Total Body Beach Workout

By Sam Cortes, Communications Coordinator

Heading out to the beach this summer? Try adding some variety to your fitness routine and do your next workout in the great outdoors!

By taking your workout to the beach, you can enjoy the added benefits of soaking in the sun while increasing your vitamin D levels, breathing the fresh air while boosting your immune system, and taking in the inspiring views to keep you invigorated.

Research shows outdoor training can not only improve your physiological health by heightening your energy levels, but it can also improve your mental well-being by increasing your motivation, mental focus, enjoyment, and elevating your mood.

Before You Begin

Before exercising outdoors, there’s a couple things you should do:

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate and replace your electrolytes
Protect yourself from UV rays with sunscreen (even if it is cloudy), a hat, and light-coloured clothing
Wear proper footwear or bare feet
Complete a full-body dynamic warm-up

The Workout

Next time you’re at the beach, try this fun and challenging workout using your own bodyweight and beach gear!

Each demonstration below includes an option to bump up the difficulty with an intermediate level exercise.

10 Squats

Start with your stance hip distance apart. Bend at the knees and hips into a seated position, maintaining an upright posture, pushing through the feet, breathing out, and squeezing your glutes.

Intermediate option: 10 Squat Jumps

Find your squat stance, bringing your arms back. Begin to jump, extending through the legs, reaching the arms over head, jumping 180, and returning to the starting position.

10 Towel Raises

Roll your towel tightly and grip the towel firmly. Begin to lift the arms up over your head, keeping tension throughout and engaging the back and shoulders, returning the towel back in front of the thighs. Exhale on the way up and inhale as you lower.

Intermediate option: Towel Rotations

Begin by pivoting on the ball of one foot while rotating in the other direction. Exhale on the rotation, inhale draw to centre. Movement starts from the ground up — push through the foot, rotate through the torso, and then into the arms and neck. Repeat side to side.

10 Deadlifts

Start with your stance hip distance apart. Bring your palms together, placing your index finger in contact with your chin to maintain a neutral posture. Bend your knees slightly and hinge at your hips a lot, bringing your hips back, and squeeze your glutes to return to the upright position.

Intermediate option: Single Leg Deadlifts

Start with your feet together. Curl your toes up and place your balance on one leg. Begin by bending one knee slightly, hinging at the hips, extending through the legs and arms. The goal is to maintain that neutral spine straight line. Exhale, squeeze the glutes to rise. Repeat on the other side.

8 Walk Out Planks

Bend at the knees and hips as you reach toward the ground in front of you. Slowly start to walk out into a high plank position. Pause. Walk your hands back toward your feet. Deadlift to rise. Squeeze your glutes.

Intermediate option: Walk Out Plank Push-Ups

Begin to bend at the knees and hips, and walk out to plank. Add your push-up, bending your elbows 45 degrees. Exhale on the way up, and then walk your hands back toward your feet. Deadlift to rise. Squeeze your glutes.

8/Side Beach Ball Rotations

Grab a seat on your towel, bringing your legs out in front of you. Lean back slightly. Push into the ball to activate your core. Begin to rotate at your T spine, middle of your spine. Exhale on the way out, inhale back to centre.

Intermediate option: Beach Ball Rotations (Feet Up)

Lift your feet off the towel and begin your rotation from your T spine. Option to extend the legs fully.

10/Side Reverse Lunges

Start in an upright position in a narrow stance. Begin stepping back, lowering into your lunge, bending your knees 90 degrees. Pushing through the front leg, return to the upright position and alternate each side.

Intermediate option: Reverse Lung Knee-Ups

Add a knee-up. Step back into your reverse lunge, pushing through your front leg, driving the opposite knee up at hip bone height and landing in your lunge.

25 Metre Cooler Carry