Tom Rowland | Creative Travel Workout Using a Parking Lot | Tom Rowland Podcast Ep. 544

Tom Rowland is the host of the Tom Rowland Podcast and creator of Saltwater Experience. In this Physical Friday solo episode, Tom shares how he overcame a lack of motivation during a fishing trip to Hawk's Cay by improvising a creative workout using a handicap parking space as a structured exercise station. He reveals how something as simple as seven painted lines on pavement transformed into a complete workout that delivered 140 kettlebell swings—or up to 280 if you're feeling ambitious. This episode proves that motivation isn't about having the perfect equipment or environment; it's about adapting to what's around you and making fitness accessible no matter where you are. Tom's practical approach to never missing more than two days of training will change how you think about travel workouts.

When Motivation Disappears: The Hawk's Cay Challenge

Even the most dedicated athletes face motivation crashes, and Tom admits it happened to him at Hawk's Cay. After a full day of fishing, he found himself staring at his truck-mounted rowing machine and a single kettlebell, feeling completely unmotivated to follow through with his planned workout. The scenario is familiar to anyone who travels: limited equipment, fatigue setting in, and the temptation to just skip the day entirely. Tom had initially thought he'd do some kettlebell swings, jump rope, and maybe a light run, but even that felt like too much. What happened next transformed a moment of low motivation into a creative workout solution that he's now sharing with his audience. The key was looking at his environment differently and finding structure where none seemed to exist. Hear how Tom turned reluctance into action starting at 1:50.

The Seven-Line System: How Parking Lot Geometry Became a Workout

Standing in the Hawk's Cay parking lot, Tom noticed something most people walk past every day: a handicap parking space with seven painted lines. Instead of grinding through 100 kettlebell swings in a row—which felt overwhelming in his unmotivated state—he created a system. Start at the bottom line, do 20 kettlebell swings, move the kettlebell to the next line, take a break, and repeat. Seven lines meant seven stations, which translated to 140 total swings with built-in rest periods. The genius of this approach is how it removes decision fatigue from the equation. You're not counting to 100 or wondering when to rest; you simply work line by line until you reach the top. Tom points out this could work with push-ups, sit-ups, double-unders with a jump rope, or even laps around the block—moving up a line each time you complete a circuit. For those feeling particularly strong, you can turn around and work your way back down for 280 total reps. The complete breakdown of the seven-line system starts at 3:41.

Why Travel Workouts Require Different Rules

Tom emphasizes that travel workouts demand a different approach than home training. When you're on the road, you're dealing with limited equipment, unfamiliar environments, and often depleted energy from the day's activities. The solution isn't to replicate your gym routine but to embrace simplicity and structure. Tom keeps a rowing machine and kettlebell in his truck, but on this particular day, even that felt insufficient. He's a strong advocate for pre-planned workouts or systems that require zero thinking—like the deck of cards method where each card flip determines your next exercise. The parking lot line system falls into this category: it's pre-structured by the environment itself. You don't need to plan sets, reps, or rest periods because the visual markers do it for you. Tom acknowledges that sometimes you get tired of the same travel routines, which is why creativity matters. The goal is to make fitness fun and interesting enough that you actually follow through instead of skipping the session entirely. Tom's full philosophy on travel workout adaptation begins at 2:19.

The Never-Miss-More-Than-Two-Days Rule

Tom closes the episode with one of his core training principles: never miss more than two days. This simple rule prevents the momentum loss that makes it exponentially harder to restart a fitness routine. It's not about perfection—Tom freely admits he lacks motivation sometimes and has to overcome the temptation to do nothing. The rule creates a forcing function that keeps you in the game even when workouts aren't ideal. Miss one day? Fine. Miss two? That happens. But on day three, you find a way to do something, even if it's just 20 kettlebell swings on seven parking lot lines. The beauty of this approach is that it removes the all-or-nothing mentality that kills most fitness habits. You don't need the perfect workout, the perfect equipment, or perfect motivation. You just need to not miss more than two days in a row. Tom invites listeners to share their own travel workout variations and creative solutions, emphasizing that the community's collective wisdom makes everyone better. The two-day rule and closing thoughts begin at 6:22.

Final Thoughts from Tom

This Physical Friday came from a genuine moment of struggle. I wasn't trying to invent some revolutionary workout system—I just didn't want to do anything and knew I had to find a way to get moving. Looking at that handicap parking space and seeing seven lines gave me the structure I needed when my motivation was at zero. Sometimes that's all it takes: a visual system that removes the thinking and just tells you what to do next.

What I love about this approach is how transferable it is. You can use parking lines, curbs, light posts, trees, or any repeating feature in your environment. The exercise doesn't matter—kettlebell swings, burpees, sprints, whatever you have access to. The point is that you're using what's available instead of using the lack of perfect conditions as an excuse. That's the real lesson here: adaptation beats optimization when you're trying to maintain consistency on the road.

If you travel for fishing, work, or anything else that disrupts your normal routine, this episode is worth your time. I want to hear your creative travel workout solutions too—text me at (305) 930-7346 or email podcast@saltwaterexperience.com with your versions of the parking place workout. Let's build a library of creative solutions that keep all of us moving no matter where we are.