The only 3 exercises you need to stay strong while traveling (seriously)

You're three days into a trip and you can feel it. Your legs are restless, your energy is off, and your body is quietly (or not so quietly) asking for something more than hotel hallways and airport terminals. But finding time for a full workout? That's not happening.

But a little preparation can help you maintain your momentum without sacrificing the experience. You don't need a gym or complicated programming, just your weighted vest. You can pack the full setup (shell and weights), but if luggage space is tight, pack the YVO shell on its own. Once you arrive, fill the weight bags with sand, rice, or even hotel toiletries. Either way, you're covered. 

Use your vest to try these three exercises woven into your daily walks, designed to challenge your legs, upper body, and core while you catch a few moments for yourself.

This is minimalist conditioning built for real life. And according to an Ergonomics study on weighted vests, this type of added load increases workout intensity without changing how you naturally walk.

How to get started

The structure for this workout is simple. Go for a weighted walk and stop every 10 to 15 minutes to run through a quick three exercise circuit with minimal rest, then keep moving. 

Here's the circuit:

• Step-Ups with Knee Drive: 10 reps per leg

• Dead-Stop Push-Ups: 10 to 12 reps

• Elevated Plank Shoulder Taps: 20 taps total (10 per side)

Over a 30 minute walk, you can get in two solid rounds, while a 45 minute walk gives you time to do three. You can do the exercises as is, or choose the easier or harder version depending on your fitness level, energy, and preference.

Warm up first

Walk for at least 5 to 10 minutes before your first round so your muscles have time to warm up, your joints can loosen, and your body adjusts to the vest.

If you're walking in the morning or after a long flight, you might need a little extra time. Pay attention to how you feel. When your stride feels fluid and your body feels ready, you're good to go.

Find your bench

Before you head out, scout a location with a sturdy bench, ledge, or step. Parks are ideal, but a low wall or even a wide curb can work. You'll use the same surface for all three exercises, so make sure it's stable and roughly knee-height.

Step-up with knee drive

Walking is a great foundation, but it's a repetitive movement that doesn't challenge your full range of motion. This step-up variation changes that. By driving your knee high at the top, step-ups can activate your glutes even more than squats, while also working your quads, and stabilizing muscles, and improving single-leg balance, according to research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning.

The weighted vest raises your center of gravity, which forces your core and hips to work harder to keep you steady. If you wobble at the top, that's the point. Your body is learning to stabilize under load.

How to do it

• Stand facing a sturdy bench, step, or high curb.

• Plant your right foot firmly on the bench.

• Drive through your right heel to stand up, bringing your left knee high toward your chest.

• Pause briefly at the top, balancing on your right leg.

• Lower your left foot back to the ground with control.

• Complete all reps on one side before switching.

Make it easier: Use a lower surface, like a curb or bottom stair. 

Make it harder: Slow down the lowering phase to a 3-second count.

Dead-stop incline push-up

Most push-ups rely partly on momentum with a bounce out of the bottom that uses elasticity to help you back up. This dead-stop variation eliminates the bounce. By pausing at the bottom, you build true starting strength and make every rep count.

The vest adds direct resistance to your chest, shoulders, and triceps, which muscle activation research found challenges your muscles similarly to a bench press. Plus, the pause forces you to overcome the extra weight without any help from momentum.

How to do it

• Place your hands on a bench, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

• Walk your feet back so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.

• Lower yourself slowly (about 3 seconds) until your chest touches the bench.

• Pause completely for 1 second.

• Press back up to the starting position with control.

Make it easier: Use a higher surface, like a wall or tall railing. 

Make it harder: Elevate your feet on a curb or low step.

Elevated plank shoulder taps

A standard plank with a vest can sometimes pull your lower back into a sag if your core isn't fully engaged. Adding shoulder taps solves that problem. The movement creates rotational force your body has to resist—which lights up your obliques and deep abdominal muscles.

The vest amplifies this challenge. Every time you lift a hand, the weight on your torso tries to twist you. Fighting that rotation is where the real work happens.

How to do it

• Start in a push-up position with your hands on a bench, body in a straight line.

• Brace your core and squeeze your glutes.

• Lift your right hand and tap your left shoulder.

• Place it back down and repeat on the other side.

• Keep your hips square to the ground throughout, no rocking side to side.

Make it easier: Widen your feet for a more stable base. 

Make it harder: Bring your feet closer together, or move your hands to the ground.

 

Now get out there and explore. Your strength routine doesn't have to stay home—and with a vest built for women on the move, it won't.

 

 

View Sources & References

1. Gaffney C, et al. Weighted vests in CrossFit increase physiological stress... Ergonomics. 2022.

2. Looney DP, et al. Metabolic costs of walking with weighted vests. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2024.

3. McGowan CJ, et al. Warm-up strategies for sport and exercise... Sports Med. 2015.

4. Simenz CJ, et al. Electromyographical analysis of lower extremity muscle activation... J Strength Cond Res. 2012.

5. van den Tillaar R. Comparison of kinematics... Sports Med Int Open. 2019.

6. Calatayud J, et al. Progression of core stability exercises... Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2017.

This article was written for educational purposes. The exercises described carry a risk of injury. Please consult with a healthcare professional before attempting these movements, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions.