A day at the beach doesn’t necessarily have to be all about rest and relaxation. In fact, the beach is where you can get one of the most exhilarating workouts of your life!

So, the good news is, if you don’t have enough time to head to a sweltering gym or you just want to get a little creative with your fitness routine, we’ve got the best beach workout ideas with our Beach Burn 500 workout!

You can catch these exercises in action HERE, but keep reading to get a step-by-step guide!

Why Is It So Awesome to Work Out at the Beach?

Sure, there’s a nice ocean breeze and refreshing spray keeping you cool, but don’t think of it as a gym made easy – sand actually makes you work harder, so you will burn more calories at the beach.

Essentially, it’s a soft, shifting, uneven surface that forces our bodies to balance at all times. That means walking or running on sand forces us to activate the smaller stabilizing muscles in our body that otherwise don’t really get targeted.

In fact, some experts say that sand forces you to expend 1.6 times more energy than a hard, even surface. But it’s not all bad: it also cushions the blow, making it a relatively low-impact surface.

But, don’t just take our word for it; check out our 30-minute circuit that just might be one of the best, total-body workouts to do at the beach.

Inch Worm Push-up

 
With beach exercises like these, you have the chance to truly engage your core with the sand’s constantly shifting surface.

• From a standing position, slowly bend forward to place your hands on the ground
• Keeping your legs straight, walk your hands in front of you one tiny step at a time
• End in a plank position
• Perform a push up
• Walk your feet to your hands back to a standing position
• Repeat for 15 to 25 reps, or for 50 yards along the beach

Bear Crawl

 
Let your inner animal out with this exercise that’ll test your balance and work your core.

• Get down on all fours, knees elevated so they’re bent to 90°
• Only your hands and toes should be touching the sand
• Crawl forward quickly, with your right hand – left foot, and left hand – right foot working in unison
• Perform the bear crawl for 25 yards

 
We love chase squats because they’re the ultimate cardio-bodyweight combo – really, the best training to get that ‘beach bum.’ Plus, once your feet dig into the sand, the sand that gathers on top of your feet acts like mini ankle weights.

• As you step your right leg to the side, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground
• As you stand back up, jump your left leg back closer to your right leg
• Continue this shuffle for 25 yards in each direction

Crab Walk

 
Did we just suggest this exercise because of the glorious pun? Don’t be silly – a crab walk is an intense exercise that’ll work your upper body and force you to engage your core.

• Sitting on the ground facing away from the shore, place your hands on the sand and lift your hips up
• Have your feet hip-distance apart and your hands pointing at your hips
• Engaging your core, walk backwards coordinating your hands with your opposite feet
• Walk 25 yards in each direction

Hit the Surf

 
We love this exercise not just because it’s nice and cooling – the water actually acts as extra resistance that’ll help you burn more calories. And while you’re sprinting on the sand, your leg sinks into it rather than pushing you forward, making your hip flexors exert extra effort!

• Starting on dry sand, sprint 25 yards into the water
• Turn around quickly and sprint back

Remember, try to do as many rounds of these as you can! And if you’re not used to working out in the sand, then go slow. Your body needs to acclimate to the shifting ground and inclines.

And when you’re ready, check out our other beach workout class. Don’t have access? Sign up for our 7-Day Free Trial for access to hundreds of the hottest workouts you can play from the comfort of your living room, the gym, and yes, even the beach!