9 cool sports camps and relaxing retreats around the world

Whether young adults or best agers, more and more athletes are booking sports camps and fitness retreats to take their skills to the next level. Indulging in your favorite sport with other enthusiasts in an extraordinary location is not only twice as much fun, but there are good reasons why camps and retreats are becoming more and more popular.

One of the most important points is the idea of community. Running a certain trail together, celebrating your asanas with like-minded people on the beach or getting back on the board after the third fall into the water - the motivation in the group is incomparably higher. A common goal unites. In addition, at every sports camp or fitness retreat, proven professionals support the participants.

In the evening then together the (sport) day for example with the sunset at the beach to let end, again over the experienced to speak - that places all individual experiences in the vacation into the shade. And who does not get at home its internal pig dog small, it creates it surely in a sport camp or Fitness Retreat that this holds its muzzle. After all, who wants ten athletes waiting for you on the beach just because you haven't gotten out of bed yet again? Group pressure is the magic word here - or positively formulated: Team spirit and group dynamics.

Incidentally, the fact that we can call up better (athletic) performances in a group is known as the Köhler effect. According to this, weaker group members try harder than they would individually in order to avoid being responsible for a weak group performance. This means that we try harder as a team and are more motivated. At the same time, we enjoy it more. This has extremely positive effects on health - both for the body and for the mind.

Another reason for the growing interest in camps and retreats, which can be found in the most extraordinary locations around the world, according to the Future Institute is the neo-ecology megatrend. This reflects the longing for nature. The desire for outdoor experiences has not only grown during the Corona pandemic, but people in general are increasingly drawn outdoors from the cities.

The way people take vacations will also continue to change, according to the Future Institute. Of course, there will still be people in the future who opt for the concept of the 08/15 package vacation because they find it a tried and tested form of security and comfort. But they will be fewer in number, because in order to experience resonance and transformation, other qualities that leave lasting impressions will be sought in the future. Destinations that promise new experiences, human encounters and positive emotions

What could be better on vacation than putting on your running shoes and exploring a foreign environment on foot? Whether a run along the coast or through olive groves is on the agenda: exploring a country is pure wellness. Smell, feel, see - many senses are working at full speed. And if you've ever enjoyed a swim in the sea afterwards, you know that breakfast never tastes as good as it does after a morning of sport. When you add the company of like-minded people, one perfect day follows the next. Lanzarote, for example, beckons with exciting coastal trails and great tracks in the hinterland. In general, camps on islands are (almost) the most fun - after all, a swim in the sea always beckons. If you want to combine your running training with altitude training, you're in good hands in the Swiss high valley of Valbella or at various trail running camps in Tyrol. Or would you prefer to go to Tuscany with Markus Ryffel and Dr. Thomas Wessinghage?

• Spain, Lanzarote
• Italy, Tuscany
• Austria, Tyrol

Okay, if you're already an advanced surfer, then your board will surely stick to your feet - nevertheless, your skills can also be raised to a new level in a surf camp. Especially if you get tips from professionals, for example from the first German longboard champion, Frithjof Gauss. And for the beginners: Swallowing water together is definitely more fun. The mood also sinks less quickly when there are fellow competitors on board. A country that scores with sensational locations for every surf level is Portugal: The Atlantic offers thick barrels and easy spots with super peaks. The Australian town of Noosa on the Sunshine Coast also has this range. Beginners will find ideal conditions on the long main beach. Experienced surfers simply carry their board a few meters further and find massive waves in the next bays. And last but not least: We can't avoid one of the most famous surf spots: Maui. On the Hawaiian island, surfing is not only incredibly fun because of the great beaches, but the island exudes casual surf lifestyle on every corner.

• Australia, Noosa
• Hawaii, Maui
• Portugal

No question, yoga at home is good, but anyone who has ever celebrated their asanas on the beach with their feet in the soft sand, the salty smell of the sea in their nose and the gentle sound of the waves in their ears knows how much easier it is to feel at one with nature outdoors. After all, that is the ultimate goal in yoga: the connection between body and mind with the universe. The Balearic island of Mallorca, with its (almost) year-round warm temperatures, is predestined for yoga. Those who love the mountains, on the other hand, will find various offers for yoga retreats in South Tyrol, for example in Lana. And ever since "Eat Pray Love" at the latest, yoga enthusiasts have been making pilgrimages to the island of the gods, Bali. Ubud, located in the heart of the Indonesian island, still exudes its magical flair amidst a great deal of mystical, green nature, even 15 years after the book's success.

• Indonesia, Bali
• South Tyrol, Lana
• Spain, Mallorca