Workouts Around the World: My Favorite Spots
Most Recent Addition: Nov 30, 2022 | Original Publication Date: February 3, 2019
For as long as I can remember, I have loved athletics. If you ask my dad, he’ll probably say it started between the ages of 3 and 5. Sometime around those ages I developed a love for watching football, not typical for toddlers. Apparently, I was able to sit still, watch and understand the complicated game, and even comment on the plays. I used to live for Monday Night Football and would often fall asleep on the living room floor as the games ended late on my elementary and junior high school nights.
A Push-Up Passion Emerges
By the time I entered high school, I started to build a habit that I’d carry with me for the rest of my life. I was always a skinny kid (and short until my sophomore year of high school). Around that time, I started to develop the habit of using the time during Monday Night Football games to do push-ups and crunches. The players were my motivation, especially the shorter and faster defensive backs. Little did I know that this habit would stay with me over the next 25 years and as I’ve traveled the globe.
During college and my early professional life, I had ready access to elite gyms and I often spent hours playing basketball or hitting the weights. But when those facilities weren’t available (or if I just felt like it), I could always drop down and knock out 125-150 push-ups and 150+ crunches in a few minutes. It gave me a burst and a high, and later it provided a great way to make the most of the scenery at my fingertips whether at home or away.
Eventually, I added 5K runs to my weekly workout routine as a way to offset the weights. Soon I began to throw on my shoes and run just about anywhere for 25-30 minutes. I’ve always loved the fact that regardless of where I am, I can take a 15-30 minute break and get in shape, feel that high, and enjoy the beauty all around.
Enjoying the Beauty Abroad
Over these last few years that beauty has been enjoyed abroad in multiple countries on multiple continents. It goes without saying that building simple habits earlier rather than later can have a profound impact throughout our lives. To that end, I’d like to share scenes from some of my favorite places around the world where I’ve enjoyed an impromptu workout.
Whether it was a quick 5K run, 3-7 mile urban hikes exploring new cities, 5-10 mile weekend bike rides, or simply dropping down to do push-ups, crunches, pull-ups, dips, and other calisthenic workouts, it was all for that natural high and to maximize the beauty around me.
Hopefully this retrospective photo journal provides you with a bit of inspiration to build a new healthy habit and try to maximize the landscapes and opportunities around you. Enjoy!
My Favorite Workout Spots from Around the Globe
Calisthenics & Rings Outdoors in Valencia, Xativa, & Sevilla Spain (2022)
Calisthenics & Rings Outdoors in Montreal, Canada (2022)
Epic Summer Rings Workout at Chicago Lakefront (2022)
Leveling Up Skills in Guadalajara, Mexico (2022)
Workouts in Guadalajara, Mexico – 2021 (3 min)
Midday Park Pull-ups and Sunset “Skills Checks” – Guadalajara, Mexico (2021-22)
Autumn Workouts at Túria in Valencia, Spain – 2021 (2 min)
Afternoon hike up the castle for a workout in Xativa, Spain – 2021 (3 min)
The Return to Túria in Valencia, Spain – 2021 (3 min)
L-Splits in Mérida, MX – 2021 (1 min)
Sunrise “Skills Check” and afternoon workouts from our Airbnb apartment pool deck – Mérida, Mexico (2021)
Morning workouts at Meadowview (my elementary school) – Country Club Hills, IL, USA (2021)
Final Beach Workout in Da Nang, Vietnam – 2021 (2 min)
Sunrise “Skills Check” – Da Nang, Vietnam (2021)
Tribute to Vietnam Workouts: 2020 – 2021 (2 min)
Random Rice Field “Skills Check” – Hoi An, Vietnam (2021)
Workouts from the beautiful grounds of the Landmark 81 – Vinhomes Central Park in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2021)
Sunset workouts from the pool deck at my apartment in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (2020)
Afternoon calisthenic workouts at the Almanity Resort in Hoi An, Vietnam (2020)
L-sits in Hue, Vietnam (2020)
Workouts in the public park and workouts from the rooftop of our AirBnb in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam (2020)
Beach workouts and runs in Da Nang, Vietnam (2018-2020)
Afternoon workouts from the rooftop of our AirBnb in Da Nang, Vietnam (2018 & 2020)
Morning workouts at Nong Buak Hard Public Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand (2019-2020)
Sunset workouts from the rooftop of our AirBnb in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam (2019)
Morning runs around Hoan Kiem Lake and afternoon workouts in Hanoi, Vietnam (2019)
Sunrise and sunset workouts above the Kuala Lumpur Skyline (2017 & 2019)
Mini-mountain hike up to the castle in Xativa, Spain to do a workout with awesome views (2019 & 2021)
Mid-afternoon workout near Plaza de España during a quick 2-day visit to Sevilla, Spain (2019)
Mid-afternoon workout on the beach in Cascaís, Portugal (2019)
Runs and workouts in Túria Park in Valencia, Spain (2017 – 2019)
Morning and evening runs along the riverfront of Montreal, Canada (2016 & 2019)
Sunset workout near the mountains of Chiang Dao, Thailand (2019)
Evening workout at the Chiang Mai University (CMU) Reservoir, Thailand (2018)
Morning run along the coast of Albufeira, Portugal (2016)
Late evening runs along the shores of Split, Croatia (2016)
Morning workouts and runs along the beaches of Maui (2015)
Sunset runs along the beaches of San Juan, Puerto Rico (2015)
Check Out My Other Photo Journals
If you like this photo journal, feel free to check out my others including:
2 Comments
DJMoeMoe
February 14, 2019Really enjoyable nugget especially with sitting back and enjoying all those locations . Cheers my man!!
Laura Hill Temmerman
September 17, 2020From inner strength comes strength in all levels of life. Love this!