Staying active on a layover: walks, runs, gyms and pools

Ways crew stay active on a layover: walks and runs, a bodyweight session in the room, day-pass gyms and pools, with the WHO guidance on how much counts.

The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week. It also says any amount of physical activity is better than none and that all of it counts. A layover gives you a few free hours in a new place, so you can fit some of that in without a gym membership.

Walk first

Start with walking: WHO lists it as a popular way to be active. Pick a destination so the walk has a point: a market, a waterfront, a park or a lookout. In On Chocks, the Do category has a Walk or run kind, and crew tag spots with Good walk, Views, Shade, Under an hour and Worth the walk.

Smartraveller advises you to avoid walking alone or through dark areas at night, and to take someone you trust if you head out. Our guide to walking alone at night in a new city covers the details.

Running

Check the weather before you lace up. Smartraveller's country pages flag heat waves, typhoon seasons and smoke haze. For Japan, for example, it warns of severe heat between July and September and tells travellers to watch for dehydration and heatstroke.

Local rules can catch you out too. Smartraveller says authorities in some parts of Italy can fine people for walking or exercising shirtless in public places, including streets and historic centres.

A session in the room

WHO says muscle strengthening benefits everyone. A bodyweight session needs a patch of floor and a towel: push-ups, squats, lunges and a plank, with a rest between each round. You can finish in 20 minutes and shower before dinner.

Day-pass gyms and pools

Some gyms sell a day pass or let you walk in, so check the hours and the price before you go. In On Chocks, the Wellness category covers gyms, pools, yoga and Pilates studios and boxing gyms. Crew add tags such as Day pass, Walk-ins and Open late, and a booking tip that says Walk in, Book ahead or Book on busy nights.

Smartraveller says not to swim if you have drunk too much. It also warns that even a small amount of alcohol affects your balance, so stay away from ledges and balconies with no guard rail or one lower than your hips.

Look after yourself

Keep a hard session out of the hours before a duty. Your company's fitness-for-duty rules decide what you can do before you operate, so follow them. Stop and see a doctor if you feel chest pain or dizziness, or if you pick up an injury.

Our guide to jet lag on a 24-hour layover covers sleep, and planning a short layover shows where an hour of exercise fits around rest and a meal.

On Chocks lists the gyms, pools and walks that other crew recommend, and the Open now filter shows which ones suit your hours.