I was just on the phone the other day with my mom…
who is a teacher back home in Colorado, and school is out for the summer…which means it’s officially summer by my standards. Time to hunt down the sunscreen bottle, dust off the cooler, and get the cart of beach toys ready to go!
Living in California for the past year, I have really learned to enjoy the beach life and everything that it offers. From (attempting) to surf, to spending a lazy Sunday soaking up the sun lost in a good book, to getting in a solid beach workout early in the morning! With that being said, I want to share with you all my favorite 10 exercise beach workout and why working out on the beach can be so fun! Workout below, we hope you give it a try and feel the sand between your toes! Keep on scrolling too to see WHY working out on the beach can be so beneficial for your health this summer!
10 EXERCISE BEACH WORKOUT
Side Lunge x 20 reps
Plank with Shoulder Taps x 30 reps
Plank Jacks x 20 reps
Mountain Climbers x 30 reps
Squat Jumps x 20 reps
Reverse Lunge to Heel Raise x 10 each
Single Leg RDL to Knee Drive x 10 each
Left Side Plank with Rotation x 10 reps
Right Side Plank with Rotation x 10 reps
Bear Plank with Leg Kick x 10 each
Why is working out on the beach so beneficial to our health…
1. S A N D : The sand serves as a great tool to strengthen the muscles of our feet and ankles, betcha’ didn’t think of that, huh? Doing agility work on an uneven surface allows for those smaller muscles in your feet to do their job! Jumping, cutting, sprinting in the sand will feel hard, and it should, as you are recruitng muscle in your feet and lower extremity that don’t have to work as hard when are feet are crammed in shoes or we are walking on even ground! If you are recovering from an ankle sprain, shin splints, calf strain, knee injury, than a beach workout may be in your future! Chat with a Doctor of Physcial Therapy (we know two really good ones ;)) further about setting you up with an individual treatment program to get you back at it!
2. E Q U I P M E N T: Little did you know, but the beach has all the equipment you need to get in a really solid workout. Between stairs, rocks, sand, jungle gyms, mother nature pretty much gave you a gym…for free! Try step ups on the steps, lunges up the steps, calf raises in the sand, push-ups on a rock, pick up a shell standing on one leg. Be creative! That’s the best part about a beach workout!
3. V I T A M I N D: The sun provides our body with Vitamin D which is important for several physiological processes. Now, I am not saying go out and turn yourself into a lobster, what I am saying is that an appropriate amount of Vitamin D is good for you! Studies have even shown that Vitamin D deficiency and living at higher latitudes can lead to increased risk of many chronic diseases including autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (1). So go soak up that sun! Just don’t forget a little SPF is always a good idea!
4. M O V E: Whether you are doing a beach workout or simply going for a walk along the coast, this scenic gym serves as more than just a place to get a workout in, it serves as a place to MOVE! The ACSM recommends that you partake in weekly physical activity for the recommended minutes below:
Recommendations for weekly physical activity by ACSM
https://www.acsm.org/read-research/trending-topics-resource-pages/physical-activity-guidelines
5. F R I E N D S: The great thing about working out at the beach is that your gym is outside and you are able to workout with a friend per CDC guidelines! Yay for beach yoga, yay for beach workouts, yay for workout buddies, and yay for that cool sea breeze. Go ahead and send this blog to your favorite workout buddy and get after it!
Tag us @balancedbykatie as you tackle this workout this summer! We want to see how creative you all get! We understand that summer activities are an important part of what this season is all about! If you’ve got an ache or pain that is keeping you from hitting that surf, please reach out, we are here to help you get back on track, no need to let summer cruise by without enjoying it!
Here’s to a great summer,
Lauren and your BBK family
References:
1) Matthias Wacker & Michael F. Holick (2013) Sunlight and Vitamin D, Dermato-Endocrinology, 5:1, 51-108, DOI: 10.4161/derm.24494