Hotel gyms are unpredictable. Some have wall to wall state of the art cardio machines, yoga studios and a juice bar. Others are more traditional with a mix of equipment, floor space and a designated weights area. A few are little more than a basement room with a mismatch of exercise paraphernalia.
Typically though all will have standard free weights, kettlebells or a barbell and these are excellent for use in a series of short, powerful circuits. With less than half of hotel guests making use of the in house fitness facilities you’re unlikely to have to wait for weights to be available or queue for machines like you do at home (especially on Monday nights in January!)
Hop on the treadmill or bike to warm up and then work your way through these five mini circuits for an all-over body workout that will leave you feeling strong, energised and flooded with endorphins. Select the weight depending on your personal fitness levels and be sure to take a 90-second break between each circuit. Complete the five circuits up to three times depending on how much time you have available.
10 barbell squats
10 barbell forward lunges
10 barbell reverse lunges
10 barbell squats
10 burpees
10 barbell reverse lunges
10 barbell shoulder presses
10 burpees
10 kettlebell swings
10 side burpees
10 kettlebell swings
10 dumbbell lateral raises
15 barbell shoulder presses
10 dumbbell bicep curls
15 dumbbell lateral raises
If you are feeling super motivated add in a simple core circuit too:
20 medicine ball Russian twists
15 flutter kicks
20 plank taps
Remember to cool down with a couple of minutes on the bike or treadmill and some gentle stretching. I would also recommend finishing your session with child’s pose to 
gently stretch out the hips, thighs and ankles in a relaxing stress-free pose.
When you’re travelling for business an early morning gym workout can be a useful time to navigate through sticky work problems or mentally rehearse client presentations and any upcoming difficult conversations. At the other end of the day, an exercise session can be key to relaxing both your body and mind.
If your hotel gym isn’t suitable for the type of workout you prefer to check out amenities in the local area. The old membership model is being replaced by a ‘pay as you go’ gyms which are ideal when you’re on the road for business.
