Seaside Sports – How to Have Fun and Still Practice Physical Activities

When you take a break from your busy lifestyle and go to the beach for a week, you don’t really think about the effect it can have on your active lifestyle. Sure, you need a break from your work and the busy schedule of everyday life, but you cannot forget that your body needs regular exercise in order to stay fit. 

So the next time you’re sitting at a beach, do not forget that letting go of work for a while does not mean ignoring your body’s needs. The good thing about being next to a sea or an ocean on a beach is that your daily dose of exercise does not have to be a boring one. 

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If you enjoy lifting weights and going on jogs for your cardio, good for you. But if you want to experience something more fun for a change, there are a lot of seaside sports activities you can take part in that will not only get your body moving but will also give you a sense of thrill and adrenaline

Seaside Sports - How to Have Fun and Still Practice Physical Activities
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Why Should You Play Seaside Sports?

The most appealing factor when it comes to seaside sports and water sports is not the exercise that comes with it; it’s the thrill that you get because of the sport itself, as well as the location and the beauty of your surroundings. 

Seaside Sports - How to Have Fun and Still Practice Physical Activities
Image Source: The Valley Cornwall

A pristine beach with the sound of the waves around you is an excellent place to unwind. 

Beach sports are also of a different kind than the ones you play back home. For example, playing a basketball game on your nearby court will need a lot more precautions than playing baseball on the beach. 

Freedom

The soft nature of the sand and water around you give you much more freedom when it comes to impact. This means that you can play slightly rough sports on the beach as well. 

In the next few sections, we will talk about the most popular sports you can participate in when you’re at the beach. 

Snorkeling

Snorkeling is similar to swimming, except it gives you the ability to breathe when you’re underwater. A snorkel is a tube that goes from your mouth and nose and up into the open air. 

Seaside Sports - How to Have Fun and Still Practice Physical Activities
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A snorkel is often paired up with a diving mask and swimming fins to help you swim easily and quickly when you’re under the surface of the water. 

Snorkeling lets you observe the flora and fauna inside the water clearly while not having to come up every few seconds to breathe. 

Snorkeling Requirements

You do not need a license or any sort of training to be able to go snorkeling. All you need is your snorkel, your goggles, and your fins. The fins are optional as well, and will just help you swim better. 

Snorkeling works the same muscles on your body as swimming does. 

Besides working on your arms, the act of swimming works your core and all the muscles in your legs, including your calves, ankles, quads, and hamstrings. 

Beach Volleyball

If you’re on a large beach where there is enough room for people to gather together and play volleyball, it can be an excellent sport. The appeal of this sport on the beach is that you can take wild shoots and fall on the ground without any danger of a serious injury, as the sand will help to break your fall. 

Seaside Sports - How to Have Fun and Still Practice Physical Activities
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Volleyball is an extremely popular sport on the beach, as it is easy to play, casual in nature, and can be played with any number of people to a certain extent. 

The rules of the game are also relaxed compared to the real sport played on a court. 

A lot of beaches have posts and nets set up so that people can come and play out there. However, you can improvise on this and set up your own net in places where there are no posts available. 

Beach Volleyball Requirements 

Besides this, you will of course need to carry your own ball. The court dimensions can be looked up and increased or decreased according to the number of people, and lines can easily be drawn in the sand. 

The beauty of beach volleyball is the amount of freedom it offers while keeping things fun and casual. Volleyball works almost every muscle in your upper body. Your biceps and triceps will both be used while spiking the ball, your wrist muscles will be used for smashing, and your back muscles will be used for stabilization. 

Volleyball also employs the use of your leg muscles, as you will be jumping and running quite often on the court. Your hip muscles, calves, hamstrings, and glute will all come into play. For this reason, volleyball is an excellent complete body exercise that will also help you burn off those margaritas properly!

Paddleboarding

Paddleboarding is a beach activity where you have a kind of surfing board and a paddle to row it with. For beginners, paddleboarding is done in a horizontal position where the person lies down on the board and uses the paddle to move around. However, experienced paddleboarders can do this activity standing up. 

Seaside Sports - How to Have Fun and Still Practice Physical Activities

Paddleboarding is an excellent activity for people who love the water and want to experience the sea for themselves up close without using a boat. 

It is also a great way to get some exercise while you’re at the beach. 

Paddle Boarding Requirements

Paddle boarding is not a dangerous sport, but you should not venture too far into the water if you’re not very experienced at it. You will need a board and a paddle to row. You will also need a surfing suit as it makes it easier to be in control of your body in the water. 

Paddle boarding works your arms and back muscles because of the effort that it takes to row the board in the water. 

If you’re experienced at this activity and you can do it standing up, it will also give your core a workout because of the balance it takes to keep yourself upright on the board among the waves. 

Jet Skiing

Jet Skiing is one of the most popular beach activities, especially among young people. The speed and the thrill of maneuvering a small vehicle among the water and the waves comes with its share of excitement. 

Seaside Sports - How to Have Fun and Still Practice Physical Activities
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Jet skiing is not as physically demanding as the rest of the activities mentioned on this list. But keeping the jet ski in control and using your fine motor skills is definitely a task on its own. 

Jet Skiing Requirements

You will of course need a jet ski to partake in this activity. However, if you do not want to invest thousands of dollars in something that you will only use a few times, most beaches have jet skis with professional instructors that you can rent out on an hourly or trip basis. 

This is usually the best choice, as the instructor will join you on your trip. You cannot venture out in the water with a jet ski on your own if you do not have a proper boating license. 

While jet skiing does not seem like a complicated exercise that puts any strain on your muscles, it does come with its own share of physical activity. Your legs will be used to keep the jet ski balanced when you drive it up on waves, while your arms will be used to handle the steering of the vehicle. 

Kayaking

A kayak is a long thin boat that can be used by either one or two people. It is more balanced than a canoe and has double-sided paddles on it that can be used in either a forward or backward direction to steer the kayak in the needed direction. 

Seaside Sports - How to Have Fun and Still Practice Physical Activities
Image Source: Robb Report

Kayaking is a great sport for calm waters when the waves are not too rough. 

People use kayaks on bigger waves as well, but this should be left to the experienced ones who are in great shape and know exactly how to row their kayaks and keep themselves safe. 

Kayaking Requirements

For going Kayaking, you would require a kayak and two paddles for each side of the small boat. If you want to go alone on the water in a kayak, you would need a license. It’s always best to check up on the general rules for your area. 

If you do not have a license, you can always enter the water in a two-person kayak where the other person is a trained instructor. You can always find these services near any good beach. 

Kayaking is an intense physical activity that will give your upper body a great workout. Rowing the boat will work on all muscles of your arm and some muscles on your back as well. Your chest and shoulders are also used while rowing the boat. 

The Bottom Line

While a lot of people prefer looking at a vacation as a way to unwind where they can just sit on the beach, sip on their drinks, and get a good tan, it does not have to be this way. Every beach has multiple opportunities to not only get some physical activity into your schedule but also try out new and exciting sports that will make great memories for your trip. 

In this article, we discussed some beach activities like beach volleyball, snorkeling, paddle boarding, jet skiing, and kayaking. Each of these activities works multiple muscles in your body and burns off those calories that you accrue on the beach, making your trip not only enjoyable but also healthy in its own way. Hope you have a great vacation!

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