No Rest for the Wicked: Exercising At the Beach

Do you think about working out when you are on vacation at the beach? About 90% of you would probably think of us as crazy for even suggesting such a thing!

Here’s another question: When you are exercising at home or at the gym, what do you think about? Personally, I think about the things I have to do when I get home or goals I haven’t met at work yet. My time on the treadmill is the time I use to sort things out. Not very relaxing, I know. By the time I go home, my mind and my body are both tired. Can you relate?

On the other hand, a light jog on the beach during can be quite the refreshing experience. Inspired by the beauty of the scenery and the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach, my mind was relaxed and by body was full of energy for an entire day of fun beach activities. It was a great time to meditate and to breath in some fresh air.

Coming from experience, you definitely try exercising at the beach! If you’re not much of a runner, there are a multitude of other activities you can do such as:

Swimming

We’re not just talking about taking a dip – we’re talking about taking a couple of laps in the ocean or at the pool! Swimming is a whole body cardiovascular workout minus icky sweat! If you want a challenge, go for a swim in the ocean. The currents will give you full body resistance while the saltwater will provide added buoyancy that reduces muscle and joint strain.

Safety first! If you do go for a dip in the ocean, make sure that you are within the sights of the lifeguard on duty. Tell a friend that you’re going for a swim and meet up with them right after.

Yoga

The beach is the perfect place to salute the sun! We would recommend doing it during sun rise or sunset when the beach is a little less crowded. Bring a mat or an extra towel because sand is a bit unstable to hold your poses.

Some general tips:

• Always wear sunscreen. The sun is especially merciless at the beach!
• Hydrate religiously. The combination of heat, sand and humidity can dehydrate you pretty fast.
• Ditch your music player for nature. You use your music player to escape urban distractions. Why would you do that when you’re at the beach?

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