Hi there,
I travel a lot for work (out of town 2-4 nights per week) and therefore spend a lot of time trying to squeeze in a workout at a hotel gym. Since the hotel gyms vary in what equipment they offer, I often find myself not being able to to do some of the exercises outlined in whatever pre-planned workout program I’m doing (usually on an APP). I’m not experienced enough to know which exercises I should do to replace the ones I can’t do (the ones for which the equipment isn’t there).
Does anyone have any recommendation re: which workout APP might offer the most flexibility re: selecting which machines/equipment can be included in the workout program?
I’m not well-versed on apps, but can perhaps offer a little general advice:
In my experience, hotel gyms don’t have much in way of stuff for heavy lifting, so squatting a 3RM or busting out some heavy deadlifts is often not going to be possible.
However, if you’re just trying to get in shape then you don’t necessarily need a lot of kit. All gyms generally have the equipment necessary to do some interval training in the form of a weights circuit or complex.
So just pick like 4 exercises you can do and do them all in one go without resting. Once you’ve done all 4 (or whatever number of exercises you choose) you would rest.
Circuits/complexes are brutal, and you can absolutely destroy yourself with not very much weight or equipment at all. Really, a single set of dumbbells would be all you’d need (but of course you can use a bar, various machines, etc).
It’s not going to build muscle like lifting heavy weights will, and it’ll not drive your numbers on the big 3 up, but it’ll absolutely get you in shape.
My .02. Don’t use your phone when you work out. It’s a good time to unplug. I bought a $5 stopwatch just so I wouldn’t use my phone.
For working out at hotel gyms… I like @Yogi1 suggestion of standardizing the workout around dumbbells. Most hotel gyms will have those. You Can’t really compare hammer strength machine 1 in Atlanta to hammer strength machine 2 in Lake Placid.
Just googled “hotel gym workout” millions of results.