The fitter traveller: How more Indians are indulging in fitness tourism

Not so long ago the very mention of picking a hotel with a gym or portioning your meals while on holiday would earn you appalled stares After all arenrsquot vacations meant to be periods of excesshellip the only time in your life when discipline isnrsquot just optional but actively discouraged A new breed of fitnessoriented travellers is challenging this perception fuelling a trend that has now come to be described as fitness tourism Imagine a getaway where workouts are not only part of your daily routine but essential pillars on which your entire schedule rests The only bars yoursquoll see are the kind inside gyms and your fitness tracker will be the app you check the most instead of Instagram Two healthconscious readers who plan execute and return to fitness vacations tell us more about the allureClean lean and greenFor Khar resident and teacher EmmaJane Kavthekar fitness is part of her everyday routine mdash whether in the form of gym workouts yoga or padel But when she heard about a camp that blended Muay Thai with yoga in Bueng Sam Phan Thailand she was immediately onboard ldquoI had taken classes for both and enjoyed them This camp is located in the midst of lush paddy fields and involves about five or six hours of workouts We start with sunrise yoga followed by two Muay Thai sessions I like this combination because the yoga helps you stretch out your muscles after the Muay Thai sessions You can also opt for addons such as ice baths massages and CrossFit classesrdquo she explainsTravelling for fitness has become the choice for many fitnessoriented travellers Representation picThe workouts are complemented by clean locally cooked food and evening hangouts where participants can interact and socialise ldquoYou can grab a beer in the evening inside the camp if you want but we were so tired after the day of activities that we tended to just go to bed earlyrdquo she laughs While Kavthekar and her husband Ashish have visited the camp twice this year each fiveday stay timed to coincide with her school breaks she says that many participants opt for a monthlong retreat or even longer ldquoPeople attend camps for various reasons mdash from weight loss to rehabilitation after an injury or illness to even issues with addictionsrdquo she says Most of the participants are from Europe so the price tag that converts to roughly Rs 2 lakh a month feels quite affordableMalabi Das extreme right recently travelled to Kochi for a swim meetldquoYou donrsquot spend more than what you pay for the camp for the entirety of your stay The organisers offer free bicycles that you can use to commute between camps or just to explore the area Many people who are at these camps have also attended other styles of wellness retreats including Ashish and I mdash wersquove travelled to Rishikesh for yoga Even when we went to Bali the resorts were offering a complimentary yoga class which let us get some activity in even if our entire holiday wasnrsquot focused around fitnessrdquo she concludesFamilystyle fitnessMalabi Das a Chandivlibased communications professional describes two kinds of fit holidays mdash the first is where fitness is central to the holiday with everything else planned around it ldquoWe typically plan these holidays based on a competition or event At the moment wersquore really into long distance open water swims Our last swim holiday was the Kochi Swimathon that involved swimming in the Periyar River Wersquove also participated in the Ocean Man in Kazakhstanrdquo she sharesA dated photograph of Das with her familyWhen planning such holidays mdash her next swim event is scheduled for the end of October in South Goa mdash she picks accommodation thatrsquos located near the venue and has the necessary amenities to support her training ldquoWe will have practice swims in the pool and in the sea Since the focal point of our trip is the event we will eat accordingly mdash healthy local and on time In that sense it is very different from a typical Goa holiday with no bingeing or excesses We will also spend our downtime driving around visiting the markets and experiencing the local culture We tend to follow the same format on eventoriented holidaysrdquo she explainsSince she frequently travels with her elderly mother two children including a teenager and husband Das ensures that the holiday is well paced to accommodate everyonersquos needs ldquoI always advise against trying to do too much Schedule some down time with no structured activity where you can simply relax and reconnect with your fellow travellers Also make your workouts a part of your planning and commit to showing up even on days when you donrsquot feel as motivatedrdquo she suggestsThe second type of fitness holiday that their family opts for wellbeing and fitness baked into the schedule This is more relaxed but has a strong wellness theme Das clarifies ldquoFor instance my teenage son and I recently went on a trip to Delhi and Rishikesh We began our days with a hearty breakfast followed by yoga and pottery classes massages and plenty of walking We made sure to see the local sights including the ghat and The Beatles Ashram But our pace was more leisurely Even if we donrsquot have a structured fitness component such as a yoga class we make sure to get up to an hour of exercise every day Having a routine with physical and mental activity is important even on holidays In some cases if our holiday has a lot of walking we skip the workouts and wind down with stretching and meditatingrdquo she concludesGet set fitThe following guidelines can help you to get the most of your fitness holidaysgtgt Schedule downtime for rest and recovery and to prevent burning outgtgt Factor your workouts into your holiday schedule so you donrsquot end up skipping themgtgt If travelling to a camp or booking via an operator clarify what the package fee includes and which activities come with an extra charge Often massages ice baths and personal sessions can cost you extra Make sure to budget accordinglygtgt Carry enough gear and pack extras for quick replacements in case of damage This can prove useful in case your camp is located in a remote area and will ensure an uninterrupted stressfree experience through the holidaygtgt Seasonal activities or events that are based on local culture and traditions can make the holiday experience especially immersive