Beach Exercise
The real deal on beach walking
Have you ever been curious about the benefits of walking on the beach? Then this blog post is a great is for you.
During my family vacation to the beach we often have the discussion about what type of sand is the best to walk in, which type of sand will get you the most calories burned, what's easiest, what is hardest, should you walk in the water? -- So many questions!!
This year, I thought hmmm perhaps I will look into this and share what I find! So after some chat about what to figure out and share I have put it all together.
This year, I thought hmmm perhaps I will look into this and share what I find! So after some chat about what to figure out and share I have put it all together.
Here are the highlights of what I learned upon researching and testing it out myself:
- Walking on sand requires 2.1 to 2.7 times more energy than walking on a solid, flat surface, even if you're walking at the same speed
- Your muscles and tendons will work harder as your foot moves around
- That’s because your feet sink into the sand, making your muscles work harder to lift out of it on each step. This extra effort translates into extra fat and calories burned. It’s also a great workout for your cardio vascular system.
- You will use 20 to 50 percent more calories than you would walking at the same pace on a hard surface
- Walking or running on deep, loose sand challenges your balance and engages more muscle fibers and means you'll burn 30% more calories than walking or running on a flat surface, even when working at the same speed
- Activate your stabilizer muscles, and burn up to 350 calories in an hour of very brisk walking on soft sand
- Walking at a slower pace while your feet sink in sand requires more effort than walking fast or even jogging.
- Loose sand has benefits and drawbacks:
- The benefit is that it’s more difficult to walk on so you’ll burn more calories because your body will require more energy to lift out of the sand.
- The downside is that you have a greater risk of pulling a muscle while walking in loose sand.
- A good compromise is to spend half your time walking in loose sand and the other half walking on hard-packed sand (closer to the water)
- Jogging in sand uses 1.6 times more energy than jogging on hard surfaces
- Sand is softer than hard surfaces like concrete and is therefore easier on your joints. However, there are some risks for injury, so it is important to know all of the facts before walking on the beach.
- If you are recovering from a leg or foot injury, do not walk on sand. The uneven surface poses too great a risk for muscle strains or other injuries. Wait until you are completely healed before heading to the beach.
- Instead of pounding your joints and feet on hard pavement, sand acts as a natural cushion
- Resist walking on the flat sand right at the water's edge and go for the dry sand to make your workout harder
- Boost the burn: the deeper the sand, the bigger your calorie burn
- BUT - if you are walking near the water, try walking in water up to your ankles. The combination of resistance from both the water and the sand will give you a great workout. Walking in the ocean against the current will also give you a good lower body workout.
Water walking - go in ankle deep
for added resistance - Shoes: I found some conflicting advice here!
- Wear them! While it’s great to feel the sand between your toes, it’s possible to get blisters on your toes or step on a sharp shell or broken glass. A good pair of walking shoes will keep your feet supported and protected. A pair of trail shoes would also work well.
- Walk without shoes! You can really use your toes to grip the ground. Walking and running barefoot in the sand is great for the muscles in your feet and your calves,
- be careful running on uneven surfaces can increase the risk of sprains, sprains, and tendonitis
- so build your running time up slowly and wear supportive shoes.
- remember, if your feet get hot, you can always cool off by walking on the wet sand, which is great for exfoliating the dead skin cells from your heels
- Pay attention to directional walking. Beaches have a natural slope to them. This will put strain on one leg more than the other. To compensate for this, spend half your time walking in one direction, then turn around and go in the other direction to avoid over-straining one leg.
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| Soft Sand - sinking in will add more resistance and require more energy |
I am sorry for the long bullet-ed list but I am nothing if not thorough in my research. I did not want to leave some of the facts out that I found and tested because I was happy to know them and wanted them all in one place for you!
Hopefully this helps you on your next beach outing! Just remember no matter what kind of beach walking you are doing -- you are burning more calories no matter what you do. So beach walk ON ladies and gents!
Have a fabulous day! :)
Have a fabulous day! :)
