Exercising on the beach will keep you in shape even during your vacation. If you want to know why and how to exercise, be sure to stay with us.
Why is it worth doing exercises on the beach?
Vacation is a special time when we allow ourselves a little more, also when it comes to diet. During a holiday trip, we do not attend the gym, and we also eat unhealthy more often. Such laziness can negatively affect our body: both the figure and well-being.
We don’t need to take time off from exercise, however. Remember that relaxation is not about lying belly up all the time, and effort is recommended. The sand provides additional resistance, making exercise on the beach more muscle-intensive and fun at the same time.
What do exercises on the beach do?
Exercising at the beach has many benefits for our body. It turns out that:
- They help burn excess calories
- They allow for better blood circulation and oxygenation of the brain
- They affect the production of hormones responsible for improving the mood
- They improve motor coordination
- They have a positive effect on the balance
- They activate the rarely used deep muscles
- They reduce back pain
- They relieve the knees
- They increase the supply of iodine, which is important for the functioning of the thyroid gland
We already know that exercising on the beach is very beneficial for our physical and mental well-being. It turns out that everyone will find some activity for themselves – children, seniors, teenagers and adults will surely find something that will interest them. So let’s move on to the most important part of the article – what kind of beach exercises should we do?
See also the beaches in Tenerife.
Exercise on the beach while having fun
Fun is the natural and most enjoyable form of exercise on the beach. We recommend it especially to children, but not only – also an adult person can successfully engage in such entertainment. Don’t we all become little children during the holidays?
Fun beach exercises include:
- The game of “tag”,
- Throwing Frisbee
- Kite flying
- Limbo (walking under the pole),
- Beach volleyball,
- Hole-digging competition
- However, if you are not enjoying the fun activities, we have other beach exercises for you.
Simple exercises on the beach
During barefoot exercises, completely different muscles and receptors are activated than when we exercise in sports shoes. That is why it is worth doing even simple exercises on the beach without shoes. We propose:
- Pomps
- Push-ups
- Planks
- Trips
Beach rompers are great at burning body fat, engaging the buttocks, abdomen and leg muscles. They accelerate blood flow and minimize the risk of soreness and injuries.
Push-ups are a much more difficult exercise on the beach that works especially for the muscles in the chest and arms. While doing it, let’s focus on keeping the body in a straight line.
Plank may be a bit like push-ups. Lie down on your stomach, bend your elbows at 90 degrees and rest your weight on your forearms. Then raise the torso and rest the feet on the toes for about 1 minute.
Leg lunges involve stretching one leg back in a straight line, while the other leg should be bent at an angle less than 90 degrees. If we are fit, we can dynamically change legs by jumping.
The Makarska Riviera is also perfect for exercising on the beach.
Running on the beach
If you like running, you can do this exercise on the beach. It then involves completely different parts of the body, ensuring a harmonious effort of each part of your body. Sand is a natural cushioning, so the knee and hip joints are not loaded as much as on hard ground.
What’s more, while running on the beach, we have to constantly control our balance, and our legs sinking into the sand put additional burden on us. Beautiful natural circumstances are the final asset that should convince us to this type of physical activity.
You already know that you don’t have to give up running when you are on holiday by the sea, as long as you enjoy it. What other beach exercises can we recommend?
Intermediate beach exercises
People who are looking for a more demanding effort will surely be satisfied with our beach exercises for advanced people:
- Jump squat
- Push-ups with a raised hand
- Towel jumps
- Russian twist crunches (shown below in video)
- Exercise bands will definitely be useful for exercising on the beach.
Swimming on the beach
The beach, as we well know, is usually located near rivers, lakes, seas and other bodies of water. If this is the case, check if the location is allowed to swim. Activity in water is great for engaging your muscles because, unlike air, water is more resistant. Moreover, swimming in nature is a pleasure!Swim only in permitted places and in good weather conditions. Avoid wild beaches. Do not go into the water after drinking alcohol.
See also sandy beaches in Croatia.
Exercise on the beach – the most important rules
To make exercising on the beach pleasant and, most importantly, safe, we have prepared a list of rules to keep in mind.
1. Sun protection. Exercising on the beach is especially inviting in summer when the temperatures are high. Despite the pleasant breeze from the sea, remember about sunscreen and a hat. A sunburn or a heat stroke is not pleasant.
2. Adequate hydration. When exercising on the beach, we sweat intensely, and this effect is even more pronounced by the temperature. Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking at least 2 liters of fluids, and with increased effort even more. Avoid sweet drinks, instead of them we can reach for plain water (sparkling or not) or sugar-free isotonic drinks.
3. Taking care of others. Avoid exercising on crowded beaches where people are lying on towels around you. Physical activity that is enjoyable for you can end in sand in the eyes of your beach neighbor.
4. Warm-up. Before exercising, make sure you warm up as much as possible. You can start with some simple stretching exercises.
5. Staging the effort. Exercising on the beach can seem difficult at first. If you’re not doing well on dry sand, move closer to the water. Damp sand is more compact, so our body does not sink into it so much.
Finally, watch a short video that summarizes the topic of beach exercise and shows what the activity looks like.