How To Stay Fit (the local way!) While Traveling
Attend fitness classes when you travel to try something new, learn a new language, and make local friends!
Hotel Workouts = Boooring!
Staying fit while traveling can be a huge challenge. While there are tons of great hotel fitness routines, sometimes, you don’t feel like staying in the room. After all, you’re traveling and want experience the place you're visiting. A great option to stay active while experiencing local culture is to seek out local fitness classes!
Fitness classes can be a better alternative than even a day pass at a gym. It's usually around the same price, but you get a whole structured workout. When you go to a new gym, you're usually on your own to try out the equipment and plan your workout around what's available. Attending a class instead takes out the challenge of planning the workout, and the group setting provides extra motivation to give it your all!
FlyFit Bungee Fitness Class by Shari Courter in Bellefontaine, OH
Mix it Up!
Attending a group class in a new city turns a workout into a social and learning experience. You get to experience something new, learn a bit of local language, make local friends. The people attending and teaching local classes often aren't working in the tourism industry, so they are very amiable to making new friends and curious about you! They are delighted to welcome you into their country and share tidbits about their culture.
My Heartwarming Experience
Aerial Yoga Class in Chiang Mai, Thailand
I've been to over 14 countries this year, and in each place I go, I seek out new classes to try. I've made amazing connections and the people I've met have made me feel comfortable. Just by attending a few hour classes, I learned basic vocabulary like, breathing cues, numbers, and body parts in Chinese, Thai, and Portuguese by attending yoga and dance classes! Phrases in fitness classes are repeated quite a lot, so you may find yourself learning words without even realizing it.
In Chiang Rai, Thailand, I attended an aerial fitness class over Chinese New Year. The aerial yoga instructor was Chinese, and gifted me with a bag of oranges to take home at the end of the class! I was very taken aback and grateful for her generosity. We chatted a bit about why I was there, and when I mentioned I was traveling with my boyfriend, she brought out a couple of beers and insisted that I bring them back to him. It was such a sweet, unexpected gesture! Another student in that class asked how I had gotten to the studio, and offered me a ride back to the hotel on the back of her scooter (which ended up being my first time on a motorbike!). I felt so welcomed by their kindness and this experience, this small but genuine connection with local people, was a highlight of the trip.
How to Find Local Classes
Yoga Training Class at Casa Chocolate in Porto, Portugal
Google is your best friend to find local classes in the west, but in some countries, especially if there's a different language, it can be a bit more difficult to find classes. In those cases, local search engines or Facebook can be a good way to find classes. Don't be scared of taking a class even if it's not in English or your local language, because most classes are very visual and you can follow along by watching the instructor or other students. You can always message the fitness studio beforehand (try WhatsApp or Facebook) about the language and class details if you are worried (they can probably recommend a class with an instructor that knows your language!).
Top Tips to Make it a Success
Group selfie after class at FITsy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Plan ahead - try to book a class at least a day in advance, so you allow time to contact the studio for more detailed instructions on where it's located. Try to arrive early so you can find the place and sign any needed waivers. Fitness studios in big cities are often tucked away in larger buildings, which can be difficult to find! Having access to cellular data is very helpful in these situations, but you can always pop into a laundromat or café to access Wifi if you get lost.
In many places of the world, people don't wear shorts or tank tops, even at the gym. It's best to wear leggings or long pants, and a t-shirt with sleeves at least for the first class.
Follow the local flow. Observe the culture of the place you're staying in. In Mexico, classes start 10 minutes late! If you arrive on time, no one will be there yet.
Always greet and thank your instructor, preferably in the local language if you can. At the end of class, I like to find one thing to compliment or ask the instructor about after class. You may mention an exercise you liked, compliment their calming/encouraging voice, or ask what other classes they teach.
Have a positive attitude - smiles speak louder than words. Don't take it too seriously and you will enjoy it more!
Don't be afraid. Being nervous for the first class at a new studio in a foreign country is absolutely normal. Feeling like you can't keep up is completely fine. Remember, you're new to this after all! But this experience is a huge confidence booster and after the class, you will feel more comfortable!
Whatever your thing is, from aerial yoga, boxing, tennis, etc - following your passions while you travel is the best way to get out of the tourist bubble and make lasting connections. Be brave, and try something new the next place you go!
Cheers,
Elaine Eason
Now let’s hear from you! If you’ve attended a great fitness class while traveling we need to know. Share them in the comments below and we’ll check them out!
I guess I should get into the budgeting part… it’s probably the main reason why you clicked. So after traveling in the Philippines for 28 days, in Singapore for 5 days, and Malaysia 60 days in Malaysia, I’ve come to the conclusion that Southeast Asia is fu*king CHEAP compared to the USA.