Enjoying Fitness on the Road
Staying fit in an RV is achievable with creativity and the right tools. Opt for lighter, multi-purpose workout gear, flexible gym memberships, equipment-free workouts, and take advantage of the great outdoors and Harvest Hosts locations offering fitness activities.
Exercising in your RV or on the road can be tricky. In an RV, your local gym is no longer available, and many home gyms are not portable. This leaves many wondering what they should do to stay in shape while on the road. It's not always easy, but it is still possible to work on your fitness with a bit of creativity. There are plenty of exercises that can be done on the road or inside your RV. The key is to use what you have around you and make the most out of your surroundings. Keep reading to learn about some of the top ways that RVers stay in shape on the road.
- Use lighter or multi-purpose equipment
- Opt for a flexible gym membership
- Choose workouts that don't require equipment
- Check out your surroundings for inspiration
- Stay at Harvest Hosts locations that have physical fitness activities
Use lighter or multi-purpose equipment.
Most RVers know that their RV is only meant to hold a certain amount of total weight. This includes water, black and grey tank contents, fuel, passengers, etc. Overloading your RV is dangerous and can result in extra strain on your tires, axles, brakes, transmission, and engine. For this reason, many RVers choose to leave heavy exercise equipment at home. But not so fast! RVers don’t need to sacrifice too much in terms of workout gear. Plan to choose multi-purpose or lighter equipment to make the most out of what you’re carrying.
Adjustable Dumbbells
Adjustable dumbbells are a revolutionary piece of equipment in terms of space, total weight, cost, and convenience. Even many homeowners opt out of a home gym because of the sheer amount of space it could take up. A good set of adjustable dumbbells should allow users to fluctuate between classic dumbbells with adjustable weights with a generous range. The dumbbells linked above ranges from 5.5 to thirty-three pounds for a single dumbbell. Each dumbbell can also convert into a kettlebell and/or a barbell.
A jump rope is a classic piece of exercise equipment that never goes out of style. It’s lightweight, can be stored almost anywhere, and provides excellent cardio opportunities. These can be purchased at sporting goods stores, big-box stores, discount stores, and online. The linked jump rope is a well-built jump rope called Crossrope. They advertise full-body workout jump ropes of varying weights that can be used with their app for ultimate results.
Resistance bands are a versatile way to get in an amazing workout. They are lightweight and easy to store. The ones with handles are great for working your shoulders and arms, while the smaller loop bands can work your leg muscles and glutes. The set linked above includes handled bands ranging from ten to fifty pounds. Bands can be combined with another handle to give resistance of up to 150 pounds. It also includes loop bands, a figure eight band, a hand grip strengthener, a carrying case, a fitness guide, and more.
The owners of Mount Out Gear (MOG) designed their product with travelers in mind. This incredible product mounts onto an existing hitch (think your tow vehicle or RV’s hitch!) that can provide you with an amazing, full-body workout utilizing resistance bands. MOG can also be set up at home with their home adapter. The total weight of this product is an impressive twenty-nine pounds and is made from fourteen-gauge steel tubing.
A yoga mat or exercise mat is a comfortable, low-maintenance way to complete many workouts that don’t require equipment. Think pushups, planks, jumping jacks, etc. You’ll stay comfortable on a padded mat while still able to get your workout in. Most yoga mats can be used indoors or outdoors. The one linked above is an extra thick mat that comes with a carrying handle. Most mats can be rolled up to be stored in an outdoor storage compartment, under the couch, under the bed, or any other place with plenty of room.
Stand-up paddle boarding, also called a SUP boarding, is a newly-popular water sport. It involves balancing on a board while in calm waters and paddling around while standing and remaining balanced. Simply standing on the board alone engages your core and burns calories. Paddling can be a full-body workout as well. The SUP board we linked includes helpful accessories such as a waterproof bag, a collapsible paddle, a hand pump, and a carrying case.
LA Fitness is an affordable and recognizable gym. They allow potential members to try out a free guest pass to see if they enjoy their gym. Members have the choice to sign up with “Multi Club Access” meaning they can visit any of the 600+ locations across North America. However, to access multiple locations, there is an initiation fee.
24 Hour Fitness automatically gives members access to any of their 280+ clubs at any hour of the day. Before joining, potential members have the opportunity to try out the fitness center for 3 days for free. A membership also includes access to the gym’s 24GO fitness app, 24GO YouTube channel, and the 24Life website with inspiring stories and expert recommendations. The main downfall with this gym is that they are currently only located in eleven different states.
Anyone looking to get in a full-body workout will enjoy this bouldering gym. They offer rope walls, training areas, and bouldering walls. This Harvest Hosts location in New Brunswick offers five pet-friendly spaces for RVs of any size.
Willy’s Gym is a state-of-the-art fitness facility that offers traditional gym equipment, aquatics, tennis courts, pickleball, rock climbing, and more. They also have an on-site café. This Harvest Hosts location offers three pet-friendly spaces for RVs under forty-four feet in length.
Beta Crux is a climbing gym that offers more than 4000 square feet of bouldering walls. They also offer rope climbing along with lessons. This Harvest Hosts location has two pet-friendly spaces for RVs under twenty-nine feet in length available.
Did you know that rock-climbing is a full-body workout? Many climbers don’t need too much upper body strength either! At Bliss Climbing and Fitness, visitors can climb forty feet up the built-in walls or consider taking one of their courses. This Harvest Hosts location offers two pet-friendly spaces for RVs under twenty-nine feet in length.
Get ready to experience some tailored classes for strength, yoga, climbing, and more at Summit Strength and Fitness. They feature special programs designed to help fitness enthusiasts, including an at-home workout guide. This Harvest Hosts location offers one pet-friendly space for RVs under thirty-five feet in length and comes highly-rated.