Wakeout pack — 89 exercises

Beach

Beach-specific exercises using sand's natural resistance for a full-body challenge.

standingbeachmorning / midday89 exercises

30-second preview

Reach for this when…

You are on the beach in workout clothes, ready to let the sand do the heavy lifting for a full-body session.

Why this happens

Sand changes everything about a workout. Every squat, lunge, and jump happens on a surface that deforms under you, which means the stabilizers in the ankle, knee, and hip fire constantly just to hold position. The calf and tibialis anterior work harder, the glute medius engages in ways concrete never demands, and the metabolic cost of running on sand is roughly 1.5 times that of running on a hard surface. It's also kinder to the joints — soft landing, no jarring impact — which is why rehab often moves to sand as a late-stage return to running. Add barefoot training, and the intrinsic foot muscles finally get recruited after a lifetime of cushioned shoes. This pack leans into the surface rather than working around it. Digging burpees use the sand as resistance; crab walks and crawls get harder the deeper you go; jumping high knees feel like sprinting through syrup. If the tide is low and you have bare feet, this is one of the few workout environments that gets better the less equipment you have.

About this routine

Best on a stretch of dry-to-slightly-damp sand with enough space to move in every direction. Barefoot is ideal for foot-muscle activation, but water shoes work if the sand is too hot or shelly. Skip the jumping and burpee movements if you have acute knee or Achilles pain — sand is forgiving on impact but demanding on the ankle complex. Sunscreen, hat, water — the workout is fine, the sun is the actual risk. None of this is clinical, just sand-specific training that happens to be legitimately hard.

The routine

89 exercises in this pack

Ab Run

Alternating Sand Row

Bicycle Kicks

Boat Hold

Bouncing Pushups

Bridge Plank

83 more in this pack

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The iOS app plays all 89 exercises in order, with audio cues, countdown, and a streak that keeps you honest.

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Use this pack when you need to…

Built for these moments

Gain Mental Clarity

Cardio moves like punches, kicks, jumps and desk pumps that send oxygen through your blood and leave your head feeling clearer.

Why this pack: Burpee Runs, Crab Squat Jumps and Ab Runs make this an advanced, full-body cardio session in the sand, the kind of intense effort that helps clear your head.

Engage My Core

Torso twists, side touches and similar moves that work your whole core: your abs, your sides and your lower back.

Why this pack: Boat Holds, Bicycle Kicks and Clock Planks target your abs, while the shifting sand asks your core to keep you steady and balanced through every move.

Frequently asked

What people ask about beach

Is working out on sand harder than on a regular surface?

Measurably, yes — running on sand costs roughly 1.5 times the energy of running on a firm surface, and movements like squats and lunges demand constant stabilizer engagement that concrete doesn't require. The deforming surface means every rep is slightly different, which recruits the small muscles around the ankle and hip in patterns stable ground never triggers. You'll fatigue faster and feel it the next day in muscles you didn't know you were using — particularly calves, glute medius, and the arch of the foot.

Should I go barefoot on the beach for these exercises?

If the sand temperature and terrain allow it, barefoot recruits the intrinsic foot muscles that spend most of their life immobilized inside cushioned shoes. The arch lifts actively, the toes splay, and the proprioceptors in the sole send information that shoes mute. Test the sand temperature first — mid-day summer sand can reach skin-burning temperatures. Water shoes are a reasonable compromise when the beach has shells, rocks, or extreme heat.

Is sand safe for my knees and ankles?

Sand is unusually knee-friendly because it absorbs impact forces that concrete transmits directly into the joint. The ankle complex, however, works harder on unstable surfaces — sprains are slightly more common on deep, dry sand. Stay on firmer, packed sand near the tide line for jumping movements, and save deep-dry-sand drills for slower work. If you have chronically unstable ankles, sand training can actually help by forcing proprioceptive engagement.

Do I need equipment for a beach workout?

No — sand is the equipment. Its weight and instability replace most of what a gym provides, and the movements in this pack are designed to exploit that. A towel for ground-based work, water for hydration, and sunscreen are the only useful additions. Avoid heavy props that sink into the sand and become frustrating. The minimalism is a feature: part of what makes beach training restorative is the absence of barbells, timers, and the usual gym machinery.

Packs built for the same body, a slightly different moment.