You’re on vacation relaxing with friends, family, or maybe spending some quality time alone. The only thing missing is that hour of pain(and fun) at the gym! Dropping into a Crossfit gym is a great way to get that fitness fix, meet new people, and try out some different exercise programming, but what do you look for in a gym when you are on vacation or traveling? Here are a few of the things I look for and how I do it when considering which Crossfit box to drop into when away from home.
I like to see what is nearby where I am staying on Google Maps and look through the photos that gyms have posted there. Usually you will also find reviews from members, as well as other people who have stopped by the gym. This gives me a good idea for how big the gym is, what the equipment is like, and the type of people who workout there. I want to drop in on a gym where people are motivated to improve, with decent fitness equipment, and enough space to accommodate the amount of people in a class.
I will head over to the website of the gyms I like the look of to see if they have programming posted. If I can find programming on the website I will take a peak at the gym’s social media to try and find it there. I want programming that will challenge me mentally and physically, but also be a lot of fun too, it’s vacation after all! I can always run and do body weight exercises without a gym so I look for interesting strength conditioning over cardio intensive workouts.
Once I have found a gym or two that look promising the last thing to do is check out class times and fill out waivers. No one said you have to pick one gym while you are on vacation, if there is more than one that looks interesting why not drop in to both? If there are no gyms around or none interest you then why not see if your coach will give you a few ideas for a workout that doesn’t require equipment. At the beach? Use the opportunity to do some swimming. In the mountains? Do hill sprints and take advantage of the elevation training!
This week I am on vacation at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina and decided to drop into Reebok Crossfit Coastal Carolina (RC3). The facility is not as big as 926 (we are very lucky here folks, thank Zach & Jake) , but the equipment is in good shape and the WOD looked extremely challenging! If you want to check out where I worked out this week or you are headed to Hilton Head in the future and looking for a place to drop into you can check them out here: www.reebokcrossfitcoastalcarolina.com.
