No. 17 - Make the beach your gym
Rather than queuing for the treadmill, head to the beach fora full-body workout. “It’s free and the equipment is all there: sand dunes,stairs, benches, pools and the surf,” says Tina Rutzou, master trainer atBeachside Personal Fitness.
Try this workout:
Warm-up
Walk on the soft sand for five minutes, then stop for a calf and quad stretch, using the nearest pole, bench or surf club wall for balance.
Step #1
Run for 80 steps on soft sand near the water, then do 20 squats. Sprint to the top of the beach and back, then lie in the sand and do 20 crunches.
Step #2
Repeat step 1. For each subsequent set replace squats for 20 lunges, push-ups and tricep dips. Go at your own pace, aiming for three sets of each exercise.
Cool-down
In the ocean pool (or waist-deep in the surf), walk the length of the pool three times, forwards, backwards then taking sideways steps.
No. 18 - Sound out the ocean
Listening to the sound of ocean waves can not only help toreduce your blood pressure and heart rate, it can regulate brain waves topromote a state of ‘alert relaxation’.
No. 19 - Learn to spot a rip
In a typical Australian summer, someone drowns in a ripevery three days, and only 40 per cent of beach-goers know how to spot one.“Rips commonly appear as dark gaps of ‘calmer’ water between areas of breakingwaves and white water,” says coastal geomorphologist Dr Rob Brander from TheUniversity of New South Wales. “You can also look for a rippled water surfacethat looks different from the surrounding water.” Always swim between theflags, and if you do find yourself drifting, don’t panic. Relax, keep afloatand signal for help by raising one arm above your head. For more information,head to www.scienceofthesurf.com.
No. 20 - Sip chilled water
Drinking chilled water boosts metabolism by 24 per cent forup to 90 minutes after consumption, due to the energy the body expands warmingup the water, say German researchers.
And Finally…..
No 21. - Explore the great outdoors
Grab a copy of Australia’sBest National Parks by Lee Atkinson (New Holland, $29.95), which covers thecountry’s top tracks, trails and picnic spots.