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Travel Tips: Expert Advice for Vacationing Safely During COVID

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Travel Tips: Expert Advice for Vacationing Safely During COVID


Traveling has been extremely difficult—and even downright impossible—during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet as vaccinations become more widespread and travel-related restrictions have loosened, vacations that take you beyond your backyard are once again doable. Some countries are still closed to visitors, but according to John Lovell, President of Travel Leaders Network, there are plenty of far-flung destinations that are safe to visit.

 

 

“If you know everything that’s expected from the time you leave to the time you get back, there’s no reason you can’t have a very safe and meaningful vacation experience,” Lovell tells Men’s Journal.

Still, the logistics of planning a vacation during a pandemic—from figuring out vaccine and testing rules to working out quarantine requirements—can be daunting. If you have a trip coming up, or you’re planning one, don’t panic. We talked with Lovell and his colleague Dave Hershberger, the owner of Prestige Travel, to learn more about how you can make traveling during the pandemic as painless as possible. Here are the travel tips you need to know.

Do Your Research

Taking a big trip has always required quite a bit of planning, but that’s truer than ever during the pandemic, when many airlines and countries require proof of a negative COVID-19 test—often a specific type of test—proof of vaccination, use of specific apps, and more in order to travel. Do your research and start early. Hershberger suggests keeping an eye on official government travel websites and using Sherpa, an online travel tool that allows you to enter your itinerary and find relevant travel and health restrictions.

“It’s vitally important now that you know what kind of test is required, what type of mask is needed, what type of apps you need to use,” he says. “You can’t just wing it like you used to—at least for the foreseeable future. You really need to do your research and study up on what’s required—even domestically, and especially internationally.”

Check for Updates

Doing your research ahead of a vacation is a significant task, and you might be inclined to kick back and relax once you feel like you’ve figured everything out. Lovell advises against that. The preparations you make might suddenly become insufficient if COVID rules change at your destination, so it’s worth checking up on things frequently—right up to 72 hours ahead of your departure.

“Do your research early, make your booking as early as you can, and if you have the facts at that particular moment, great, you’re making the best decision you can at that moment,” Lovell explains. “But 14 days prior to your trip, you want to go back, and you want to do more research to see if anything’s changed—have testing requirements, quarantining requirements, those things changed? And then seven days before your departure, make sure you check again, and then 72 hours or even 48 hours before you leave on your trip, make sure you check again, because it is so fluid.”

Take Precautions

Even the most thoroughly prepared and experienced travelers can be caught unawares. When a positive test result can derail an entire vacation, the risk of upended plans is higher than ever. According to Hershberger, one of the best ways to prepare for these kinds of shake-ups is to purchase third-party travel insurance—meaning insurance that is sold by an external party rather than your airline, tour operator, or cruise line. He recommends looking into Allianz, AIG Travel Guard, Travel Insured International, and Chubb Travel Protection.

“It’s always been our policy to advise some kind of third-party insurance—especially when traveling abroad,” Hershberger says.

In fact, he notes that some countries are now requiring that visitors have third-party insurance policies, including health insurance, evacuation insurance, or trip interruption insurance. Lovell adds that saving up a little extra money to use in case of any unexpected changes to your itinerary is also a good idea.

“Always make sure you have that rainy day fund,” he says.

Consult a Travel Advisor

Travel prep overwhelming you already? Both Lovell and Hershberger recommend enlisting the services of a travel advisor to help you hack through all the red tape and paperwork required for a pandemic getaway.

“You always want somebody to have your back,” Lovell says. “If you’re in a destination and, God forbid, something happens, the last thing you want to worry about is getting the flights changed.”

If you test positive for COVID, for example, a travel agent can ensure that your family gets home safely while you quarantine—and that you’ll have a flight home once you test negative.

“It’s a changing environment,” Hershberger says. “You really need to have somebody that deals with this stuff on a regular basis.”


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10 Best Porters to Drink Right Now

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A bottle of Deschutes Black Butte Porter




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Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

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Barbell Back Squat


The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.

“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.

If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.

Directions

Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.

Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

Circuit 1

Marius Bugge

A. Barbell Back Squat

Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts renegade row
Marius Bugge

B. Renegade Row

Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side

Circuit 2

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing renegade row Dumbbell Bentover Row in gym
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bentover Row

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 
Marius Bugge

B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 

Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 3

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat

Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Marius Bugge

B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift

Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Circuit 4

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing pullup
Marius Bugge

A. Pullup

Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Marius Bugge

B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press

Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top.
Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 5

A. Dumbbell Pushup

Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop
once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps

B. Biceps Curl

Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps


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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout

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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout




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