Feel the wind on your face, the sun on your body, and listen to the relaxing sounds of the ocean as the water rolls onto your feet. Beaches have got to be the best place in the world, hands down.

All that serenity, how could you possibly pass up an opportunity for a beach workout, with its benefits and all? There are several workouts you can do on the beach, ranging from weight lifting, HIIT, and yoga. If you are looking for a full-body workout, we have you covered.

But before we get into what you can do, here are some benefits associated with working out on the beach.

Benefits of a Beach Workout

Whether you are doing a high-intensity workout or just taking a nice jog down the coastline, working out on the beach can have several benefits. Being on vacation never means you can't keep your workout routine.

The Sand Acts as a Cushion

When running on sand, there is less impact as the sand's soft surface acts as a cushion for your body. This reduced impact can be very beneficial for your joints as there is less stress on them due to impact.

Increased Resistance

Certified trainer, Corey Phelps says that the unstable grains of sand make for added resistance during your workout. This means that more muscles are recruited, and more calories are burnt.

Try Changing Things Up

Minus the exercises that require sophisticated equipment, you can do any workout on the beach from regular running to yoga and Zumba.

Fun with Functionality

Due to the unstable surface, working out at the beach forces the body to maintain balance throughout the workout, meaning you will naturally burn more calories.

When working out in the gym and lifting weights, your muscles are focused in isolation. That may be a sure-fire way to get those gains, but the more holistic approaches suggest that we work on our entire body simultaneously. This is where the sand comes into play.

Happy Day for Your Core

Since working out on the beach is almost always a balancing act, your core, as well as the small stabilizing muscles, are required continuously throughout the workout. These muscles are hard to work on in the gym because of the isolated nature of gym workouts.

Every Second Counts

Since the sand causes added resistance, you are going to feel the intensity of the beach workout in a shorter period.

Vitamin D Galore!

Apart from really working those muscles, the fun is going to be a great source of vitamin D throughout the workout. Just be sure to wear sunscreen to avoid becoming “crispy” after you’re done with your workout.

Best Conditions for a Beach Workout

There are a lot of questions that come to mind when thinking about beach workouts. Should I work out in wet sand or dry? Whether to work out in the day or night? Should I work out barefoot or with shoes on? Well, we are here to answer all those questions for you.

When considering whether to work out on dry sand or wet sand, you need to understand that both types of sand have a different effect on the body. Hard sand creates a stable and dense surface for you to work out on; on the other hand, soft sand forces your body to balance while you work out, giving your core a workout as well.

When it comes to shoes, don’t wear any. If you work out barefoot, you allow your feet muscles to be fully engaged, allowing them to get stronger. Working out barefoot helps your feet move through their natural range of motion, which means stronger feet and ankles.

As far as whether to work out in the day or night, if you are looking to get that essential vitamin D, you should probably work out in the morning.

A Beach Workout for You

Here’s a quick workout from our athlete Dimitriy Zinchencko who performs a high-intensity drill you can try next time you are at the beach. With all these benefits, you can make your next beach vacation a lot more functional.

So don’t just sit there, make your vacation count, it will be worth it, we promise!