Beach Interval Workout

The Workout

1: Jump-Run-Jump
Draw a line in the sand. This will be your start position. Then draw another line in the sand anywhere from 2 ½ ‘ to 3 ½ ‘ from your starting line. After about 10 to 20 yards (your choice), draw two more lines in the sand (same distance apart), then after another 15 to 20 yards, draw two more lines in the sand. This will be your course for Jump-Run-Jump. Leap/Jump over the first two lines. Sprint to the middle two lines, leap over those then sprint to the last two leap/jump over those, turn and repeat, back and forth for one minute. As you get stronger, challenge yourself to go beyond the 60 seconds. Try 90 seconds or a full two minutes.

2: Suicide Drills
Using your Jump-Run-Jump course, start low with your left hand on the starting line. Sprint to the center of the course and touch one of the two centerlines with your right hand (doesn’t matter). Then back to the original starting line again. Reach down with left hand. Now sprint all the way to the end of the course reaching with your right hand once you arrive, and back to the center again, reaching with your left. The idea here is to go back and forth between shorter sprints and slightly longer sprints. Something like this…start to center, center to start, start to finish, finish to middle, middle to finish, finish to start. One minute, ninety seconds or two minutes.

3: Circle Run
Draw a large circle in the center of your course. Approximately 40 ‘ in diameter Make sure to make four corners with a stone or cone or driftwood because these are your stop, turn and go points. Also, keep in mind you will be running forwards and backwards. You will have to be creative. The pitch of the beach also added an additional challenge. You can run a full circle forwards or backwards, half or quarter. One minute to two minutes.

5: Hook & Go
This is a simple route that a wide receiver on a football team would run. From the start line, sprint 10 yards - stop and turn inward or outward (practice both) then sprint to the other end of the course. Practice looking back towards the start line at the end of your final sprint to the fictitious goal line. You can gently jog or even walk back to the start line and repeat this 3 to 5 times.

6: Defensive Back Route
In this drill you are taking on the role of covering an offensive player running a hook and go route. So this time you will be running backwards for 10 yards then turning and running to the opposite end of the course. Walk or slowly jog back and repeat 3 to 5 times.

7: Zig Zag (Out & In)
Place stones/cones or any marker that won’t twist an ankle or hurt your feet if you step on it accidentally in a zigzag pattern from one end of the course to the other. 5 to 6 markers from end to end. Play with the distance between cones. Some short, some longer.

8: Go-Stop-Turn-Go
With this drill it is best to have a partner barking commands. When they say go, you go. When they say stop, you stop. When they say turn and come back, you turn and come back. Kind of like “Simon Says” intervals. You can use the markers on the course or add new ones for start and finish points.

9: Cross Drill
This is a great routine done on a grade because it adds an additional challenge to this routine. With a stick or your foot make a giant X in the sand. Each line in the X anywhere from 20 to 30 yards. Put cones/markers at the tip of all four ends of the X. These are your finish points before you head back in to the center of the X. The center is considered your safe zone or break spot before your partner sends you off in one of four directions: sideways, forwards or backwards.

10: Box Drill
The Box Drill is similar to the cross drill. To set up your course just make straight lines from each outer corner of the X. That is your square. The corners are now your pause points in the drill. As with many of the other drills you have forward, backward and sideway options. An additional element when moving sideways is facing inward or outward in the box as you move from corner to corner.

Enjoy!