Sand Circuit Training for Vacationers
When you’re on vacation, it can be tempting to sit back, relax, and spend your days just idly enjoying the scenery of wherever you’ve traveled to. But as we’ve previously established on ‘How to Workout as You Travel Internationally’, there are plenty of ways to enjoy a vacation while also making the most of your time off to keep yourself fit.
And while hiking and yoga are great activities you can enjoy across the globe, one place you can take your fitness routine to exciting new heights would be the beach. Aside from scenic views of the sea, you get to experience the unique advantages that only a workout on the sand can offer. However, this type of exercise isn’t for the faint of heart, as it requires extra strength and endurance.
So, do you think you’re up for a sand circuit training challenge for your next vacation? If you are, then read on to find out how you can execute this seaside exercise!
Circuit 1: Warm-up
Keep in mind that exercising during a beach vacation is different from working out in a gym due to different weather components like temperature and humidity. Because you’re likely going to be working out under the hot sun, travel and lifestyle writer Jane Adamson stresses the importance of taking care of your scalp from various elements, as not doing so can lead to serious hair damage. You should wear a hat to protect both your hair and your face from the sun’s harmful rays, and be sure to wear light-colored clothes, since they absorb less heat.
Once you’re properly suited up, you can begin your beach workout by marking the sand with your start and end points for a light 3-minute jog. After, finish the following moves in 30 seconds. Then, go over this interval again 2 more times.
- High knees
- Butt kicks
- Lateral shuffle
- Burpees
Circuit 2: Plyo
Since the surface of the sand isn’t firm, plyometrics is a crucial part of circuit training at the beach, as it helps keeps your knees and hips aligned. Also, don’t forget to wear shoes or sand socks if the surface is hot or rough, so you can land your jumps comfortably. That said, you should do 10 reps of each move as many times as possible in 3 minutes.
- Jump squat
- Tuck jump
- Side skater
- Long jump
Circuit 3: Run
Thanks to its unique surface, running on the sand can lead to enhanced exercise. Indeed, a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research reports that athletes running on sand surfaces recorded faster times than those who raced on a grass one. Thus, you can maximize your sand circuit training by going on a run for 2 minutes at a fast pace.
Circuit 4: Core
When it comes to working out on the sand, Cosmopolitan’s resident health writer Catriona Harvey-Jenner notes that your core will be especially strengthened, as you’ll use these muscles to get engaged in an exercise. Make the most of this benefit, and get your beach-ready abs by completing this core circuit. You should do 20 reps of each move in 3 minutes.
- Walking plank
- Pendulum legs
- Straight-leg bicycle
- Boat to low boat
Circuit 5: Burnout
Congratulations on finishing your beach exercises! Of course, you can’t forget to cool down your body. After all, the beach makes things more intense. You can do 3 reps of quad rockers and a downward dog for 30 seconds each. And to cap it all off, go ahead and take a lovely stroll along the beach.