Sharing a winter travel workout for ya. This is a super simple dumbbell circuit workout that you can do anywhere!

Hi friends! How are you? I hope that your week is off to a great start! We’re driving back from the Princess _ I’ll share the adventures in Friday Faves – and heading home for discovery calls and all of the holiday baking.

Today, I wanted to chat a bit about travel workouts and share a quick and fun one for you!

Traveling during the winter months can be magical… and also a little disruptive to your routine. Between flights, family time, cold weather, and being out of your normal environment, workouts can often be the first thing to go.

The good news is that you don’t need a full gym or hours of time to get in movement while traveling.

This winter travel workout is one of my go-to routines when I’m out of town. It’s quick, effective, and requires just one set of moderate dumbbells. You can do it in a hotel room, Airbnb, or even a small living space, and it hits your legs, glutes, core, and upper body while getting your heart rate up.

The goal isn’t to crush yourself; it’s to move your body, maintain strength, and feel good while traveling.

Why Strength Training While Traveling Matters

When you’re traveling (especially in winter), movement tends to drop, sleep can be off, and inflammation can creep up.

Short, full-body strength workouts can help:

Maintain muscle and metabolism

Improve circulation after long travel days

Support energy levels

Reduce stiffness and joint pain

Keep stress hormones in check

This circuit-style workout gives you all of that in under 30 minutes.

Warm-Up (5–7 Minutes)

Before jumping into the circuit, take a few minutes to warm up and get blood flowing.

You can choose:

Brisk walking (outside or treadmill)

Marching in place

Dynamic movements like:

Arm circles

Hip circles

Bodyweight squats

Walking lunges

Inchworms

Torso twists

The goal is to feel warm and prepped for your body.

Winter Travel Dumbbell Workout Circuit

You’ll complete this circuit leading with one side, then repeat it leading with the opposite side. That ensures balanced strength and core engagement.

Aim to complete 2–3 rounds per side, resting as needed between rounds.

1. Dumbbell Swings x 30

(Hold one dumbbell with both hands)

Form cues:

Feet hip-width apart

Hinge at the hips (not a squat)

Drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes

The dumbbell should swing to chest height using momentum from your hips, not your arms

Keep your spine neutral and core engaged

Why I love it: Builds glutes, hamstrings, and power while elevating heart rate.

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Stay active on the go with my favorite Sculpt Society workouts, simple bodyweight routines, and hotel gym circuits to keep you feeling strong while traveling.

Hi friends!

How are you? I hope you’re having a lovely morning. We’re off on a little adventure: we’re headed to NYC! New York is one of my favorite places in the world, and I’m soooo excited for some Broadway shows, shopping, all the food and sightseeing. If you have any NYC tips or new faves, please send them my way! The last time I was there was a girls’ trip with Liv.

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know how much I love a good travel adventure. Whether it’s a family road trip or a long-haul flight overseas, I always feel better when I stick to some kind of movement routine while I’m away from home.

But let’s be real: staying active while you’re traveling can be challenging. Time zones, busy schedules, limited equipment, and wanting to relax can make it easy to skip workouts altogether. (And sometimes I do just skip workouts while I’m traveling.)

Over the years – between family trips, girls’ weekends, and long vacations – I’ve learned that you don’t need a fancy setup or hours in the gym to feel strong and energized while you’re out of town. Today, I wanted to chat about my go-to travel workouts, how I fit them into trips without it taking over, and the mindset tips that make fitness on the go feel doable and fun.

Staying Fit While Traveling: My Go-To Workouts + Tips

Why I Make Fitness a Priority When Traveling

When I move my body on vacation or while traveling for work, I notice:

My energy stays higher

I feel less bloated

I get to enjoy all the amazing food without the sluggish feeling

It helps me sleep better and manage stress, which is always appreciated

Most importantly, it’s not about “burning off” meals or forcing mysel to do something I don’t feel like doing. I usually look forward to moving my body each day (and it’s one of the ways I maintain my somewhat sanity lol). For me, it’s about keeping my routine, supporting my mental health, and feeling good so I can enjoy every moment of the trip.

My Go-To Workouts While Traveling

Here are my top three ways to move on the road — all tried, tested, and easy to customize to your schedule and location.

1. Sculpt Society App Workouts

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I love The Sculpt Society.

It’s my go-to for travel because:

The workous are 10-45 minutes long — perfect for quick movement sessions and I can adjust depending on how much time I have.

You don’t need much equipment (many workouts can be done with bodyweight, but sometimes I’ll use 3 lb weights or an ankle weight)

They combine danc

This is a 25-minute barre workout you can do anywhere. All you need is a set of light dumbbells, 2-5 lbs. Check out more of my barre workouts here, barre bootcamp here, and how to combine barre with other workouts. 

Hi friends! I hope you’re having a lovely morning. How is your week going?

The Pilot has been gone since last weekend and is back this morning, so I’m looking forward to having him home. He’s been flying a lot, which is a good thing. When I first wrote this post, we were officially wrapping up our first year of the airline life. I’d always envisioned throwing a giant party, but that ‘Rona had other plans. Instead, we settled for a smaller but still just as enjoyable backyard BBQ with the family.

25-Minute Barre Strength Workout With Dumbbells

I filmed a new workout for you and this one is a classic barre workout with a little twist: we’re using dumbbells the entire time.

Full Body Workout With Dumbbells

This dumbbell workout is a great way to add in an arm component while our legs are on fiiiiiiire and an easy way to add some extra resistance and challenge. Best of all, you can do it right in your living room!

I was huffing and puffing during this workout and I hope you love it, too! It felt like a solid mix of endurance strength and cardio.

Pin it here for a rainy day:

And here’s the full follow-along video!

I’ve been working on posting videos more frequently, so please subscribe to YouTube channel if you’d like an update when I post something new.

Please let me know if you give this one a try. Also, I’d love to hear if you have any workout requests for the summer months!

Have a great day and thanks so much for stopping by the blog.

xoxo

Gina

More barre workouts:

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Hi friends! How’s the day going? Thank you so much for the beautiful birthday wishes for Miss P. I read them all to her and she loved them. (She also LOVED having everyone sing “Happy Birthday!”) I’ll be sure to recap the birthday festivities in one post after her party. 🙂 For today, I have a brand-new workout for you, combining two of my very favorite tools: the kettlebell and the TRX suspension trainer.

(Wearing Nikes, lulu crops, and this Zella tank which I later realized was inside-out for all of these pics. Derp. haha)

TRX Kettlebell Circuit Workout

Kettlebells and the TRX add an entirely different dimension to training, as they target our deep internal core stabilizers. You have to work harder to maintain balance or center of gravity with the kettlebell, and the TRX encourages a plank position for the exercises. You’re in a moving plank the entire time. These are excellent tools to to challenge yourself and keep your muscles guessing!

The workout is meant to be completed circuit-style, moving quickly from one set of exercises to the next. After you finish one round of the entire circuit, you have the option to move through it again 1-2 times for 3 total times.

What Is Power Circuit Workout

Here are a couple of interesting things about this circuit, which increase its *excitement*:

-It’s a longer circuit (11 exercises). This use uses quite a few unilateral movements, focusing on one side at a time. If you’re in a time pinch, you can do a couple of bilateral movements instead. (For the burpees, do regular, non-TRX burpees, and for the kettlebell squat and press, hold two kettlebells instead of one. Ditch one of the squat exercises if you’re trying to bring down the time.)

-Speaking of unilateral movements, this is SUCH a great way to train. If we’re always training both sides at the same time, it’s easy to depend on your stronger side, or ignore how each side is feeling. You may find that you can make simple tweaks to improve form because you’re really paying attention to the working muscles.

-It’s a leg crusher. These are challenging movements to work your entire body, with a lower body and glute emphasis. You’re welcome. Mauaha.

As always, talk with a doctor before making any fitness changes. Honor your body and modify as needed. This workout assumes that you’re comfortable working with the TRX and kettlebell, and know how to execute these moves safely. If you have any questions, please let me know, or ask a personal trainer at your local gym to help you. We are happy (and stoked!) for the opportunity to help others work out more safely.

Now, let’s move onto the workout!

(Pin for the next time you need some gym inspiration!)

Form cues and tips:

1. Squat and reach: step away from the TRX base point, holding onto the strap with one hand. Sink down into a squat (chest listed, and weight in your heels), as you tap your free hand to the floor. As you exhale to rise, squeeze your glutes, and “c

Sharing some of my favorite online workouts and how you can try them for free.

Hi friends! I hope that you’re having a lovely morning. The kids are back in school and I’m back to the routine over here. I have 1:1 coaching calls, a podcast interview, and am trying to put the house back together after our trip.

For today’s post, I wanted to share some of my favorite online workout options. I know that many of you are trying new things in 2024, and these might be fun options to add into the rotation.

These fitness apps provide unique workout experiences with a focus on accessibility and effectiveness. Choose the one that aligns with your fitness goals, preferences, and level of experience. As always, consult with a fitness professional or healthcare provider before starting a new workout program.

8 workouts I love that you can try for free

Sculpt Society

Sculpt Society, founded by Megan Roup, combines dance-inspired cardio with sculpting exercises to create a dynamic and effective workout for toning muscles and boosting cardiovascular fitness. I LOVE the instructors at Sculpt Society. They all have genuine (not fake) energy, and aren’t over the top. They have good form cues and I love all of the routines. It’s one of my favorite ways to shake my legs out in the middle of a work day and I always have a blast.

Who Might Benefit: Ideal for individuals who enjoy dance-inspired workouts and want to focus on toning and sculpting their body.

Pros:

Fun and energetic dance routines. Targeted sculpting exercises for muscle toning. Suitable for various fitness levels.

Cons:

May not be suitable for those looking for low-impact workouts. The dance workouts are higher impact (you can always modify) and the strength workouts are more barre/Pilates-esque and low impact.

Cost: Subscription starts at $19.99 per month.

Equipment Needed: Minimal equipment, often using resistance bands and light weights, with gliders and optional ankle weights

You can try one month free on the app using my referral link here. My full review of Sculpt Society is here. 

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