RC progressions for a high tempo traveler

Hi all, I've been working RC1 for a few weeks now using my Jungle Gym XT. I pack it in my roller bag which is nice. The only problem I'm having is finding suitable attachment points for them. Just wondering what other travelers might be doing and if there are alternatives I'm overlooking.

Thanks in advance!

Sarah

Bring a cordless drill and a couple of expansion bolts, you'll be able to set up anywhere.

Kidding aside, this can be quite a big problem. Most hotel gyms' idea of a pulling setup is a lat pulldown machine, which is just terrible.

For some pulling exercises you can use a nylon sling with a bulky knot at the end. Drape the over a door, and close it. The direction of pull must be so that the door is pulled against the door frame.

Ravn said:

Bring a cordless drill and a couple of expansion bolts, you'll be able to set up anywhere.

Kidding aside, this can be quite a big problem. Most hotel gyms' idea of a pulling setup is a lat pulldown machine, which is just terrible.

For some pulling exercises you can use a nylon sling with a bulky knot at the end. Drape the over a door, and close it. The direction of pull must be so that the door is pulled against the door frame.

The good thing about the Jungle Gym straps is each of them have an oval disk at the end which can be inserted behind a door like you suggest.  The only problem I've run into with that is that most hotel doors open into the room, meaning I'd be doing the workout in the hallway.   Lots of funny looks with that one.  Generally the doors are sturdy enough to go the other way though, as long as the entryway isn't awkward.  Some are at awfully weird angles.  For RC1, I'm not sure if having my feet against the door counts and the angle of the straps makes it feel like I'm not doing the exercise properly. 

I seriously wish the hotel community would just install those door frame pullup bars, or maybe have a room available for the fitness nut!  Haha

When I was travelling and spending to much time in hotels I would find the staircase if the gym was crappy or non existent. On the top landing there's often open railing where you can attach rings etc and workout a half floor below.

And since most people are lazy and take the elevator I usually got away with it without incident.

Fredrik said:

When I was travelling and spending to much time in hotels I would find the staircase if the gym was crappy or non existent. On the top landing there's often open railing where you can attach rings etc and workout a half floor below.

And since most people are lazy and take the elevator I usually got away with it without incident.

Definitely depends on the hotel, I've done the same. You're totally right about people not taking the stairs!  A lot of new hotels are built so you can only use them for emergencies (they exit to the outside).  Sad state of affairs.

I have done body rows under the desk.

Can you hang the straps off some playground equipment?

I have done tuck FL hanging off a treadmill.

Ravn said:

I have done tuck FL hanging off a treadmill.

Matter of fact I've done Russian dips on treadmill bars

Mark Collins said:

I have done body rows under the desk.

Can you hang the straps off some playground equipment?

Near my crash pad in Newark, yes. I'm based in LA starting in Dec, so I'll have to do a little recon. The good thing is that most of the hotels they put us in have decent fitness centers. There's generally at least one spot where I can strap up.

Jon Douglas said:

Matter of fact I've done Russian dips on treadmill bars

Yes, normal dips also works just fine performed that way

When I'm travelling, I check the hotel gym first. If not, then local parks/playgrounds.

Jon Douglas said:

Matter of fact I've done Russian dips on treadmill bars

I am just about to go on a cruise. Last year I got in trouble for doing planche push ups barefoot. The gym supervisor would have a fit if I was doing some Russian L-sit dips.

Several options for doing these in your room depending on which progression you're on and how obsessive you are:

1. For RC/PE1

For this, I really think you need an overhead bar. If so, you need to buy the simplest, smallest door frame pull-up bar you can find, pack it dismantled in your bag and put it together when you get to your hotel. The only issue with this is that some hotel door frames are oversized and will not allow the bar to sit properly.

2.  For RC/PE2 

You can hook up your Jungle Gym (or TRX bands, or Ravn's sling idea) to the bathroom door and do your reps there. When I first started I took my rings with me, wrapped the straps around a pillow, and then closed the door over the straps with the pillows on the other side of the door. Sketchy, but it worked. 

3. For RC/PE3:

This is a little tougher, you can do the same thing as with RC/PE2 but the angle won't be straight up so it's not exactly the same movement. In desperate times, I've layed under desks/tables and pulled up from there. You can't rotate your wrists, and the movement feels weird, but it's better than nothing. 

4. For RC/PE4: 

The only way is to do the table/desk thing but with your feet elevated on a well placed chair or your luggage, or whatever you find. This feels pretty sketchy, but again, desperate times call for desperate measures. My wife once scolded me for doing this on a glass dinner table while traveling. 

Have fun, and try not to break too many things in the process

Haha!!! That's a fantastic response! I've almost broken a side table or two using them for supports and such. Almost broke a bathroom door too, so I hear you on sketchy setup.

I'll look into the door bar, is that just the single tension bar? I've been leery of those. I can just see something that belongs on YouTube happening to me. I'll check it out.

I'm still on PE1

Tension bar works good, but is kinda heavy and you get funny looks at airport security if in carry on.. Would also highly recommend knee protection if you do pull ups on it. It also messes up the doorframe paint and will force if out of alignment in due time, which can make wife unhappy. Wife will still smile when it slips and and you lay crying in a heap with two red/ purple welts across the knees...

Edit: for Pe1 with straps it works just fine.

SarahsWhere said:

I'll look into the door bar, is that just the single tension bar? I've been leery of those. I can just see something that belongs on YouTube happening to me. I'll check it out.

I'm still on PE1

I was referring to "door gym" type pull-up bars such as this one: http://www.amazon.ca/Ultimate-Body-Press-Doorway-Pull/dp/B002F24TQW/ref=sr_1_8?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1447128093&sr=1-8&keywords=doorway+pull-up+bar

The problem is that you have to assemble it when you get there but it doesn't take that long, maybe 15-20 minutes at most. It's probably not worth it if you're only leaving for a day or two, mostly because of the space it would take in a bag, but if you're going for longer and will keep missing workouts due to travelling to places with no other options, it may be worth the hassle. Just remember to bring the little screwy thing that comes with it so that you can assemble it properly. 

RC/PE3 and RC/PE4 you can use desks, the underside of lavatories in bathrooms. Desperate measures...

Rogue fitness sells a sort of strap you can hang from a door, but I haven't used it, so I don't know how good it is.

If your hotel has a typical hotel gym you have a couple of better options. With some luck you can hang your rings. Some other tricks are:

If they have a chest press, set it to low weight so you can close the handles and use them handle for rowing. 

What I did once, was use the underside of the threadmill control panel (it usually has a bar there) and sort of row. It loses the aspect of maintaining tension because typically you don't have room to be hollow, but if you go kind of limp and let your pulling motion pull your feet on the thread mill it becomes sort of a hybrid RC/PE1 with a lot of emphasis in the grip and biceps (I honestly thought it was harder than RC/PE3/4, however it's not ideal as it doesn't have the same full body tension and pulling of the scapulae).

For RC/PE6, if they have a lat pull down, just set the machine to higher weight than yours and hang from the handle. Not ideal because you have to put your feet in a way that you don't touch the bench, so it's kind of a straddle hang, but it's acceptable.