You love going to the beach. You more or less enjoy working out. If you’re not having as much fun working out as you’d like to, or if you’re looking to change up your routine, head to the beach this summer. Grab your swim trunks and do some jumping jacks on the sand. Here’s our list of ten fun workouts to do on the beach.
Fun beach workouts
1. Warm up before your workout
Just like you would do for your non-beach workout, it’s important to warm up before your workout. You can stretch your arms and your legs. You do a light walk or jog. The key is to get your body used to the sand for your workout. You don’t need to do a long warm-up. It only takes about five or ten minutes to get a good warm-up and get your body ready to go.
2. Run on the sand
According to orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Kelton Vasileff, running on the beach works your body harder without you even realising it. Because of the resistance from the sand, you’re going to push off with your legs and feet and lose some of that force from the push as the sand moves beneath you. The uneven sand is constantly moving, so you’ll use different muscles that you don’t work out as much when running on firmer surfaces.
3. Yoga positions
Yoga on the beach? Yes, please! Start out with child’s pose where you rest your forehead on the ground with your arms stretched out in front of you for 30 seconds. Move on to table top position where you’re on your hands and knees, and your back is flat. Try downward-facing dog with your butt to the sky, bending your knees and walking your hands toward your feet. This will engage your hamstrings, stretch your lower back and relax your neck. Cool down with a five-minute savasana (yoga nap). Bring your mat to the beach because the sand won’t be firm enough for you to do some more complicated positions.
4. Grab the sand bucket
Have little ones that are still wearing boys’ swim trunks? Their sand bucket can act like a kettlebell. Fill the bucket with sand and work out with the full bucket as you would with a kettlebell at the gym. Hold the bucket with both hands. Keep your legs slightly bent and lean forward just a bit. You can swing the bucket back and forth between your legs, which will activate your glutes and your core. The bucket should come straight out in front of you at shoulder height, similarly to what you would do with a kettlebell.
5. Focus on your core
Do workouts that focus on your core. Try the bear crawl. Start on the ground in a push-up position. Your knees will be underneath your hips but will hover off the ground. Bring forward your opposite hand and knee and alternate the motion to move forward. Crawl for about 15 feet, and then reverse the motion to return to your starting spot. Repeat for another minute.
6. Beach bootcamp
You don’t have to work out solo. Grab a friend or family member and do a beach bootcamp. Maybe your local beach hosts workout classes at the beach. You can even create your own mini bootcamp session. While one person is swimming 20 strokes out and 20 strokes back in, the other person can do bodyweight exercises. Try air squats, planking, reverse lunges and burpees. Once the other person is back on dry land, the person doing bodyweight exercises can switch and swim while the swimmer tries the bodyweight exercises.
7. Play a game
Working out can also double as some lighthearted family bonding time. Put on some father-son matching outfits and play a game on the beach. Paddleball won’t burn a lot of calories, but you will have a lot of fun. Playing frisbee or football on the beach sure beats just lying down and getting your tan on. Play a game of volleyball.
8. Stand Up on a paddleboard
Ever tried SUP? That’s stand-up paddleboarding. It’s all about balance. One of the benefits of practising paddleboarding will be that your brain will focus extra hard on balancing, which will translate to helping you stay more balanced in your everyday life. You’ll also strengthen your glutes and core, increasing isometric strength all over.
9. Try kayaking
Kayaking is more than just a whole lot of fun. It’s also a great workout. If you’re looking to work out your upper body and core, try kayaking at the beach. You’ll activate muscles in your legs, arms, shoulders and more. You’ll help your balance. It’s a great cardio workout.
10. Go for a walk
Working out doesn’t have to feel like you’re attending an intense CrossFit class. Sometimes it just means you’re going for a slow jog or a brisk walk on the beach. Whatever you do, keep moving. You’ll get in a decent workout with an even better view. It’s great for your body and your overall emotional and mental health. Talk about a win-win.
Featured image: Leon Liu/Unsplash
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