Anytime you break out of your routine, your system will be a little shocked.

Everyone knows travel can beat up your body – there’s jet lag (zzzzz), intestinal distress (!!!!!), and walking walking walking that makes you tired tired tired.

But here are some less-obvious punches you might not be ready for.

[Obligatory caveat – I’m no fitness expert. Consult your doctor before doing anything strenuous. Also, if you know more about exercise than I do, please share your fitness ideas in the comments. Thanks!]

Squatting

Let’s face it: our backsides are pampered here in the States. While traveling you could be faced with any number of toilet scenarios that will shock your delicate sensibilities: creatures swimming (true story), seat covered with ?????, no seat at all, or simply a hole in the ground. 

Get those legs ready with some squats.

Bracing

At some point you’ll end up on a bus that is careening around cliff-side roads that curve left, curve right, curve left again … you get the idea. There’s nothing holding you in place, so your core muscles start to brace to keep you from leaning into the stranger next to you.

Focus on your core with planks. (Unless you want to get close to the stranger next to you. I’m not judging.)

Steady-ing

This is for those times when there’s no seat available on the bus mentioned above. So you’re standing. Around the curves. Maybe there’s something to hold onto. Maybe not. Hope your legs are up to the task.

Practice your balance with these tips.

Lifting

Unless you’re on a tour that includes people carrying your bags for you, you’ll be employing arm muscles that have never seen active duty. You’ll lift your carry-on to the overhead bin. You might lift your full bag to the luggage-organizer-guy on the roof of the aforementioned bus.

Get your arms ready to lift things above your head by, um, lifting things above your head. Or with these arm exercises.

Climbing

At some point you’ll probably have to climb several flights of stairs with your bag in hand or on your back. Or, if you like quaint hillside colonial towns (like I do), you’ll end up climbing those quaint hillsides on foot – because, to keep the town quaint for us touristy types, the town keeps all ancient narrow meandering roads (or footpaths) as-is. Your legs and lungs don’t always appreciate this as much as the rest of you does.

Get your climbing muscles ready with a treadmill set to an incline.

Have I missed any? And how would you fitness experts prepare for these movements? (Short of simply traveling more, which is always highly recommended.)

And remember this one thing – it’s all worth it! A little soreness is a small price to pay for experiencing the world beyond your city limits.