- The beach is a great place for functional fitness because you can work on all the muscle groups you typically would in the gym with the added benefits of improving your balance and core strength.
- You can do a wide variety of no-equipment-needed exercises at the beach from cardio to muscle training.
- Aside from your own body, you can use the sand and the water to add new dimensions to your workout.
Benefits of doing functional exercises this Summer
We can all use more functional fitness in our workout routines. Certified health coach and personal trainer Malia Frey states that doing these “help to improve your balance, posture, muscular endurance, and flexibility." Coach Frey adds that functional fitness workouts are excellent not only for weight loss, but also for overall wellness and long-term fitness. It also allows your muscles to be more efficient, so you can do more work in a shorter time span.
Another great thing about functional fitness is that it doesn't have to be limited to what you can do at the gym. Whether you’re on vacation, on a budget, or on hunt for something new this summer, you can easily stay on top of your fitness routine by doing some functional fitness training.
Bringing functional fitness to beach is not only fun, it also gives you some benefits that you won't get at home or in your local gym. This is because sand gives you a soft, uneven surface to exercise on, you need to work harder to propel yourself while running or jumping. Personal trainer Robin M. Gillespie adds that with sand, "Your core muscles work harder to help you maintain your balance."
Beach-friendly functional training exercises
Water running
Running on the beach is not the effortless, romantic dash as portrayed in movies. It's actually tough work, but the payoff is definitely worth it. Start off by choosing two landmarks approximately 60 yards apart. Walk into the water until it reaches about halfway up your thigh. Take off running, using your arms and core to push forward. You'll feel a strong resistance from the water, so be sure to use your whole body to reach your endpoint.
Matthew Reedy is the head running coach at Leapfrog Athletics. He recommends water running because it improves form. Coach Reedy describes the best technique as follows: "You do not point or reach your toes forward. This is over-striding and it will fatigue your quads. You move forward through the water by pushing, not by reaching out. The stride is short and powerful." He also suggests that you wear old running shoes because the sand and water can do a little damage to your footwear, but wearing old shoes is better than going barefoot.
Walking lunge with twist and crunch
Even on a hard, flat surface, a walking lunge with twist and crunch set can give you a better sense of balance. Doing it on the sand is especially good for your ankle and knee stability, but you'll feel the functional fitness burn all over your body. Performing any single-leg exercises on the beach adds complexity to the movement and gives your leg muscles an extra push.
To begin, stand with your hands interlaced, holding the back of your head. Step one leg forward, bending your knee at a 90-degree angle. When you step the other leg forward, squeeze your glutes and draw it up to your chest first. This is the "crunch" part of the exercise. As you do this, the opposite elbow should bend towards the knee. Don't worry if they don't actually touch each other. The objective is to help engage the core as you do this exercise. Repeat this process for about 50 feet forward.
Skipping
It may be known for child's play, but it's also a dynamic and effective functional fitness exercise that can improve your speed and strength. Avery Drost is a pro beach-volleyball player, and she highly recommends skipping in the sand. She says it's safer to skip on the beach than on a sidewalk, because the former is less likely to strain or damage your joints and connective tissues.
If you want to maximize your skips, bring one knee up toward your chest and move the opposite arm forward at the same time. Your elbow should be at a 90-degree angle. Lift up the foot of the opposite leg, and then take a step. Your step should be forceful, as if you're pushing the ground away. When your front foot hits the ground, quickly do the whole thing again, but with the other side of your body. Try to get as much height per step and as much distance total as you possibly can. There's no need to feel self-conscious — just have fun with it!
Sand shuffle
Get in the true spirit of the beach and exercise like a crab. Side shuffling done right will give you stronger hips and thighs. Because you're moving laterally, the stretch helps make the muscles in your outer hips and thighs firmer and your inner thighs slimmer. On top of that, you get a good dose of cardio as you work up a sweat from the combination of exertion and the heat of the seaside.
Sand shuffling starts with a wide stance. Place your feet more than hip-distance apart. Bend your knees, pulling your hips back as if you were about to sit down on an imaginary bench. Take a step to the side, then bring the other foot inwards toward the first one. As you repeat the movement, make sure that your chest is lifted and your abs are drawn in.
Backpedal
Backpedaling on the beach boosts your upper- and lower-body limb coordination and your agility. It's the perfect exercise for anyone who wants to excel at sports and games. In addition to coordination and agility, doing the backpedal enhances your kinesthetic awareness — that is, your ability to move different parts of your body in harmony.
Although its name makes it sound like it's an exercise you would do on a bike, backpedaling is actually more like running backwards. To get started, just lift one foot, pull up the knee, and take a step back. Do the same on the other side and keep repeating the whole process. If you're nervous about tripping, start slow then work your way up, and look over your shoulder once in a while until you get properly oriented and feel confident enough to go faster.
Sand bucket exercises
It would probably be a drag to bring a dumbbell or kettlebell to the beach with you, and finding one nearby can be challenging. Instead, borrow a bucket from kids making sand castles with and fill it with sand. This creative alternative to a weight is customizable; you can adjust the weight by changing the amount of either dry or wet sand. Before you use a sand bucket for your exercises, remember that wet sand is less messy but also weighs more than dry sand.
Kettlebell deadlift
Grip the handle of the bucket with two hands. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and pointed toward the sea. Lean forward a bit and bend both knees until the bottom of the bucket touches the ground. Keep your shoulders back while you do this. Once you feel the pail hit the sand, stand back up using the muscles in your hips, not those in your back.
Deadlifts are highly functional. They build up both the strength and the size in your back, butt, and thigh muscles. Its real-world applications include carrying anything from groceries to children without suffering from back pain and soreness afterwards.
Kettlebell swing
Similar to the kettlebell deadlift, start with both hands holding the bucket handle and your feet shoulder-width apart. Lean forward slightly and bend like you're about to sit down. Then, using your core and glutes, quickly stand back up and swing the pail upwards. It should reach around shoulder level.
Arizona-based coach Josh Henkin says, "Owning [the foundations of kettlebell use] allows you to add deeper layers to your movement and strength practice." He encourages using kettlebells – or in this case, buckets of sand — because they give you a truly functional training system by helping you identify and fix specific weaknesses in your own movement.
Conclusion
Spending days in the beach may sound chill, but it can also be an opportunity to challenge your body. You can do this by utilizing your environment. Have a fabulous yet functional workout and enjoy the sights and sounds of the ocean at the same time.