Beach Running: A Guide for Working Out in the Sand

Whether you’re visiting the beach on vacation or live close enough to one to include the sun and sand in your regular exercise regimen, running on the beach is a great way to add variety to your fitness routine. It also gives you a chance to get outdoors and try something newHowever, there are some things to be aware of before you dig your toes into the sanIf you’re ready to add beach running into your fitness lineup, read on to learn about the benefits, things to be aware of, risks, and tips to help you get started.

Bonnin Studio/Stocksy UniWhat are the benefits of running on the bTaking your running routine to the beach can stave off boredom, improve running performance, and help you move past a training plateau. It can also challenge your body in ways you didn’t know possibleWhile the list below isn’t exhaustive, below are some of the top benefits of running on the beaRequires more energRunning on the sand provides added resistance for the large lower body muscles, requiring more effort and energy to propel your body forward. Greater energy requirements equate to greater calorie burn.

A 2014 review found that compared with a more traditional training venue like grass, sand surfaces offer a higher energy cost for team sports train(1Trusted Source)Provides a softer landiRunning on the sand allows for a softer landing than when running on pavement. As such, you’ll put less stress on your ankles, knees, and hipsLowering the impact on these weight-bearing joints may reduce your chance of impact-associated musculoskeletal injurieResearch from a small 2017 study comparing the impact of running on soft sand versus grass surfaces found fewer markers of post-exercise muscle damage after participants ran on sand (2).

Strengthens the smaller musclSand is an unstable surface. Each time you strike the ground, your smaller muscles, tendons, and ligaments need to stabilize for balance and to keep your ankle from rollinUnless you’ve been doing rehab-type exercises for the ankle or foot, there’s a good chance this area needs some work. Provided you don’t have any injuries, the sand offers an ideal surface to build strength and increase stability in the foot and ankle.

Improves athletic performanSand training challenges your muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, and cardiovascular system in ways that stable surfaces like gym floors fail toOne 2020 study in junior male handball players analyzed the effecs of 7 weeks of plyometric training on two surfaces: a stable surface (gym floor) and sanWhile the participants improved their repeated change of direction, static balance, and jump performances on both sand and the stable surface, training on the sand induced some additional gains in all areas, plus improved sprint performance (3Trusted Source).