Hiking is great exercise while traveling, but for building muscle strength and bone density, you need strength training. The go-to tool for that is weight lifting, either with hand weights, kettle balls, or barbells. New research shows resistance training with bands may be even better.
Traveling in an RV means keeping possessions to a minimum. That said, how do we meet our fitness goals while traveling? One options is visiting gyms along the way. That works well in populated centers, but we like to travel off the beaten path.
After my osteoporosis diagnosis, some form or resistance training was necessary. Everyone loses bone density and muscle mass with aging, unless specific steps are taken to maintain fitness.
Dr. John Jaquish wrote a book for bodybuilders about resistance training. He claims that variable resistance training, using his proprietary system, is better for muscle building than traditional weights. His system is called X3 Elite, and it’s definitely designed for heavy duty use. You can find out about it on his website: Jaquish Biomedical.
His research and medical knowledge is excellent, but his equipment is super heavy duty and also expensive. I wasn’t interested in becoming a muscle bound body builder. My goals are to maintain muscle mass and build bone density with equipment I could carry in my RV. I was looking for equipment that was:
- Easy to carry
- Easy to store
- Easy to use
- Inexpensive
- Not too heavy to carry around
- Builds muscle strength
- Builds bone density
- Suitable for all body types
Amazon sells equipment that suited my needs very well. Here are some examples of what’s available to build your own “X3 type” system.
This first option is an “all in one” system. I haven’t tried this, but it does look extremely portable.
- AS SEEN ON KICKSTARTER – PATENT PENDING – We were dissatisfied with other home gyms. So, we developed a better one. EVO …
- A FULL GYM YOU CAN TAKE ANYWHERE – EVO Gym is the world’s only fully-equipped home gym that fits in your backpack, deliv…
- MAXIMUM TENSION & MAXIMUM RESULTS – EVO Gym provides a workout experience second to none. Reinforced with Aircraft-Grade…
The second option is the one I chose. I bought a set of bands and a bar. Foot plates were not available commercially at the time, so my partner made me one.
- 🚨 [500LBS Heavy-Duty Bar & Secure Rotation] Precision-machined alloy steel bar with internal bearings supports up to 500…
- 🔥 [4 Stackable Bands (25-175LBS Each)] Customize intensity: Light (25-65LBS) for beginners, Medium (35-85LBS) for interm…
- 🤝 [Pro-Grade Handles & Universal Door Anchor] Sweat-proof rubber handles maintain grip during workouts. Extra-long door …
- [Heavy Duty]: Tribe Lifting Resistance Bands Bar is built from high-quality steel and is equipped with a ball-bearing sw…
- [Portable]: What makes this bar one of the best exercise bars for home workouts and fitness bars for home is that its a …
- [Versitile]: The bar is designed to fit most resistance bands and tubes, even the very wide ones, this resistance traini…
- 6 Resistance Levels: Our Pull Up Resistance Band Set includes 6 bands color-coded for different resistance levels: Blue …
- Total Body Training: Cover all bases with our exercise bands resistance, perfect for a comprehensive workout. From impro…
- Premium Elastic Material: Our pull up assistance bands are not only skin-friendly and non-slip but also soft to the touc…
- 5 Different Power Level Bands: 5 different colors and clear weight indications are for 5 different power levels: yellow …
- GYM Assistance & Daily Workout: This resistance gym band kit is not only perfect for GYM assistance, like pull-ups, powe…
- Super-Portable with Free eBook: This resistance band set comes with a storage bag, light weight and takes little space i…
You can now buy foot plates on Amazon. Here are some examples.
As you can see from the above links, there are many options for putting together your own portable fitness system. They require little room to use and even less room to store…perfect for all kinds of travel!
Disclaimer: This information is NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. Please consult your health professional before embarking on a new fitness program.
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