Here's What You Need to Know Before Doing Your First Beach Workout

POPSUGAR Photography / THEM TOO
POPSUGAR Photography | THEM TOO

Beach workouts are great because they tone your entire body in a short amount of time, but they also vary greatly from traditional sweat sessions — for starters, the unstable surface makes basic things like walking much more challenging. So in order for you to make the most out of your time on the sand, we rounded up tips and ideas that will help with your next oceanside fitness routine.

01
Ditch Your Shoes
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Ditch Your Shoes

Walking without shoes feels great, and it forces you to use your toes to grip the ground, which triggers all the small muscles in your feet. You'll learn quickly how much harder it is than walking on a flat surface.

02
Walk on Dry Sand
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Walk on Dry Sand

While feeling the waves crash against your shins is a great way to enjoy the sun, resist walking on the flat sand right at the water's edge. Instead, head for the dry sand to make your workout harder. You'll feel your heart rate rise quickly.

03
Start Jogging Slowly
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Start Jogging Slowly

Running on the sand burns 30 percent more calories than running on concrete, making it a phenomenal workout. But since running on uneven surfaces puts a lot of pressure on your hips and knees, it can increase the risk of nagging sprains and tendonitis, so you should wear supportive shoes and build your running distances up slowly over time.

04
Incorporate HIIT Workouts
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Incorporate HIIT Workouts

Bringing indoor calorie-torching moves to the sand will only help you tone up faster. Work the sides of hips, inner thighs, and legs with a series of lateral sprints, then switch to 10- to 15-second beach sprints to really get your heart rate pumping. 

05
Pay Attention to the Angle of the Sand
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Pay Attention to the Angle of the Sand

Running on an angled surface puts pressure on your knees, so avoid very uneven surfaces. You'll also want to loop during your run so that both sides of your body experience the angled surface. If you feel any discomfort, however, you should stop.

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