.
Keep your upper arms still throughout."

If a rope is available I will add that basic exercise also.

6. Biceps - Curls with dumbbells and machine work.

7. Abs - I do some random ab work.

Post: #2

You'd probably do well to throw away your #s 3 - 7 where you're devoting valuable time to bodybuilding excercises, and read up other threads that cover body weight excercises which will work your shoulders and arms at the same time as chest and back.

I used to have to rely on hotel gyms quite a bit, and 9 times out of ten you can count on their "gym" being comprised of an elliptical or two, a treadmill, a cable machine, and if you're lucky, dumbbells up to 50 lb, all crammed into a converted hotel room. A lot of times even when hotels I was staying in did have some kind of fitness facility, I skipped it entirely and ran stairs in the emergency stairwells, found a pipe or ledge of some kind in the same place to do pullups, and did incline pushups in my room with my feet up on a chair or coffee table. 30 minutes in the morning or evening and I'd be spent.

Edit - here's the link to the bodyweight workout thread:
/thread-48567.html

Post: #3

https://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Post: #4

(04-24-2017 06:50 PM)UlteriorMotive Wrote:  https://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Agreed that 5x5 is probably the most efficient regimen out there to build overall strength, but in my experience maybe 1 in 20 hotel gyms has a setup that would allow for it (barbells, actual benches, squat rack, etc).

Post: #5

Calisthenics are a no brainer. Get yourself a copy of Convict Conditioning.

But given that there are 24/7 gyms in virtually every city in world, I can't see why you'd limit yourself to hotel gyms.

Post: #6

Paul Wade's "Convict Conditioning" will suffice. get a copy and follow it to the letter.

Post: #7

No.

Just go get a guest pass at a decent gym near where you're staying. Might cost a few bucks, but so what.

Hotel gyms are generally useless.

Post: #8

Usually I stay at a place that has dumbbells and a lot of machine weights.

The main thing they won't have is a lot of free weights.

It seems like every time I look for workouts online they are so complex, or "5 x 5", or the other extreme "convict conditioning", but the majority of apartment or hotel gyms are laid out like the one I described. The basic assumption is all standard machine weights, with some dumbbells, and a weight bench that can be used for the Dumbbells, and NO SQUATS or Dead lifts.

I find that having a gym at my apartment or hotel is very convenient and going across town to workout is usually such a hassle that I don't usually end up going nearly as much. Maybe less can be more....

Post: #9

(04-25-2017 10:12 PM)Steelex Wrote:  No.

Just go get a guest pass at a decent gym near where you're staying. Might cost a few bucks, but so what.

Hotel gyms are generally useless.

Why useless? What specifically do they not have that makes them so bad?

Post: #10

Well most of them lack a power rack, or barbell, or heavy dumbbells.

It all depends what your goals are. If its just to not be fat, then i guess it's fine. But if physique development is something you're into, you probably need a full gym.

A lot of gyms have deals with nearby hotels where you just show them your room key or reservation and they let you train there free.

Post: #11

Just came across this - towel pull-ups that can be done anywhere with a solid door and two hand towels (i.e. Hotel rooms):





Wish I had thought of that sooner instead of scaring my fellow paying guests when they walk in on me hanging off exposed pipes in stairwells.

Post: #12

See signature.