SURFING IN MUNICH - Germany {Video}

Photo Credit: X Games

BAVARIA! Just another place to mark off of my never-ending list of THINGS TO DO before I die!

Top 10 Ways to Work and Travel the World

I was participating in a Free Walking Tour of Munich a few days ago, and I happened to see a guy on a bicycle wearing a wetsuit and carrying a surf board. I was VERY curious, so I asked the young lady who was giving my small group a quick tour, and "Cara" said, "oh, there is this spot a few minutes from here in the English Gardens where a lot of the locals go surfing". Still a little confused, I asked Cara, "is there a beach nearby?" She said, ha ha, no =) There is a canal where apparently the locals have been surfing there for years!

So there is no beach, but there is what is called River Surfing, and of course I just had to check it out, and make a video. Check it out, it's only 2 minutes!

SURFING IN MUNICH

Eisbach River - English Garden in Munich Germany

Free Walking Tour in Munich - Can you find me? 

Bring Your Workouts With You Anywhere Around the World - Free Trial here!
Welcome to the Netflix of Fitness

How I Travel 7-10 Months Out Of The Year

Live everyday like it's your last!

I've been getting a lot of comments here and there on my social media channels about how I am able to travel long term. To be honest, I thought that I posted a blog on this awhile back, but to do something different, I'm going to jot down "for the curious", some of the things that I do that allow me to do just that.....travel on my own terms.

IT'S NOT THAT COMPLICATED

1.  I DON'T SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON ACCOMMODATIONS - I mean, I see no reason for it if I am going to be out most of the time exploring, and going on film projects that take all day and for some, all weekend. I have friends who are so kind that they allow me to stay at their place for free, but when I am not with friends, I save TONS by booking at rare-find Airbnb's, Free Camp Sites, and Hostels. Yeah, I've been to some dodgy places, but don't forget, I film races in some of the most remote places, so I am just not that picky.

Oh, and trust me, every once in awhile I stay at really nice places, but its definitely a rarity. Think about how much of the planet you can see if you didn't spend $300 per night at a hotel, I can fly to two countries with $300 while you're all cooped up in a hotel room!!! =)

Surround yourself with people who care about your future!

2.  I DON'T DO TOURS - All it takes is for you to get on google and do a little research and find how you can do the very same tour that these companies are charging an arm and a leg for. Some tours are even free! If you want to get the best experience from your travels, try doing it yourself, it's much more meaningful.

There are some places where it isn't possible to see a place without a guide, and there are reasons for that, but what I'm saying is if there is a way that you can plan an adventure on your own, then I highly encourage it. The best plans are the ones that are never planned =) Be an adventurer, it will save you some cash, and educate you at the same time.

3.  I STAY AWAY FROM EXPENSIVE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION - Like taxis! I walk, run, or bike everywhere. If I'm too lazy, I use public transportation like buses and trains. Uber is probably the most that I would pay for transportation, and then a car rental from Turo.

Also, if you are using public transportation like trains, I recommend trying to book online, it's a lot cheaper than the ticket machines and tellers most of the time. Again, it's all about making your money last for a long time if you want to travel long term.

Take your workouts anywhere around the world - The Netflix of Fitness

(Free Trial Offer)

4.  I COOK MY OWN MEALS - if and when possible. Find the nearest market to your hotel, and cook your own food, you can save so much money this way. Eating out is fun especially if you're at a different place, but if you want to travel long term, eating out will drain your pockets really quick and send you back home eating ramen noodles!!!

Spend that extra money for a kitchen in your room, or stay at a hostel or airbnb that offers kitchen use. You will save a bazillion bucks and even meet others who can eventually give you even more tips on long term travel.

5.  IT'S NOT A 3 RING CIRCUS - You don't have to go out every night, you don't have to drink and party all the time. There's a difference between travel and vacation. Travel is more long term, and if you are traveling for months at a time, you have to somehow create some sort of routine, otherwise your money will go bye bye real quick. Make sure that you allow time to relax. Sometimes not doing anything is everything =)

It's all about pacing yourself. If you feel that you have to do something every day, then you'll soon find out that home will be sooner than you think, and who wants to go back to the same old grind?

6.  I FOUND A WAY TO CREATE INCOME ONLINE - So that I can work from anywhere around the world. With technology these days, it's getting easier to find ways to create an online income. I started my online business about 6 years ago, and I continue to work and build it while I travel.

Working an online business remotely is not for everyone, but if you want to travel long term, than I cannot think of another way to do it unless you have a million dollar trust fund.

Always set goals, dream big, and tell those TOXIC PEOPLE to shut the heck up!

Sometimes people work as they travel (hotel work, bartending, working on farms, teaching etc), so that is another option, but I'm sure that you agree that being your own boss and traveling on your own terms sounds more appealing, at least for me it is. There are some online freelance websites out there if you are the creative type. Check out Upwork and maybe even Fiverr. Or better yet, ask me about how you can do what I do.

------------------------------------------------------------

So that's about it folks. Travel doesn't have to be expensive. Just a little practice and doing a little research will take you a long way. If I can assist you in any way, please feel free to contact me, I'd love to help out =).

How I Workout When I Travel

Reduce Stress - Feel Great - Enjoy the Experience

You hear the excuses all the time, "oh, I'm on vacation, I'm just going to live life right now!". I am even GUILTY AS CHARGED because I've said the same thing many times.

We live in a world where so many people have become followers of what everyone else is doing, what they see on TV, and what the high-budget media companies are promoting etc. I have fallen into that trap countless times because heck, my friends were doing it, then it must be the thing to do..WTF! What happened to individualism? What happened to doing what's right for you?

When I committed to a health and fitness journey in 2010, it was the best decision that I ever made in my life. Through the years, I've learned a lot, and one thing that I continue to learn is how to stay active and healthy when I am doing one of my ultimate passions......TRAVEL.

TRAVEL means different things to different people, but when I think of travel, I categorize it apart from taking a vacation. For me, travel is either long-term (longer than a weekend getaway), or traveling for business. Taking a vacation for me is like a weekend getaway, just a quick jaunt before heading back to work or home life.

Travel is a lot more than just a weekend jaunt. For me, it's about taking your time, and fully immersing yourself in the culture and living the lands like the locals. Business travel is a little different in the fact that there is a project to work on aside from trying to have a travel experience, and some business travelers don't even have time to explore, and that really sucks =) So if you're a business traveler, you should definitely keep reading =)

Long-term and business travel can really be STRESS- FULL at times, which is why I have found many ways to help me stay active to reduce the amount of stress that can happen. 

However you travel or vacation, I just wanted to share with you how I have managed to stay active and workout while on the go. When people say, I don't have time to workout, I'm on vacation, so I'm just going to live my life......I say the same thing, I am living my life as well, but I don't need alcohol and junk food to have a good life.

Oh, and don't get me wrong, I love a cheat meal here and there, but I also know that I only have one body, one chance, and it is my responsibility to take care of what has been given to me.

I've heard of many people on their death beds fighting for their lives because they took their bodies for granted and smoked themselves to death, and filled their temples up with modified and processed foods for years! Are they living their life now? Was it worth it to feel like that? Most people would agree that, THAT ISN'T THE LIFE THEY WANTED TO LIVE.

I'm definitely not here to tell anyone what to do with their bodies, but if no one is here to tell the truth about how to really live a good, healthy and active lifestyle, then people might not ever experience what true happiness may be. I'm SOOOO glad that I had people in my life that spoke the truth to me, and released me from my life of alcohol and junk foods. GET THIS, I didn't like everything they had to say, but guess what, they honestly saved my life! Do you have people in your life that really tell you the truth? Or are they just telling you what you want to hear?

HOW I WORKOUT WHEN I TRAVEL:

1.  I always take a walking or bike tour at every city that I visit. You sit at the office all day at work, why would you sit on your ass on a bus tour? LET'S DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT SHALL WE =) Don't like taking tours? Go rent a bike an explore on your own!

Biking through Temples of Bagan, Myanmar (Burma)

2.  I look for a gym or outdoor park. Sometimes you will find free day passes on a gym's website, and all you have to do is print them out and go. When I do pay for a day pass, I treat that as a day tour because it's somewhere that I've never been, and I have the opportunity to explore another gym. If you are staying at a hotel, ask if there is a gym facility, if they have one, it's most likely free to use.

I prefer outdoor parks because I love doing my workouts with nature. I tend to look for outdoor parks that have outdoor fitness equipment, and most of the time, it's free.

P90X2 at a local gym in the Philippines

Bangkok, Thailand

3.  I look for Free Boot Camps. I've participated in Free Beachbody Fit Clubs, Beach Yoga Classes, outdoor boot camps, local running groups, and OCR trainings all over the world. If you want to find a free workout somewhere and meet other people, it's simple.....GOOGLE IT.

Donation-Based Yoga Class in Leon, Nicaragua

4.  I use my Beachbody on Demand all the time! Don't have a gym? No worries! Take your gym and your workouts with you anywhere (hotel, gym, outdoors, beach etc). With over $4,000 worth of online workouts, there is no excuse not to workout. You will have access to everything from strength, cardio, yoga, and more! Get your Free Trial Beachbody on Demand here: USA and Canadian Residents Click Here - All Other Countries Click Here

5.  I look for running trails. You will mostly find running trails at some of the outdoor parks. I love trail running because it's peaceful to me. Just make sure that if you are running through some remote places, I recommend that you bring some sort of protection like a small pocket knife or a stick. I've ran through mountains before and have come across everything from mountain lions to alligators, so having something is better than nothing. And always bring water just in case you get lost in a jungle =)

Local college or high school tracks are great places to get a free workout/run in too!

I also look into local running events such as 5K's and Marathons. You will find some free to donation based events, and nothing beats traveling and giving back to the community.

6.  Always take the stairs. From the moment I arrive at my destination, I take the stairs. Every movement counts, and let's just say that you were trekking or exploring on foot all day (even at the mall) and you weren't able to get a workout in, at least you did STAIRS.

So that's about it. I hope this helps you stay active during your travels, and I hope to see you somewhere around the world. If you need some extra health and fitness motivation, feel free to contact me here =)

Arnel Banawa Confessions - Q&A Time

Let me start off by saying that I am not the type of person who enjoys being in the SPOTLIGHT. I'm sure that a lot of you know me from some of the obstacle course racing videos that I create for my OCRTUBE media project, and you will see that most of my videos are FOCUSED on other people, and not myself =).

It brings me joy to be able to document the journey, struggles, and triumphs of the people around me, and that's one of the reasons why I am very passionate about what I do as a Beachbody Coach, I just love helping people, and making it about them.

So WHY a Q&A about me?

I've turned down a few interviews only because again, I just do not feel comfortable being in the spotlight, I actually run from it, not because I'm afraid, but mostly because I take my life and my family VERY seriously, I enjoy my private life, as I'm sure that most of you do as well.

My #FitFam =) 

I've learned a lot as a Beachbody Coach, in terms of leading my team and challengers to success, and it's been a rollercoaster, but these are the things that have made me SPARTAN strong. I stay out of the limelight so that I can focus on the people who matter most to me, like my family and my coach team. These people have dedicated A LOT of their blood, sweat, and tears with me, and they truly deserve my full attention, so I reserve that EXCLUSIVELY for them. =)

I've created a few social media channels for other people to learn more about me, and what I do because I know the importance of building relationships. If I'm not relatable, then why would people want me to coach them right?

A lot of people ask me what I do for a living, and they are always shocked to find out that I am a full-time Beachbody Coach! I mean, I literally run an internet fitness company from my smartphone and/or my macbook, and that's how I am able to travel and film a lot of the obstacle races that you see on my YOUTUBE channel. Again, I don't say this to brag because it was pretty damn TOUGH to get where I am, and I am just now scratching the surface and getting started. People think SUCCESS just comes easy sometimes especially if they're only looking from the outside in, BUT I struggled a lot for years! I've hit rock bottom, slept in my car for months on end, and used to live off of RAMEN NOODLES (that's a good week), so I know about struggle. I know what HARD is. It's not fun, and all I knew was that I didn't want to live that crappy life anymore, so I quit making excuses. I focused on being an honorable father to my daughter, and everything started coming into place.

My daughter and I

My social media channels are focused on sharing my journey with people (good and bad) and to hopefully make an impact around the world. It's NOT to show off, or make anyone think that I am better than they are (because I'm not), I definitely have a lot of weaknesses, and I am by no means PERFECT, no way!

I am just like most of you who just wants to be happy, provide for my family, travel around the world, and leave a legacy.

So back to the Q&A, I've had a number of questions lately about what I do, and who I am, so instead of spending all day messaging and sharing on my social networks, I felt that it would make sense to post a blog on some of the common questions that I've been receiving, so here goes! =) I'm just going to cover a few questions now, and will post another blog later.

ARE YOU SINGLE?
Yes, I am single. It's not that I don't believe in marriage or relationships, it's because it's not a priority for me. I've met a ton of people who are unhappy, and they always say this, "If I could just find someone to be with me, then I would be happy". That BS!! Make yourself happy, and the person you meet someday will just enhance your life. I don't ever go out looking for relationships, it's not natural. Things will happen when it's meant to happen, so my piece of advice is to relax and enjoy your life! Learn to be happy with who you are first, and you'll be surprised how amazing your life will be.

HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO TRAVEL ALL THE TIME?
Well, I don't really travel all the time, but I have a online business that allows me to be location-independent. As long as I have internet, I can work from anywhere around the world. And FYI, this didn't happen overnight (so don't think for a minute that this opportunity just fell into my lap), I went through many failed businesses since 2002, and finally found something that gave me the opportunity to become digitally nomadic. Not everyone can travel like I do or would like to travel like I do, but I'm not like everyone, and you shouldn't be either.

Bagan, Myanmar

Beachbody Coach Travel

WHAT WORKOUTS DO YOU DO AND RECOMMEND?
I've been doing Beachbody Specific Workouts since 2010. My first program that I completed was P90X which helped me hit some PR's (1:36 half marathon, 19:30 5K) and I even hit some podium wins in OCR being in the top 10% precent. I think that I've completed most of the advanced Beachbody programs (primarily the ones that are strength and athletic-based specific), and I continue to do the workouts, mostly creating hybrid programs to help me stay in peak physical condition for adventure traveling and filming races in some of the most toughest terrains around the world. They've worked for me all these years, and the company Beachbody continues to be innovative with the latest movements in exercise science. I recommend that people do whatever they feel is good for them. It's not about what I do, it's about what your goals are. If you ask me to help you, I can only give you advice based on what I've learned with my experiences with my workouts, as well as learning from some of the best OCR and endurance athletes in the world.

WHY DON'T YOU RACE COMPETITIVELY ANYMORE?
Almost 3 years ago I endured my first injury while obstacle racing. I popped my knee out going down a mountain in Killington, VT. Since then, my knee has never been the same. I also unfortunately inherited the infamous Gout from my family line, which has gotten a lot worse with age, especially with some of my more extreme workouts, including long distance running. I was feeling sorry for myself for the longest time because of the athletic goals that I set for myself, the ones that I could not achieve because of my condition. But I have come to a realization that I cannot control everything, so it's best to make due with what I have, and make the best of my life and appreciate the fact that I am alive and healthy.

I still workout, I still run, I still live an active lifestyle, and instead of training for a race, I am simply training just to be active and happy. These days I am more focused on my nutrition, coaching people, and growing my cause-related media project.

Filming the Nuclear Race UK - 2016 

OCRTUBE.com

------------------------------------------

So to wrap things up, I'd like to say that I've had a wonderful 45 years of learning the in's and out's of life, and I look forward to continuing my journey because the day that I stop learning is the day I stop living, and I'm definitely not done yet! 

The NO BS Facts About Beachbody Coaching

Outdoor Park Gym at Pildademmsparken - Malmo, Sweden

Outdoor Park in Malmo, Sweden

When I travel, I enjoy looking for places to do my workouts. Sometimes I will do my P90X workout in the room that I am staying in for a few days, sometimes I will go to a hotel gym, and sometimes I will go to a local gym and suck it up and pay a day pass fee. But when there is a FREE outdoor park that provides an outdoor gym, then that is what I prefer the most.

I stumbled on this place in Malmo while I was biking and exploring the city. It's called Pildademmsparken, and the park in general is huge. If I didn't look around hard enough, I would not have found it, and frankly I wasn't even expecting it.

Rope Climb

The outdoor gym was not fully equipped, but it had a lot of things that you don't normally see at a park where I am from in the USA. The outdoor gym did not have free weights like the place in Bangkok, Thailand (check out the outdoor gym park in Bangkok here), but it had a multi-purpose rack where you could do curls, squats, upright rows, shoulder presses etc.

Here is a quick list of they had:
- 3 Multi-Purpose Racks with designated weights already attached to a bar (squats, shoulder press, curls, dead lifts,
- 4 Shoulder Press Machines at different difficulty levels for doing stand up Military Presses
- 2 Core Machine for abs
- 3 Pull Up bars for pull ups, muscle ups, toe to bar etc.
- 3 permanent concrete boxes (different heights) for box jumps, step ups, or even decline push ups
- 1 set of Battle Ropes
- 1 Rope Climb set up with no knots
- 1 designated area for push ups, sit ups, planks, or burpees (circular concrete patio)
- Small hill for sprints or even bear crawls, maybe even weight carries if you bring some along such as sand bags, jerry cans etc.
- Park is ideal for running just like most parks, there are paved and also single tracks along the edges of the park.

Outdoor Gym Layout with sample workouts

And that's pretty much it. You can get a little creative and do some really intense circuits. If you've been to this outdoor gym, please comment below and tell me how you liked it!

I really enjoyed this outdoor gym park, and I know that there are a lot more around the city, but this is the only one that I went too, and I would definitely try to do a workout and visit if you are ever in Malmo, Sweden.

Learn more about how I travel and earn as an Online Beachbody Coach

Start a health and fitness journey today, FREE Online Coaching from me!

Do What You Want With Beachbody Coaching

Visiting Stonehenge

So as I'm just sitting here in a cafe in London, I had to literally pinch myself because just the thought of coming to Europe with a one-way ticket was something that I never thought I would be able to do.

Just to bring it back a few years ago, actually....a long while ago =) I took a month long trip to Europe for the first time in 2002, and it was that trip that gave me a taste of real independent travel.

What is independent travel you ask? Well, I see it as travel with no agenda and not relying on tour companies to plan your days, rather planning on your own, and doing what you want on your own dime. I believe there is a true difference between travel and "taking a vacation".

Watching London Futbol while doing Beachbody Coach follow ups 

It took me many years to find something that I could do that would allow me to travel pretty much nomadically. Nomad travel is by no means for everyone, but it suits me just fine. I love the feeling of being somewhere where no one knows your name. The idea of waking up in a new place almost every week or so excites the hell out of me, and just planning my day based on how I feel versus what a tour company thinks I should do. I enjoy the challenge of trying to learn the likes of what the local people do, even if I don't fit in, and many times, it is pretty difficult to fit in certain local societies because they still categorize you as a tourist. I always find interesting people where ever I go, some are very nice, and some can be very rude, but at any rate, such is life right. It's really not all about the negativity anyways, because just like where I am from, people just don't love themselves enough, so they unfortunately treat others based on how they feel about themselves. Sad, but true.

At any rate, I've been in London for about a week now, and I'm preparing to leave for Norway. I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to see Scandinavia for the first time, pretty stoked....wow, I cannot believe that I just said "stoked". =)

So about this post "Do What You Want With Beachbody Coaching", I guess it doesn't matter what you do for a living, but almost 6 years ago I decided to become a Beachbody Coach and start an online fitness business. I never thought that it would turn out to be a lifestyle for me. Fast forward to today (what day is it?) as I pinched myself in the arm, I just realized that Beachbody Coaching has truly changed my life. Sounds cliche right, but there isn't too many people who can just drop everything and go to Europe without a return ticket, but I did.

Working my Beachbody Business at the Hilton London-Gatwick

I do have to say that Beachbody Coaching isn't something that you do on your own and become successful with, it's actually impossible. I had an awesome and driven team behind me and I still do. I could NEVER be where I am today without my team, so I have to give the BIGGEST THANKS to my coach family, because they are the most amazing people in my life. THANK YOU =)

People think that doing what you want is "doing what you want on the weekends", why not do what you want every day? That just sounds better to me. I never thought that I would have the ongoing issue of not knowing what day it is, but I do. I guess that's when you really hit freedom status. Oh, and don't get me wrong, I'm no BILLIONAIRE or anything like that, and I am still working and dreaming GIGANTICALLY! Just like I never stop exploring, I never stop dreaming either!

I am just a simple guy who wants to do more, be more, see more, and live more. And thanks to Beachbody Coaching..I can literally do just that, I DO WHAT I WANT.

Do you have VISION? Message me, and let's talk about your future!

Learn more about Online Beachbody Coaching

Disclaimer: Beachbody Coaching does not promise any level of success, your income is based on your performance.


I started my fitness and business journey with the Beachbody Challenge: Try it!