Full Body Strength on the Beach

Take this routine to the sand

WANT to kick it up a notch after your daily walk on the boards? Strength training
is a perfect companion to cardio. Andrea Locke BSN-RN, NSCA CPT, trainer and owner of OC’s Driven Collective, is known for her functional workouts that you can practically take anywhere – especially to the beach. September and October bring beautiful days– perfect for hitting the sand for this strength-training workout.

EMOM:
Every Minute on the Minute. Start with a 20-minute cap. For this workout, each round is going to be at five minutes with four rounds total = 20 minutes.

Squat- 15 reps

• As babies, we basically squat perfectly before we even learn to stand or walk—and as adults, we have to rediscover how to squat properly… and it’s tough. Stand with feet a little wider than hip- width apart. Drive your hips back, bending at the knees and ankles and press your knees outward (don’t let them cave!). Sit into a squat position while keeping your heels and toes on the ground, chest up and shoulders back. Strive to eventually reach a 90-degree angle. Stand back up. Repeat.

Touch Down Jacks- 20 reps alternating

• Begin standing tall then hop your feet out wide into your squat stance, sink your hips low and keep your chest tall as you reach one hand down to the sand. Explode back up bringing your feet together, then repeat reaching the opposite hand down. Alternate each side.

Pushup to Plank Shoulder Taps- 10 reps

• Begin in a plank position with hands directly under your shoulders and feet hip-width apart. Keep your core tight as you gently lower your chest toward the ground. Push back up to lengthen arms into a plank. Lift your right hand to tap your left shoulder at the top. Repeat, alternating arms.

Scap Retractions- 20 reps

• Lying face down, extend your arms in front and lift all four extremities off the floor. From here draw your elbows to your rib cage and pinch your shoulder blades back down together. Hold for a few seconds and repeat.

Bicycles- 30 reps

• Lie flat on your back with knees bent with your hands behind your head. Raise your knees to roughly a 90-degree angle. Move your legs through a pedaling motion – as you bring your left knee toward your check, bring your right elbow toward that knee while straightening the other leg. Alternate to twist to the other side. Repeat.

Always try to incorporate a warm up and cool down. To warm up, Andrea suggests:
• Cat and cow yoga poses
• Downward dog/upward dog yoga poses
• World’s Greatest Stretch – a stretch using plank, lunge, and twist
• Jumping jacks/high knee run – a heart rate booster
Be sure to stretch after every workout, but especially after this set, focus on your lats, pecs, and quads.

Lauren Deckard is the owner of Peak Mobility in Ocean City. Consult your physician before doing any new workout routine.

Find this and more in the September/October issue of OC Mag