10 Exercises You Can Do at the Beach

Summer is here and that means spending more time outdoors. If you’re lucky enough to live by the beach or travel to one, you might wonder what kind of exercises you can come up with to get a decent workout. Here are some of the best options!

Squats

Start in a standing position, feet separated hip-width or a little bit wider. Let your feet open slightly to the side and tighten your core. Inhale and slowly bend your knees. Keeping your back straight, lower your hips down and back, like you’re trying to sit in an imaginary chair behind you. Once you’re in your lowest squat position, start exhaling and extending your legs, squeezing your glutes at the top. Repeat 12-15 times.

Back Lunges

Start in a standing position, feet facing forward and separated hip-width. Try to keep your hips squared throughout the entire exercise. Inhale and step back with your left leg, bending the knee and bringing it close to the floor without touching it. 

Exhale and step back to starting position. Inhale and step your right leg back, exhale and come forward. Make sure your core is active and back straight from the beginning to the end. Alternate for 20 total repetitions.

Shoulder Taps

Come to a plank position, palms right under your shoulders and heels high. Keep your core active and your hips in a neutral position, avoiding lifting or dropping them. Slowly tap your left shoulder with your right hand and bring it back to the floor. Then tap your right shoulder with your left hand and bring it back. Alternate like this for a total of 20 repetitions. Try to avoid your hips from moving too much, pressing the balls of your feet firmly into the floor.

Plank Jumps

Come to a plank position, palms right under your shoulders and heels high. Keep your core active and your hips in a neutral position, avoiding lifting or dropping them. Inhale and jump, opening your feet wider into a star-shaped plank. Exhale and jump back to basic plank. Repeat 15-20 times, avoiding your hips from dropping or lifting high.

Mountain Climbers

Come to a plank position, palms right under your shoulders and heels high. Keep your core active and your hips in a neutral position, avoiding lifting or dropping them. Just like you’re running, start bringing one knee towards your chest and then the other, picking up the pace as you go. 

Keep your core tight and push your palms firmly into the ground, stretching the space in between your shoulder blades. Go for a total of 30 mountain climbers.

Knee to Nose

Come to a plank position, palms right under your shoulders and heels high. Keep your core active and your hips in a neutral position, avoiding lifting or dropping them. Inhale and lift your right leg off from the floor, exhale and bring your knee in towards your chest. Inhale and lift your leg back, exhale and bring your knee towards your right triceps. Inhale and bring it back, exhale and bring your leg towards your left triceps, twisting your torso as you do so. Inhale and bring it back. Repeat 10 times before switching to your left leg.

Knee to Floor (Abs)

Come to a downward dog position, creating an inverted V shape with your body. Push your palms firmly into the floor, stretching your spine and sending your hips diagonally up and back. Stretch out your legs and let your heels reach toward the floor. 

Inhale and lift your right leg up into the air, exhale and bend your knee, bringing it all the way toward your chest and placing it on the floor. Use the power of your abs to lift the knee up toward your chest again and back up in the air. Repeat 10 times before switching to your left leg.

Low Squat to Push Up

Come to a downward dog position, creating an inverted V shape with your body. Push your palms firmly into the floor, stretching your spine and sending your hips diagonally up and back. Stretch out your legs and let your heels reach toward the floor. 

Inhale and bend your knees, getting into a crouched position, exhale and propel yourself forward into a plank, bending your elbows and lowering your body into a push-up. Inhale, and push your body back into a crouching position, sitting bones trying to touch your heels. Exhale forward. Repeat 10-12 times.

Side Lunges

Start in a standing position, feet separated hip-width. Inhale and step with your left leg to the side, bending the knee and lowering your hips over the left leg, keeping the right leg stretched out. Exhale and extend your left leg, picking it up from the floor, bending the knee, and bringing it into your right inner thigh. 

Inhale and bring your foot back into the squat, exhale and push yourself away from the floor into a one-legged balance. Repeat 10 times and do the same thing with the other leg.

Hip Swings

Find a railing, a bench, a wall, or even a tree and face the right side. Grab onto the available sturdy surface with your left hand and place your right hand on your right hip. Inhale, bend your right leg and pick it up from the floor. Swing it forward and then swing it back. Keep your hips squared and allow your body to relax while you’re swinging the leg forward and back. Go for 10 repetitions before doing it all on the other side.

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Working out at the beach could be really fun and exciting, especially knowing you get to reward yourself with a refreshing dip and beach games with your friends!