Beach Yoga

By Paige Greenfield

Yogis will be leaner than ever from performing this workout on the sand

WHY THERE? We love our sticky mats, Krishna Das soundtrack, and buckwheat eye pillow as much as the next downward-dogger, but taking your practice to the beach is more like what the original yogis intended more than 5,000 years ago. "Practicing on an uneven surface like sand builds the secondary muscles in your feet, hips, knees, and shoulder joints," says Sara Ivanhoe, a Vinyasa instructor at Yoga Works in Santa Monica, California. During this routine, press your feet and hands firmly into the sand and spread your fingers and toes to hit maximum lower-body muscle. Relax and enjoy. Just don't get so focused that you forget your SPF!

1) Crashing Wave

Warms up entire body, especially the hamstrings

1. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart with your toes pointing forward, your knees slightly bent, and your arms at your sides.

2. Inhale and raise your arms out to the sides and up until your hands are directly over your shoulders. Spread your fingers wide, and look toward the sky.

3. Exhale, lowering your arms to your sides while squatting until your thighs are parallel to the sand, and bend at the hips until your torso is as close to your thighs as possible.

4. Inhale, straightening your legs and raising your arms back overhead.

5. Exhale and lower your arms back to the starting position. Repeat five times.

2) Dolphin

Works shoulders, triceps, glutes, hamstrings, quads

1. Get on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.

2. Lower your forearms to the floor, then walk them forward until your elbows rest directly under your shoulders. Lace your fingers together and press your forearms into the sand.

3. Curl your toes under and lift your hips toward the sky until you're in a pike. Hold for five to 15 breaths. Rest for five breaths.

4. Repeat, but this time, once you're in the pike position, lift your right leg behind you, keeping your hips parallel to the ground. Hold for five to 15 breaths.

5. Lower your leg and rest for five breaths before repeating with your left leg.

3) Crab

Works core, shoulders, back, arms, glutes

1. Sit on the sand with your knees bent and your feet hip-distance apart, flat on the ground. Place your palms on the sand behind your hips so your fingers are pointing toward you.

2. Take a deep breath, and on the exhalation, curl your tailbone under and lift your hips straight up until your thighs, torso, and shoulders are aligned. Your neck should be relaxed and in line with your spine. Hold for five to 15 breaths.

3. Lower your hips and rest for five breaths. Repeat three times. 

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