Beach Workout

When you’re staying with Anna Maria Island Condo Rentals you can take advantage of the beautiful coastal scenery and do your workouts at the beach. The fresh salt air, the feel of the sun on your skin as well as the added resistance of the sand are the makings for a better and more efficient workout.

An added bonus — once your beach workout is complete, instead of hitting the shower you can jump into the ocean for a refreshing cool off.

Well there is no equipment needed for excellent beach workouts, please don’t forget to apply your sunscreen and stay well hydrated!

Here are some suggestions that are sure to help you meet your fitness goals while not imposing on your relaxing vacation.

You can definitely get a sweat on in the water. You probably already have your swimsuit on so hit the beach and make a splash! Take advantage of your beach vacation with the added benefit of working out on a liquid treadmill in the refreshing Gulf of Mexico. And, I can’t think of a better way to enjoy the beautiful Florida weather than a workout in the water. A swimming workout is easy on your joints, bones and muscles, burns calories and firms every muscle in your body. It is also known to relieve stress and tension while refreshing and renewing us. And, don’t forget to bring your beach chair along so after your workout you can pick the perfect spot to sit back and relax.

Running is a popular type of exercise on the Florida beach and running on the sand is much different and harder than it is on cement or the treadmill. Running on beach sand will be a workout your body isn’t used to, making it more effective.

Barefoot or shoes? You will see a mix of runners, some choose to wear shoes, although many prefer to run barefoot. Running barefoot allows you to use your whole foot enabling your feet to move through their natural range of motion. This can help strengthen different muscles, but pay attention to any unusual aches or pains you may experience especially if you have plantar fasciitis, ankle injuries, or any lower leg problems. For those that like to run barefoot, be careful of fish hooks, sharp shells and broken glass.

Wet sand or dry sand? Wet, hard sand creates a dense, stable surface. Soft sand creates a higher level of instability, which makes you work harder.

If you choose to wear your shoes on the beach, you can run in the soft sand you work harder and have lots of sand in each shoe when you’re done or you go for the hard sand while trying not to get your shoes wet.

You can also consider running in the water. What a feeling you get with the water splashing up on your legs as you run. Plus, the bonus of slightly firmer footing than the loose sand further up on the beach.

An added perk to beach running — the cool beach breeze blowing on your face giving you a continuous cool down effect.

Walking on the sand isn’t easy. Scientists say it takes 2.1-2.7 times more energy to walk or run on the sand than it does to move at the same pace on hard surfaces. You know the feeling … you take a step forward, your foot sinks into the sand and shifts as you push a little harder trying to get a little traction. Yep, that energy you are using strengthens the muscles between your feet and back, especially your calves, quadriceps and glutes. So, as you are enjoying your next beach walk, remember, you are really working those muscles. And, the dryer the sand, the harder the work.

Simple, but effective — begin in a plank position with your arms fully extended. Then, slowly crawl forward in the sand like a bear using your arms and feet.

You can do these pushups inside your vacation rental, but doing them on the beach with the uneven terrain will challenge your body in new ways. The softness of sand makes push-ups harder. Begin in a plank position with arms fully extended and lower your body until your face is almost touching the sand. Repeat until you feel fatigued. Facing the water puts your body at a decline which is more challenging. Beginners may find it easier to face away from the water so your body will be at an incline.

Want to boost your cardiovascular fitness? Running sprints on the beach will do it.

The resistance from the sand makes these more strenuous than regular sprints, so don’t overdo it – you’ll feel them quickly.

Warm up by easy running on the beach. When you’re ready go hard and sprint for 20 seconds pumping your arms trying to cover as much ground as you can in the short amount of time. Then give yourself a minute or two of recovery, to allow almost full recovery so you can put maximum effort into each sprint. Repeat. Aim for 10 sprints. Sounds easy enough . Then cool down walking slowly on the beach to bring your heart rate back down.

Walking lunges are an ideal leg workout for the beach. Lunging in the sand is an excellent glute and thigh workout, and doing it on the beach means you can enjoy the peaceful view while on vacation. The sand makes for adequate resistance and requires you to really use your stabilizing muscles. Begin by slowly lunging forward with one leg; then lunge forward with the other leg in a continuous motion while moving in a forward direction. Complete several sets of this exercise until your legs feel fatigued.

Ohhh, the power of a yoga workout. Get stretched and relax with some beachside yoga. Imagine—enjoying the beach with light activity, connecting with nature and your own spirituality. Beach yoga is the perfect way to surround yourself with serene scenery as you deeply inhale the fresh salt air and get the sensational, warm feeling as the sun touches your skin. The softness of the sand will enable you to create poses that would normally require you to stop and put down a blanket for padding. Anna Maria Island is relaxing and laid back, an absolutely perfect place for beach yoga.

If you are interested in group yoga classes on the beach please contact us Anna Maria Island Condo Rentals and we will provide information.

Whatever form your workout takes, we wish you a wonderful beach vacation on Anna Maria Island, Florida. We hope your visit with us is filled with many great moments making beautiful take-home memories.

Note: Anna Maria Island Condo Rentals offers company names and affiliated links as suggestions only. We are not receiving commissions from any that we list and are listing them only to assist our guests. We recommend services that we or close friends and family have experienced.

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