The summertime is the perfect season to take your training outdoors. The beach is always a great idea on a hot and sunny day. The sand texture provides training grounds for elite competitors, from Olympic Athletes to Navy Seals. The resistance will challenge your steps and strengthen your legs and core. I do sand sprints once a week in the summer - early in the morning when the beach surface is cool enough to train barefoot.  Sprints are the main sets in this beach workout, however I encourage you to be creative and add other exercises as you see fit. You may want to add in mountain climbers or quick entry/exits into the lake or ocean as other components of this training.

 

PREP

• Find an area of the beach that speaks to you.  I prefer training closer to the surf for a quick cool down if needed.

• Mark off an area of about 15-20 yards of sand with a START and FINISH line.  When marking of the yards, just use a rough judgement, I take a long step which is about one yard.  The width can be about 5 yards, just enough room for you to sprint down and bear crawl back.

*This is a great opportunity for you to warm up the hamstrings as you drag your heel in the sand to mark of the start and finish lines. I exaggerate the motion as this helps engage the hamstring on the drag leg and stabilize my opposite drive leg.  

WARM UP

Perform each exercise taking 3 deep breaths between each set

• 2 set of Walking Lunges (Start line to finish line, down and back)

• 2 sets of Bear Crawls (Start line to finish line, down and back)

• 2 sets of  Box Jumps (Start line to finish line, down and back)

• 4 sets of Warm Up Sprints 30% | 60% | 90% | 100% (Start line to finish line, down and back)

*Get used to the sand and take your time getting up to 100% output.  Listen to your body and use good judgement.

WORKOUT EVOLUTION

• 10 sets of Sand Sprints SS*Superset w/ Bear crawls 

• Sprint down 15-20 yards past the FINISH, immediately get down into a Bear Crawl and make your way back to the START-this is one.  

• Rest 30-45 seconds in between sets, while keeping your hands on your waist as you focus on breathing in through the nose out through the mouth. 

*Pace yourself, once you get past 5 your mental toughness will be tested.   

FINISHER

• 10 Squats

• 10 4-Count Flutter Kicks (Start with left foot in the air, count 1,2,3,4,ONE, 1,2,3,4, TWO, 1,2,3,4,THREE!) Equivalent to 40 total single flutters.  Optional, sit down near the surf with your feet facing the water.

• 1 Plank (10 Deep Breaths) I always encourage my clients to count your planks with breaths verses going against the clock 30 seconds.  Planks are an excellent exercise, you will get the best results if you are taking deep breaths to help expand and contract the surrounding muscles. 

*Do 10 rounds of this circuit as fast as possible, record your time if you want to measure progress for next time.

 

Seek to challenge yourself and train in an uncomfortable state of mind and body. I recommend sand sprints as the main focus of beach workouts, this leaves room for creativity and core finishers at the end. Bring your towel, beach chair + book, relax, and enjoy the beach!

 

Brendan is the founder of Faith Focus Finish, Inc. (FaithFocusFinish.org) an organization dedicated to impact hearts, souls and minds.  Brendan believes in encouragement and edification, to Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Brendan works at Equinox Darien (Equinox.com). You can find him on Instagram @bmicik.