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Summer Beach Workouts To Fuel Your Body And Soul
Running on sand takes close to one and a half times more energy than sticking to roads, according to a study in the Journal of Experimental Biology. Even though you will be burning 50 percent more calories, your body will experience less stress than on pavement. You’ll also be strengthening all of those little muscles in your feet and ankles—whether you wear shoes or go barefoot. After your run, continue the strength workout by building a rock sculpture. Often called cairns, these balancing, stacked rocks are built as memorials or landmarks. The process will tone your arms and, perhaps more importantly, refresh your mind.
Related: 3 Summer Beach Workouts For Runners
Try these 10 steps for a full-body beach day!
- Set up with chair, towel, umbrella and sunscreen.
- Relax and take it all in.
- Get in the water—at least your feet!
- Hydrate and eat a salty snack.
- Start your run by walking in the sand to warm up.
- After your run, refuel with a protein bar and H2O.
- Find some rocks to hoist overhead as you do squats or lunges (remember, you are promoting an active lifestyle and fitness in public, so encourage your beach buddy to join you and smile!).
- Use the rocks to build a cairn.
- Position your chair to admire your work, while you think about the day and location—this is your meditation time!
- Pack up and start thinking about when you can do this again.
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