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Get Beach Body Ready All Year Round - Using The Outdoors As Your Backyard Gym

Great Beach Body Workout

Yes, summer is around the corner – but careful, if you blink too quickly, you may miss it!  So with that said, the purpose of this article is to arm you and your families with all the information and ideas you need to take full advantage of the outdoors and your surrounding environment this summer for new and fun ways to stay fit. If you will use your imagination just a bit and with some basic understanding of how the body moves you can take advantage of this "outdoor gym" anytime – anywhere. And best of all, as long as you honor and take good care of it, it is free!

While most of the activities to do outdoors are obvious, my goal in this article is to encourage you to explore the not so obvious ways to enjoy the outdoors when it comes to your workouts.  I will start with one of the most common areas so many of us spend our summer months.  The Beach!

The Beach Body Workout at the Beach

Safety Check: A thorough safety check MUST be done of the area prior to starting the workout.  Always check the area for the following:  A level surface area (except on the dunes obviously) free of holes, bumps, tree branches, glass, loose or jagged debris of any kind etc.

Environmental Gear/props to use: I will refer to different things in each area as "gear" or  "props" that I will want you to use for the workout.  These are things common to each environment, whether natural or manmade.

Below is a sample workout that can be done in 30 minutes or less.

Additional items - If you have a lightweight exercise band or tubing and/or a 10 ft long piece of rope or webbing - these will offer many variations to the workout.

This workout should only be started once you have warmed up your entire body and stretched lightly. Jogging, jumping jacks, squats or jumping rope are all good examples of appropriate warm-ups.

Beach – Flat Sand

Environmental "gear/props" commonly found in these areas:

Logs, lifeguard stations, jetty areas with large boulders, benches

The Workout

Look for a lifeguard station and/or a small log for this workout in the sand.

Traveling Lunges – 25 each leg– lunges in the sand are an amazing balance and core challenge as well as lower body shaper.

Pushups – 15 -25 (in the sand or on the deck of lifeguard station)

Pullups – 8 – 10 Using either the rope or your hands, hang with both hands (either underhand or overhand grip) from one of the beams of the lifeguard station and with your feet out in front and in the sand, lean back to lower your bodyweight against gravity.  Then pull your chest up to the beam. If using the rope, wrap it around the beam and pull your chest up to the beam.

Crunches – Curl up very slowly – hold at top for 1 count – then slowly back down

Sprints – Sprint for 30 seconds.  Walk for 30.  Sprint for 30.  Repeat 2x

Water Kicks – 25 each leg. Stand in the water at knee level.  Be sure you are balanced.  Kick each leg straight out in front of you and then pull it back, keep it under water the entire time.

Log Roll – (if available) Kneel down in front of the log, place your hands shoulder width apart and push against the log.  If it moves, roll it 5 times. If not, just push against it for 20 seconds. Then rest and repeat.

Complete 2 cycles of the above series of exercises.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

Rebecca Kordecki (a/k/a the "Booty Guru") was voted The Hamptons 2009's "Best of the Best" Personal Trainer. As a fitness and lifestyle expert she is also the creator of the new core and lower body workout, Booty Slide®, now renamed KOR Plus. She has had a career in fitness for over 17 years. From the East coast to the West coast she has worked with celebrities, high profile executives, professional athletes and others from all walks of life.  Ms. Galaxy Title holder and Tri-Fitness finalist, Rebecca has been active in the industry as a fitness trainer, health and fitness Company Ambassador, commercial actress (national commercials), fitness model and spokesperson. For more information go to www.rebeccakordecki.com.