This summer, be a beach bum and still keep fit! Here’s how:

The warm weather of summertime signifies the arrival of the itsy bitsy teeny weenie yellow polka dot bikinis. However, it seems that nearly every woman experiences anxiety and insecurity over donning a bathing suit or bikini. In fact, many women spend weeks, or months, dieting or working out at the gym in preparation for the summer season.

Even if you haven’t had time for the gym, and diet plans just didn’t seem to stick … there is still hope! Believe it or not, the beach is actually one of the very best places to work out and tone your muscles and stretch your sultry summertime bod.  

Of course, the beach offers an ideal opportunity for swimming, one of the very best cardiovascular exercises. A variety of other beach exercises are intended for the sandy shore. This is primarily because the sand on the beach acts as added resistance, which helps to tone muscles, raise heart rate and burn calories.

Combining fun in the sun and a calorie-burning exercise routine is a great way to start the summer season out on the right foot. This summer, you can be a beach bum, and still keep fit. Here are are some tips and suggestions regarding great exercises to do on the beach.

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Six Simple Exercises To Do on the Beach:

1.  Start your beach day out gently with a brief ten minute stroll, and some simple stretches. This will help to loosen your muscles, get your blood flowing, and will lessen the likelihood of injury.

2.  Go for a swim! Ocean swimming is rated as one of the very best cardiovascular exercises.  Swimming against the sea’s tides offers full body resistance and a complete work out for all your muscle groups. Swimming in the natural salt water offers an added buoyancy that reduces joint impact and strain. Anyone planning summertime ocean swimming should be certain that a lifeguard is on duty at that particular beach location. Before you go in for a swim, also make a point of informing a friend or buddy. Nothing beats the buddy system when it comes to water safety.

3.  Go for a run in the dry sand. This is an excellent beach exercise – making the most of your natural surroundings. Due to the resistance, running in dry or loose sand is more of a challenge than running in compacted wet sand. Feel that burn in your calves and your Achilles tendons.  

4.  To exercise your arms, try an activity called the sand toss. Kneel in the sand, bury your palms, facing outward into the sand. Begin sifting and lifting sand with your palms and throw it outward. Repeat these motions vigorously for ten to fifteen minutes to feel the burn in your triceps and biceps.

5.  Weight training using free weights is a great way to get fit and improve muscle tone. Many athletes enjoy running carrying small free weights, or doing leg lifts or arm lifts with free weights. Weight training is an excellent activity to add to your beach exercise regimen. However, if dumbbells and barbells are too tricky to carry along to the beach, instead, bring along a few medium sized plastic bags. Improvise and make your own free weights by filling these bags with sand, then enjoy your leg lift or arm lift routines.

6.  Last but certainly not least, be sure to bring along a large, comfortable beach blanket, where you can stretch out and enjoy the sounds of the surf as you exercise with sit ups, push ups, curls, or leg lifts.

If you do plan to follow a work out routine or enjoy exercises at the beach this summer, be sure to bring along plenty of water or Gatorade. Sunshine, warm weather physical activity and sweating can easily lead to dehydration.

Resources:
Video: Extreme Beach Exercises
MedicineNet.com: move your gym surfside