Staying fit on holidays
For many of us, summer holidays mean one thing – the beach! Swimming and sunbathing are a great way to unwind, but when everyone’s relaxing it can be hard to keep to your usual workout routine, especially so far from your gym.
But don’t worry, it turns out there are all kinds of beach workouts that are not only as good as a gym session, but in some ways can be even more effective!
Here are our favourite beach exercises to keep you toned while you enjoy the sun, sand and surf.
Workouts for the beach
The Beach Crawl
1. Choose a patch of soft dry sand and assume a plank position, resting on your forearms and toes with your abs braced.
2. Crawl forwards for 30 to 60 seconds, or try sideways or backwards for a tougher workout.
Because the sand is slippery and gives way, you have to use your hamstrings and glutes to balance and keep moving. This simple exercise is great on its own or as part of a larger routine.
Sand Lunges
1. Step one foot forward, bending your front knee and lowering yourself enough so that your back knee touches the sand.
2. Push up with the front foot, step your back foot forward into a second lunge.
3. Repeat 6 to 12 times.
You’ve done lunges before, but what makes these ones special is the uneven sand underfoot, using your entire lower body’s muscles to stay balanced.
Jump and Drops
1. Mark out two lines in the sand 30m apart.
2. From behind one line, make a long jump towards the other, starting and landing on both feet.
3. Drop into a pushup, then jump back up onto your feet.
4. Repeat until you reach the second line.
5. Do 3 to 5 sets in total.
This beach body workout will get your heart pumping and target every muscle in your body. Since covering more distance with your jumps means fewer times you have to drop and push back up, you stay motivated to give it your all, every time.
Beach Conditioning
1. Head into calm surf until the water is waist high, and do the following drills.
2. High knee run, 2 to 3 sets.
3. Butt kicks, 2 to 3 sets.
4. Squat jumps, 10 to 20 reps.
5. Backwards run, 2 – to 3 sets.
6. Lateral shuffle, 2 to 3 sets.
These standard drills become so much tougher when you have to push your body through the water to complete them. The gentle motion of the water also requires you to keep your balance, exercising your muscles even further.
Sand Sprints
1. Make two lines in the sand 30m apart.
2. Facing the far line, lie flat on your stomach behind the other.
3. Place one hand over the other, and touch your chin to the top hand, ready to go.
4. Explode up and forward onto your feet, sprinting at top pace.
5. Walk back and repeat in 3 sets of 6 to 10.
Add an extra challenge to your regular sprints by doing them on soft sand. The uneven surface forces you to push harder, getting more from your beach workout.