7 Beach Workouts You Can Do On Vacation

“The beach is one of the greatest places to feel connected to your fitness and to be out with other people moving their bodies,” says Earl Walton, the global director of training and coaching at triathlon company IRONMAN. Just don’t forget your sunscreen and water bottle.

Running

“Running on the beach is a killer calf workout, especially if you are going barefoot,” Walton says. “Focus on bringing your knee forward, rather than the drive of your foot into the sand. You’ll be improving hip flexor strength and creating a faster cadence.”

Stair Climbing

Brave the stairs leading to the boardwalk a few times up and down for a cardio and leg session. Looking to up the ante? “Bunny hops up the stairs are a great full-body workout,” Walton says. “Hop up with both feet to the top.” Rest as needed and repeat.

Roller Skating

Grab your helmet and skates and hit the boardwalk. “An hour of skating is a full-body workout providing the same cardio equivalent of jogging for your heart and lungs, as well as a solid strength workout for the glutes, hamstrings, and quads,” Walton says.

Building Sandcastles

It’s not your traditional exercise, but you’ll be crouched in weird positions, shuttling buckets of ocean water to your build site, and working hard to build the perfect moat — all under the hot sun. Anything that gets you moving like that works you out.

Bodyweight Workouts

“I love walking lunges, squats, and push-ups,” Walton says. “These basic bodyweight movements take on a new life in the uneven and unstable sand.” Try performing three or four sets of 10 of each of these moves, then cool off in the sea.

Playing In The Waves

You don’t have to actually swim to get a workout in the ocean. “30 minutes of jumping waves is going to give you some great cardio benefits and your shoulders, core, and lower back are going to have worked to keep you upright,” Walton says.

Yoga

“Sand yoga may be the best way to start (or end) a day at the beach,” Walton says. The uneven sand will make your hands and feet work harder to grip the ground — and the ocean sounds in the background won’t hurt, either.