There are no shortages of beautiful locales anywhere in California, let alone the West Side. One of arguably the best things about living in or visiting the area is the ability to spend time on the beach. And, with health and wellness at the forefront of everyone’s mind, it’s a good idea to take advantage of all the different types of exercises you can do on the beach that benefit not only your physical health but your emotional and mental health as well. Let’s take a look at some easy ways to use the seaside and sand to stay in the best shape possible.
Grounding Yourself
One of the easiest ways to boost your emotional well-being – which is an essential part of your overall health – is to use the earth to ground yourself. Choose any beach you’re near, whether Venice Beach or Playa Del Rey, find a spot that speaks to you. When you’re in a place that feels calming to you, immerse your feet in the sandy beach and allow yourself for the earth to ground you with its natural energy. You can also ground yourself by submerging yourself in natural bodies of water – like the ocean, in the warmer months. Grounding has been shown to help with heart health, inflammation, chronic fatigue, pain, anxiety, and depression. This type of exercise is fantastic for your heart and mind.
Burning Calories On The Beach
On top of taking daily heart supplements, it’s a good idea to get the old ticker pumping and raise your heart rate through some cardio on the beach too. With the extra work the sand creates, you’ll get your heart rate moving. Try jogging a quarter of a mile in one direction and back to start. Then do 25-40 jumping jacks. Get down and do 25 push-ups after that. Follow up with another run to your quarter-mile mark and back. That’s a quick and easy workout to get your blood flowing and your heart working. You can always up the intensity by adding other movements like burpees, bear crawls, and crunches. The point is to stay moving the entire workout and then cool down in the ocean once you’re done.
Yoga
Yoga has been a mainstay in health and wellness for decades. Its benefits expand far beyond the physical, making it ideal for anyone of any age group. Doing yoga on the beach is a great way to let your mind fully relax as you let yourself get lost in your practice. Ideally, you’d be doing yoga on a secluded beach as it promotes more tranquility with less background noise from other beachgoers. On the flip side, you could choose to lead a yoga class or session in a park, like Vista Del Mar Park, with friends and coworkers. Not everyone may share your love for wellness, so getting others involved is a positive way to impact their health journey as well.
Hobbies For Exercise
Not all forms of exercise need to be high-intensity or technically termed as such. If you enjoy searching for shells, consider walking for miles to do the hobby. Metal detector? Use the same logic. Even just going on long walks along one of your favorite beaches or piers is an excellent exercise for your body and spirit. Simply enjoying something that you love to do in an environment that is conducive to inner peace is something that will keep you feeling your best throughout your life – and that’s the critical part. Many people struggle with maintaining an active lifestyle because they don’t enjoy working out. By finding a form of exercise that you genuinely want, you’re more likely to do it often and keep it up for a lifetime.
Sand Sprints
Whether you’re short on time or a glutton for punishment, sand sprints are no joke and can get you in peak shape quickly. Sprinting in the sand is easier said than done. Start with ten to fifteen minutes of light running on the beach, then transition to twenty seconds of full-speed sprinting (set your phone or watch timer). Repeat the sprinting; try to do 10 to 20 reps of the sprinting. If you need a few minutes to recover between sprints, allow your body that time. Then cool down with an easy ten-minute jog or walk.
Life’s a beach, or so they say, and if you’re lucky to live in Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, or The Palms, there’s no excuse not to utilize the beautiful natural backdrops to keep yourself fit and healthy. So, here’s to you living your best life, go get ’em!
