Beach Workout: Vacation Fitness tips

My foot languidly pushes a wrinkle from my beach towel out of the way … my trashy novel rests lightly on my tummy as I reach over for my umbrella drink.

Why, yes, the beach is just lovely today as I happily soak in the rays. A glance over from my honey and all is right with the world. God, I love winter vacations, and there’s nothing like a warm, sandy trip to make me feel whole again. Aaaaaahh.

One of the things I love about warm weather vacations is I have more time and more inclination to exercise. So here is the winter resort workout. I’ve got some ideas for how you can stay fit while on vacation. Enjoy.

Beach Workout Options

Sand Workouts.  Ah, the sand. Is it a dreamy pink or a brilliant white? Doesn’t it just call to you to take a walk or a run? Either activity in the sand gives you more resistance than you get on a solid surface, and if you walk in the surf, you’ll get even more leg work.

Beach volleyball is another great option; softer landings might make you braver as you dive for the ball and will also boost your calorie burn.  Frisbee is another fun one, lots of running and sudden changes in movement uses up a lot of calories and trains your core and legs.  

Ocean Workouts.  Get in that lovely aquamarine water. Feel it’s warmth engulf you and have a blast playing in the waves. Yes, technically, it’s a workout, but mostly it’s just part of a memorable vacation.

Snorkeling? Great! Scuba diving? Sure! Both are excellent for sight seeing and your legs. Paragliding? You might be surprised how much upper body strength you need while holding onto to the parachute. Even riding around on jet skis requires a good amount of upper-body strength and a core workout so you don’t fall off!

Pool Workouts.  Maybe you’re too lazy to leave your resort compound … no worries. Working out in the pool is a perfect option, so hop in the water. You can just splash around with the kiddos, which will burn calories without you even realizing it, or you can use the diving board. The cycle of getting out of the pool, climbing the board, and jumping back in repeatedly works out your whole body!

My favorite pool workout is with my husband and a ball.  We just bump the ball back and forth in long volleys and it’s so much fun because the water adds resistance and you’ve got to hustle to get to the ball.

One of the best vacations I ever had was last year with my family in Costa Rica. We were in a quiet surf town and we weren’t surfers. It didn’t matter. We hit a different beach every day, played in the waves, and when we were too lazy to leave our spectacular villa and its Pacific views, we just hopped into the pool and played.

Do you plan a beach workout or two when you’re on vacation? Do you bring along your travel mates? Let me know what you do to stay fit when you’re traveling.

Cheers
Lisa