Are you a woman living in SoCal? You don’t want to be cooped up in the gym every morning, yet you still want to maintain that summer bod. Why not take a trip to the beach for an early morning workout and soak up some vitamin D? You’ll get some fresh air while listening to the waves crash against the shore and then cool off in the ocean once you’re done.
Whether you live on the beach or you’re enjoying a destination vacation, hit up the shore for an intense exercise session – then wind it down with sun-soaked R&R. Here is ENTITY’s list of a few of the best workouts you can do while at the beach.
Yoga is already a relaxing and spiritual practice, but at the beach, you may find that the sound of the ocean and the fresh air creates an environment of tranquility. According to Wallace J. Nichols (via CNN), the sight, sound, feel, smell and taste of water incites a state of calmness.
CNN also lists 10 poses to attempt beachside, including reverse warrior and rag doll. Try out one (or all) of their yoga poses that should work perfectly on the sandy terrain. Take a look at the article to see women modeling the yoga poses. While you may not look quite as elegant, you can definitely use the pictures as a guide and give it a go.
This Cross-Fit workout routine from Women’s Health requires no equipment, making it easy to do at the gym or even at the park. This is critical if you’re on vacation since you don’t want to sacrifice space in your checked bag for excess workout gear. While exercising in a spot famous for lounging may not seem too appealing, the beautiful scenery could serve as extra motivation.
There are six different exercises and four different workouts performed in this workout. Mix and match the moves to keep your routine from being too predictable. The jump squat, butterfly situp and lunge hop are sure to get your heartbeat going!
Active notes that running on dry, loose sand “strengthens your arches, ankles and other below-the-knee muscles more than running on harder surfaces.” The site also offers a list of beach running tips. One awesome discovery? Turns out that you can actually run barefoot! Make sure to warm up and ease into the transition before taking off – this will help build up strength and avoid injury.
Take a jog along the shore – with athletic footwear or sans shoes – and set a goal for yourself. Running on the beach can be a challenge, so if you’re new to it start on the wet and level sand during low tide before working up to the drier areas.
HIIT – or high-intensity interval training – is a full-body challenge that requires no equipment and is perfect for both cardio and strength training. Not only will you work both your aerobic and anaerobic systems (fancy words for endurance and brawn), you’ll also burn off more of those calories from that sweet, summer lemonade.
Dailyburn has three quick HIIT workouts you can do at the beach: 10-Minute Tone Up, Tabata Bang and Beach Circuit. With names like surfer get-ups, twisting mountain climbers and shuttle sprints, these moves are perfect for tropical travels near or far. All three of these workouts will leave you sweating and your muscles burning (in a good way).
Wanna work out with your beach buddy or traveling companion? Try playing some volleyball! “Beach volleyball uses every part of your body,” according to Shape. “You use your arms, shoulders and chest to bump, spike and serve the volleyball; you use your legs to run through that sand and squat down to reach the volleyball; and you use your core to stay balanced while you do all that.”
You’ll be burning calories and may not even notice because of the entertaining competition. Plus, you could meet some pretty awesome neighbors or tourists that want to join the fun. Win-win for your health and your social life!
If you’re tired of the gym and want a change of scenery for your next workout, try the beach. You may discover that the ocean’s calming nature and the fresh air motivate you to work harder. Surf’s up, babe – so (surfer) get up and move!
