What could be better than taking a vacation to a destination near an ocean. An amazing way to unwind, relax and enjoy spending time with your loved ones. Added to this, if losing weight and getting fit and healthy could be an option, who won’t prefer burning calories at the beach. Here are some of the simple fun filled ways to simultaneously work yourself to fitness while on your perfect beach vacation.
Building Sand Castles
Building a sand castle can be strenuous work. You need to stake out the perfect location: one that is close enough to the water’s edge to be the near the supplies you’ll need, but far enough away that every turn of the tide is not an imminent threat to your structure. Then there is the digging, packing, and transporting of wet sand. Get an even better workout by challenging yourself to make your castle as quickly as possible, make a bigger castle than you have ever made before, or add interesting features to your castle like a moat or seashell roofing. This may not be the highest calorie burning activity available, but it is truly fun and one that the entire family can enjoy.
Swimming
Ideal to burn calories at the beach, swimming has always been an excellent full body workout. Swimming at the beach allows you to push this exercise even further. If you are swimming against the tide or across the tide you will need to work extra hard to get where you are trying to go. Be careful of swimming when the tides are too strong. For safety, you should always stay within sight of a lifeguard or someone else on land who is keeping an eye on you. Take a snorkel, goggles, and fins with you into the water, and get in some underwater sightseeing with your workout.
Beach Volleyball
Beach volleyball can be really challenging, especially if you are used to playing volleyball in a gym with a regular gym floor. Trying to run through sand to reach a ball headed for the other side of the court or jumping off of sand to spike the ball is a lot harder than performing those same functions on a solid surface. The benefit of this is that playing volleyball at the beach will give you that much better of a workout, with a nice infusion of sunshine on the side.
Kayaking
Your sea kayaking workout can last less than an hour or can be extended into a multiple day adventure. Kayaks made for long journeys have storage space for food and supplies, and usually seat between one and three individuals. Kayaking gives you the opportunity to really explore the ocean – after all, that is the focal point of your beach vacation, right? Once you are far out from the shore, you are much more likely to see marine wildlife than you would while sitting on the beach, or while surfing or swimming. No matter how far you take your kayaking voyage, and no matter what wildlife you do or do not see, you can be sure of getting an excellent arm, core, and cardio workout.
Frisbee
Frisbee is a classic beach game. Play near the water’s edge and experience running through soft sand, wet and compact sand, and shallow waters. Take advantage of all of the open space and continue to move farther and farther away from your Frisbee companion as you hone and improve your throwing and catching skills. You will get an arm workout as well as cardio activities without ever feeling like you are exercising – you’re just having fun.
Surfing
Surfing is the ultimate beach activity, and is an amazing workout that requires strength, endurance, stability, and a healthy dose of both confidence and fearlessness that help you burn calories at the beach. There are some risks that come with surfing – more than with many other forms of exercise. Being in the water is dangerous because there is the potential for drowning, and surfing in particular is dangerous because to get decently sized waves to ride, one needs to paddle quite a ways out from shore. This means that should you need help, it will take rescuers a couple of minutes to get to you. If you are surfing for the first time, consider hiring an instructor to show you the basics of being successful and safe.
