If there is a beach or a promenade nearby, then in the warm season such a place will be the best jogging ground. But before you go to the beach for a run, you need to master the safety precautions.
Running on the beach is nice and exciting, but the feeling after training will not be the same as after running in the park. The sandy surface exerts strong resistance on the legs, the cardiovascular system is forced to work harder, the load on the entire body becomes higher. Before planning a run on the beach, learn about safety precautions.
Really good workout
For leg muscles, running on sand is much harder than on asphalt, so a good warm-up should precede training. Dynamic warm-up should involve the muscles of the legs, thighs and buttocks, ankle, knee and hip joints. To warm up before running on the beach, squats are suitable, they involve all the muscles and joints of the lower body.
Decrease in pace
You don't have to run along the beach as fast as you run through the park or the stadium. The sand is a difficult terrain, a quick run on it will cause at least pain in the ankle area. When running along the beach, you do not need to chase speed, it is better to enjoy the views around. The speed is selected individually based on sensations, usually athletes choose a pace of about 85% of the usual.
Accounting for time, not distance
The speed will become lower, so the distance traveled per workout will also decrease. Therefore, it is not necessary to set tasks to walk five kilometers in a workout, it is better to time yourself and build on it. According to the Journal of Experimental Biology, running on sand will increase energy expenditure by 1.6 times, so the reduction in distance traveled per workout should not be a cause for disappointment.
The choice of sand structure
Right at the water's edge, the sand will be wet and dense, a little further - warm and soft. You can run on both dry and wet surfaces, but it is important to take into account the features.
It is much harder to run on loose sand than on dense sand, so it is better to start running closer to the water.
As your feet get used to running on the beach, you can alternate running on wet and dry sand. If running on loose sand has become difficult, then you need to move closer to the water.
Change of direction
The load on the body is exerted not only by the resistance of the sand, but also by the angle of the relief. The body adapts to the terrain, the muscles in one leg can tighten more than in the other. In order for the muscles to receive a uniform load without imbalance, you need to change the direction of movement every 10 minutes.
Shoe running
It will be nice to touch the sand with your feet, but not when running. Good running shoes are needed to support the ankle joints, without stabilization it is easy to get a dislocation or sprain. Only those athletes who train on the sand regularly and have experience can afford to run on the beach without shoes. You need to start running barefoot on dense wet sand at the very edge of the water.
Regularity of training
In order to get used to the loads and prepare for progression, you need to expose your body to them regularly. Jogging on the beach should take place three times a week, if you need more time to recover, then one of the workouts can be done on a more comfortable surface than sand.
But this time we will go from the running side. Today's conversation will come down to what useful properties running on the beach has.
We will also tell you how to run on the beach correctly, and what dangers lurk in this matter.
Beach run. Benefit
Let's start with useful properties. There are a lot of them, and the full benefits of this event have not yet been fully explored. We highlight only the main ones:
- for the health of the athlete. Running only enhances its properties;
- Swimming in the sea after a run speeds up the metabolism, improves the functioning of the cardiovascular, and almost all vital body systems. Bathing will significantly enhance the effect of jogging;
- Improves brain function. Thanks to the intensive consumption of clean air, the brain seems to be cleansed of the dirt in which it could bathe for years. Problems seem petty, but fresh, productive thoughts come to mind;
- The sea improves your mood. Jogging on the sea is the maximum hormones of happiness. Running and the sea separately are sources of dopamine, endorphins and other compounds that make us happy. If you add sunny weather to this, you will be provided with a great mood for the whole day!;
- Energy is rising. Due to the good mood and the constant improvement of health, with each jog along the beach, your energy increases. You just need to experience this indescribable feeling of omnipotence;
- Improves the condition of the mucous membranes. In particular, there are many diseases of the ENT direction. Chronic runny nose is best treated by running along the beach with swimming in the sea;
- Accelerates metabolism. Clean sea air has a positive effect on metabolism.
The main benefit of running on the beach is happiness. You become a happy person who enjoys being in his own body.
Don't believe? Just try!
Running on the beach. Harm
The sea makes all body systems work with increased efficiency. The body is cleared of harmful substances that could accumulate in it for decades.
But the beach also has its drawbacks. There are not many of them, but the harm of running along the beach lies in the following points:
- The possibility of injury if you run without shoes. We choose a sandy beach, and look under our feet
- People who suffer from serious diseases of the cardiovascular system should not tempt fate. Running is a load on the heart, and swimming is a double workout. Squatting with a barbell of 50 kg will help most men, but injure a 120-year-old man. With running along the beach, things are similar;
- Excessive jogging can lead to pain in the bones of the legs.. Especially if the running surface is tilted. The author of this material experienced this problem on himself when he ran along such a beach 6 times a week. With the change of the beach and the reduction of running training to 5 days, the problem disappeared.
How to run on the beach?
We provide you with the following rules:
- The best time to run is early morning or late evening. Early morning is good in terms of lack of people, purity of water and air;
- Best run on an empty stomach. Or 4+ hours after eating;
- Alternating running with swimming is a great option. More details below;
- We choose empty beaches or places with a minimum number of people. This will save you unnecessary obstacles. It is also worth avoiding beaches that are massively visited by dog lovers;
- We run on sandy beaches. On another surface, you can injure your leg;
- Girls should use a sports top. Running in a standard swimsuit is not the best idea;
- Don't run too fast before exploring the surface of the beach. Accelerating on falling sand is very traumatic.
Perfect option
Running along the beach is desirable to supplement with swimming in the sea.
Now the topic of biohacking is in trend. So, running along the beach with swimming in the sea is one of the best biohacking of our time.
Bathing after running is an element of the contrast procedure. First, the body warms up, and then we cool it down with the sea. This trains the vessels, prevents the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system, from which 75% of people over the age of 40 die.
10 minutes of running along the beach alternate with 2-3 minutes of the sea. Thus, for an hour of running we get 6 baths for a total of 12-15 minutes. During this time, the body is saturated with minerals from the sea air, blood circulation and brain activity improve.
Running along the beach with swimming in the sea is the best thing a modern person can do for his health.
Have you tried beach running? What benefit or harm did you endure for yourself? Share your own experience in the comments to this article!
Vacation in a hot country is not a reason to give up active sports. If you're not ready to stop jogging, even during a spa holiday, keep running! It is not necessary to look for special places - there are usually none at the resorts. Arrange a run along the sandy seashore - get a lot of fun and you can. And we will tell you how to run on the sand correctly.
Ideal place for a run
Not every beach is suitable - you need to find a suitable place where you will not be distracted by other vacationers. Here are the main criteria for choosing a jogging route:
- Try to find a deserted beach. Study the map of the city you are in, exclude crowded city beaches, look for "wild" places
- Go for a run early. Vacationers begin to come to the beach by 7-8 in the morning. Get up at 6 - at this time there are usually no people by the sea. The advantage is that there is still no exhausting heat, during which it is undesirable to run in principle
- The beach must be sandy. Pebble will not work - even if you have comfortable shoes with thick soles, there is a high risk of tripping, hitting and harming your health
- It's better to run at low tide. But be careful not to step on the sharp shells. There should be no jellyfish and other dangerous marine life under your feet
In extreme cases, you can run around, getting up early. Not as pleasant as on sand, but not as dangerous as on pebbles.
Clothing and footwear
It is important to know what is better to run on the sea, pick up. Here are some tips on what it is recommended to run at sea:
- . But you need to be sure that the sand is clean, soft, there are no sharp shells and debris in it. So choose clean beaches
- If you are afraid of getting hurt, wear sneakers. It is advisable to choose lightweight shoe models - massive sneakers are uncomfortable, heavy and make running difficult
- Special clothing is not required. Thanks to the mild climate, there is no chance of overcooling, so you can run even in a swimsuit
- Girls are encouraged to wear bust support top to move comfortably and comfortably
Running on the sand at sea is exciting and does not require special training. But there are some nuances to be aware of.
Preparing to run
As with a regular run in your homeland, you need to prepare for a run at sea. The rules are simple:
- Start your run with a good night's sleep. physical activity requires energy costs, so do not run after active night parties until the morning, especially after drinking. You will be broken, you will not get much pleasure
- before the run. This will provide the required active load. something carbohydrate: you can have oatmeal, you can have a fruit - for example, a banana
- . 1-2 glasses of water is enough. This will help to avoid dehydration and also give the body energy.
- Warm up. to warm up the muscles, make them elastic, avoid
To warm up, it is enough to do elementary exercises for stretching and warming up the muscles: tilts, turns of the neck and torso, rotations of the arms, knees, and hips. Additionally, swinging your arms, legs, on the spot will help to warm up. After the warm-up, you can start running.
How to run with benefit at sea
To maximize running efficiency, minimize harm, and get a lot of pleasure from training, it is important to run correctly. Here are some tips for correct technique and movement:
- better start with short runs. The intensity of running is minimal or medium. The load and the length of the distance must be increased gradually so that the body gets used to it and does not experience it. Add 5 minutes to your run daily
- . Walk for five minutes, then run as far as you can, then walk again. Of course, this should not be lazy walking along the beach, but full-fledged walking. Movements are wide, clear, fast
- Well-trained runners can increase the load with the help of special equipment. For example, put on or pick up. If there are none, filled with water or sand will do. half liter plastic bottles
- Take up interval running. Its principle is to alternate the intensity of the load, a sharp transition from minimum activity to maximum. For example, walk for five minutes, then run at top speed for two minutes, then repeat. 4-5 circles are enough to start, gradually their number can be increased
It just so happened that there was some free time that I could spend on a trip to Bulgaria on my own business. And it so happened that I was just finishing my rehabilitation for recovery from a compression injury on the lower leg, which I earned. I was lucky in the sense that I ended up on the Black Sea coast in the resort of Sunny Beach. And I just can’t how I wanted to run through the sand. Before, I thought more than once that it would not be bad to try running on the sand, but somehow neither hand nor foot reached it. 🙂
Running on the sand in the resort area
And here - and the sea is nearby for a week with an excellent sandy beach, and the opportunity to solve your own affairs, and the weather just whispers - go run and then swim in the sea! In general, I decided not to refuse such a temptation. Literally on the second day of my trip, I decided to try to run along the sand along the seashore. It was a test run for four kilometers to the neighboring town of Nessebar and back.
I got such a lot of pleasure from running on the sand! I just can't help but lay out all my impressions and notes on virtual paper in the hope that someone will find my information useful. I can also safely recommend everyone to try to run on the sand. It really is an experience that is incomparable!
Sand running
The very first impression is from the softness of the run! No running shoe can match the softness of your footsteps on the sand. Especially if you are not running along the surf line, but along the beach itself. Where under your feet you have the softest and most crumbly sand. It is at this moment that you understand the whole thrill of running on the sand!
However, when running on the sand, despite all its romance and great physical sensations, it has its own characteristics. And they are worth paying attention to. Otherwise, the pleasure received can turn into a need to seek medical help.
Sand running feature part 1
I want to highlight the following main points from personal experience that you should pay attention to when running on sand:
- Take a close look at the beach you plan to run on. Pay attention to the presence of large shells or large stones in the sand. Why big and not small? You will press small stones and shells into the sand without any special consequences for your feet. But large stones will hit the feet very painfully. Large shells, in my personal experience, are dangerous with deep cuts on the foot.
- Keep in mind that running on loose sand will not be an easy task. Therefore, do not count on high speed. Just run for fun and run a shorter distance than usual. The physical effort involved will be much greater than with the usual running on asphalt or hard ground.
- If you decide to run at the water's edge, then running will be easier. But! Wet sand is very dense! Therefore, you can also rub calluses on it (I also had such a thing out of habit 🙂). And it’s good to trample the pads under the fingers (and it was - then for two days I just ran on soft, loose sand a couple of meters from the water).
Sand Run Feature Part 2
In continuation of my observations of the nuances of running on the sand in the resort, I also want to write the following:
- When running along the surf line, take into account the existing slope of the coast. I ran a couple of kilometers in one direction, and a couple back. Thus, I alternately loaded the ankle with the slope of the seashore, compensating for the load and doing it not only on one side, which is fraught with various inflammations of the ligaments and tendons both in the ankle and in the knee joint.
- Perhaps this point should be put in the first place. While running along the seashore, you will most likely run in the summer or in a clearly warm season, like me. So - remember the need to have a drink with you (frankly about myself - I did not drink water at distances up to 6-7 kilometers, since I endure heat more easily than frost, but this is more an exception to the rule than the rule) and a panama or cap for protecting the head from direct sunlight, since in addition to dehydration, we also risk getting heat stroke.
- Since I have already retrained to run on the forefoot, it's hard for me to say if you can run on the sand on the heel. But I don't think so, because it would be very inconvenient. And in the case of running on the forefoot on the sand, be careful with the load. Personally, I have earned excellent leg muscle strength. 🙂 Due to the foot falling into the sand, the load on the lower leg increases greatly.
Sand shoes
To be honest, after a week of running on the sea sand, I still thought that it would be nice to have something on my feet. Still, perfect sand is not everywhere. Often there is ordinary marine debris in the form of shells, sticks, etc. thrown ashore. And all this hits the feet very painfully when you run on the sand. We also run the risk of cutting the foot, no matter how trampled and accustomed to the skin of the foot.
However, thinking about the choice of shoes for running on the sand, I somehow apprehensively remember how the slightest bit of debris in sneakers on a long run can lead to very memorable blisters. And here - the sand will be poured into the shoes in abundance over the edge.
The study of this issue in the budget part prompted the idea of using lightweight, flexible sneakers in the form of slippers. But, of course, paired with a pre-dressed sock. Otherwise, a bare foot rubbing against the sand in any form of sneaker will lead to trouble.
The next solution to the problem considered was a variant with sneakers made of dense fabric that will not let the sand through, complete with gaiters worn on top. It is the gaiters that will help protect the inside of the sneaker from getting there through the edge of the sand. As, however, water during rain, and snow - in winter.
However, today I have not yet managed to use any of the solutions found on the Internet. Therefore, as soon as I experience something other than running barefoot on the sand from my own experience, I will immediately write my reviews about shoes for running barefoot on the sand here in the comments. In the meantime, I will be glad for your advice and ideas, which you can leave below in the comments to this post.
Impressions and observations about running on the sand
These are my impressions and observations about running on the sand. I will say unequivocally - as soon as it becomes possible to find a sandy beach with normal sand not very far from home - without bottles, large stones and shells, I will definitely include sand running in my diet.
Well, now it's time to leave the sea beaches. However, I think that among the readers of my blog there are those who also tried to run on the sand, and not only on the sea. I will be grateful for your comments and your observations and advice about this type of running. With pleasure, I myself will take note of the experience of others, because I want to get pleasure from running on the sand, and not corns, cuts, dislocations and krepatura. 🙂
Running technique or how to run?
About legs part 1
Consider the running technique - the work of the joints, arms, legs, spine.
Running is a controlled fall.
Those. we fall forward and just put our feet under us one by one. But how should they be set correctly?
FEET:
The leg, during health jogging, does not rise high - it seems to slide over the surface with a foot - it almost touches it. The foot touches the surface of the treadmill or asphalt with the heel - Point number 1 in the figure, then the leg begins to roll along the outer edge to the toe and there the roll passes - past the little finger to the thumb.
The foot comes off the surface at the tip of the big toe - point number 2 in the figure.
The trajectory of rolling the foot on the support looks roughly like in the figures below:
Better this way: 
or at least like this: 
Moreover, when running - as well as when walking - the foot does not relax at the moment of rolling on the surface - mind you - rolling - i.e. the foot is like a wheel - it rolls on the surface from the heel to the big toe.
Therefore, the foot should not be relaxed at the moment of rolling - it's like a wheel rim sector. Therefore, the foot must hold the rigidity for rolling the weight of the body on it. 
Jogging in almost complete darkness over rough terrain (when you generally know the route - but you can’t see and remember all the holes and bumps on the road - since the distance is about 5 km), then you understand how the foot should move - even if the running speed is about 10- 11 km per hour - this is no longer a health run, of course - but a sports one,
but understanding - how to run correctly - appears precisely on rough terrain and, especially, under poor external conditions - darkness, rain, fog.
The foot moves like this - the heel when the leg is carried - moves as close as possible to the surface - the theoretical surface - i.e. when running in almost complete darkness, you don’t know how the oncoming surface changes - but you lead your foot - with your heel close to a theoretically flat surface - but always with your toe up - like a ski jumper.
Here it must be added - that with such a carry of the foot - the knee of the leg is also bent - and the darker it is around and the terrain is more rugged, the more the knee is bent. Running is obtained on bent legs.
With such a carrying of the foot over the running surface as in the figure above, we protect ourselves from injury in the event of an accidental encounter with a hillock or pit. Of course, here I am not considering mounds the size of a meter - you can’t compensate for such ones, but small surface fluctuations - i.e. hillock up to 10-15 cm and a hole up to half a meter.
If there is a bump, then the leg or just rubs against it with the foot - that we will feel and just continue running, or if the toe unexpectedly rests on the obstacle, we will stumble of course - but because of the bent knee we will not fall - or we will not fall as much as we could with standard version of the ejection of the leg.
If the hillock does not grow so sharply, then we will begin to touch the slope of the hillock with the heel and thereby feel that there is a hillock ahead and we will react.
If there is a hole, then the fall into the hole of the leg due to bending of the knees will not be so critical.
A little lower - when describing the work of the knees and hips, it will become clear - why we are not so afraid of pits with this method of running over rough terrain.
When running during the day on even asphalt, we will not bend our knees so much and the foot will not lift up so much - which will make running more comfortable and easier - and therefore faster.
If you run classically, then an unexpected fall into a hole in the dark can cause a broken leg, or at least a dislocation.
I can say this - since we ran for several years - 90-100 runs per season, and about half of them took place in the dark, and neither rain nor snow was a reason to postpone the run, because our cardiovascular system does not care what the weather is like outside - only the parameters of the load are important to her, and the weather is only a subjective factor that affects our emotional perception. If not for this technique, I would have definitely broken or dislocated something for myself, but for all the time we were running in the dark, none of us had a single injury.
LEGS:
Legs - above the feet do not work much in the knees - the hips work harder than the knees. The knees move only a little - flexion-extension, but the main task of raising the leg and adjusting the level is performed by the hips due to the work of the back muscles. Those. in principle, we run at the expense of the back muscles - they are strong and close to the heart - as a result, the path of blood supply and the path of excretion of metabolic products is completely so far away - as if we start pumping the muscles of the legs.
The muscles of the legs also work - but not in the same load mode in which they would work without connecting the back muscles to the running process.
Calfs work - as they control the work of the foot and its push. Although at the first stage, the foot should not push at all - it just holds the shape of the wheel - for rolling on it. And only when you start running well and easily - the foot will start to push - it will happen by itself - it will simply become stronger and will push you without any noticeable effort.
So - the legs are only rearranged - like crutches - substituting under the body - falling forward - in the direction of running. The legs start to work more - when you run on rough terrain or on loose and unstable ground - that's when the legs and knees come into play - the whole leg begins to function as a large shock absorber.
But with health-improving running on a flat and hard surface, we don’t need this yet. But we will come to this - it will manifest itself as your body recovers and strengthens.
In the crossed out pictures below, I presented how we don't need to run - because we run for health, not for speed, and I gave my brief explanations for each picture.
In the photo above - I think that the knee of the leg - located behind - pushing is too straightened, we not only do not need it in a health-improving run, but it is also harmful.
And yet - as you can see in the photo - the foot in front will touch the surface with the toe, and not with the heel, which is wrong when running slowly. Yes, when you run a hundred meters, then there is a completely different running technique - similar and arising from this one, but, nevertheless, different.
In the photo above, the same shortcomings for our recreational run - an overly straightened supporting (back) leg and forward leg extension - with a lowered toe, which will lead to placing the foot on the toe or the entire foot, which is justified in high-speed running - but completely unjustified in recreational running or running long distances.
In this photo, the feet are not visible on the green grass - but the straightness of the pushing leg and the excessive bending of the front leg are clearly visible. The appearance of such a running technique appeared due to the fact that the hips were no longer used when running.
And they stopped using the hips due to the fact that they began to run a little over rough terrain and in the dark, and without it, on a flat surface, the hips became not so important and they began to be used less and less - until finally the running technique without using the muscles of the back and hips became generally accepted and already instructors began to show their students this way - and the running technique completely switched to the legs, although most of the load should be borne by the back.
This photo shows white sneakers - they seem to be located almost as they should, but this position of the legs with fully extended knees will not suit us exactly.
Here a couple of girls run almost as we need - but you should pay attention to the excessive straightening of the knee of the back - the pushing leg. But in general, it's good.
In this photo (above) along the seashore, the speed is apparently very high - since the landing will occur on the toe of the foot - which is strictly contraindicated for us for a recreational run and the push is too high - i.e. there is an element of jumping.
As for landing on the toe, there is a rule - the higher the speed, the closer the landing occurs to the toe.
On a slow run (which we are now considering), the foot touches the surface on the heel and then rolls to the toe.
At medium speed, the foot touches the surface on the entire foot and then rolls to the toe.
At high speed, the foot touches the surface with the toe, and this same touch is the push - i.e. the push is already happening, as it were, towards the support.
The photo above shows a good technical speed run along the seashore at high speed - but we don't need it yet.
Consider the recommendations for running that I found on the Internet, and they, I must say, amazed me, because before that I didn’t read books on running instructions at all, but studied running strictly in the process of running - at distances, from my own experience.
Even before serving in the army, I started running at school - then I participated in athletics competitions from school - but, to be honest, I didn’t feel the craving for sports running then - because it required colossal health and monstrous speed. In general, sport requires all internal reserves - which is not very necessary for ordinary life, there is more of a beneficial effect from tempering character, and even then it is not always positive.
I ran a lot and went skiing. In the army, I really appreciated my commitment to applied running classes - since it was applied running that was needed there - forced marches and even morning runs as part of a unit are a vivid example of applied running - i.e. not sports, but running attached to any task.
Since we did not run fast - but simply ran a lot and in formation.
And this is where the purpose of running most clearly affects - one of the methods of moving over a distance. For running in the army, sports running was needed only when passing the norms of the VSK (military sports complex), and it was no longer needed and even harmful.
And if you do not pass the VSK, then it is not needed at all to perform the operational tasks of the unit. But you need to be able to run like that - if only in order to be able to run 50 meters during shelling to cover very quickly - after all, this is the right thing to do.
And with the help of our health running classes, after a certain training time (the period depends on the current state of health and your perseverance and attentiveness), you will be able to run very fast technically and the fast running technique will harmoniously flow from our health running.
Speed running is shown here (that’s why the landing is shown on the toe) - modern, sports aids are mainly aimed at this - and we don’t need such a technique for recreational running, although in general the technique is good and you can even see how the shoulder turns.
And here it seems that the speed is shown to be small - but the landing is also shown on the toe - why is this needed ?? Unclear. Looking at the picture, there is a feeling that the runner, as it were, is jumping over some kind of ditch, but the worst thing is that there is no such ditch, but there is a jump.
In modern instructions, the technique of pushing while running is generally adopted, rather than rolling in the footsteps. The push technique can be traced in almost all running manuals.
And here the pair is clearly visible: push - landing.
Push from a fully extended supporting leg and landing on the entire foot of the front leg.
And we need to roll like a wheel. Don't jump around like a monkey.
I found a picture and although it’s not entirely clear whether it’s walking or running, in any case, walking and running should not have such a knee position as shown in the figure.
The knee of the skating (hind) leg is fully extended and its foot is completely on the surface - although it is clear that the projection of the center of gravity of the body on this surface has already gone beyond the foot support area of the skating leg. For comparison, I will post a photo next to it, which shows how to bend your knees in this position.
Here - the photo above shows, for comparison, the position of the knees when moving both when walking - and when running. On the left picture - how they teach, and on the two right - how I do and recommend. One of the rules is the knee of the back - the push leg does not straighten completely, but rolls over the foot - if the knee is straightened - then the straight knee will not work on the supporting foot. Here the video shows how to try rolling on the foot on the supporting leg:
You have to learn to follow in your footsteps.
To be continued….