5 Beach Activities That Will Benefit Your Martial Arts Game
Everyone loves a little sand, sea, and sun – including martial artists.
But the beach isn’t always accessible all year-round, not unless you’re on an extended training holiday in Thailand. That’s why it’s important to take advantage of the summer right now.
With that said, here are five beach activities that you could do to make yourself a better martial artist.
#1 Running In The Sand
Running in the sand has to be the most classic of all beach activities for athletes.
The exercise might have been made famous by the fictional boxer, Rocky Balboa, but in real life, you get real results.
Because you have to propel yourself through the uneven, grainy surface of the beach, you strengthen and stabilize leg muscles that you wouldn’t normally use during a run on flat pavement.
Strengthening and stabilizing your leg muscles will help you shoot for takedowns more quickly and help you recover from scrambles more easily.
#2 Playing Frisbee
You might think that playing frisbee is nothing more than a reason to run in the sand – but think again.
Throwing around a plastic disk on the beach is highly beneficial to your martial arts game.
First, playing frisbee builds your endurance because you’re constantly running. Second, it helps with agility because you have to throw, pivot, jump, and turn rather quickly.
These skills will transfer directly to your training in the gym because it’s the same agility you need to stay light and quick on your feet.
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#3 Ocean Kayaking
Ocean kayaking is another great beach activity that benefits your martial arts game.
With kayaking in the ocean, you have to use your back, arms, shoulders, and chest to paddle through the water. You also have to use your legs and torso to power through the movements.
Because you use your whole body to kayak, you develop an all-around stronger physique, which means you develop an all-around stronger martial arts game.
#4 Water Skiing
Like running in the sand, water skiing also helps you improve your balance.
But water skiing also develops strength in your core muscles – and every martial artist knows how important it is to be strong in the mid-section.
Having an iron-like core will help you absorb body shots during sparring and keep you stable when throwing kicks.
Will they help you soak up a body shot from ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon? That’s another question altogether.
#5 Surfing
Surfing may be the last activity on our list, but it’s one of the most beneficial for every martial artist looking to hit the beach.
Laying on a surfboard and paddling in the water strengthens your back and arms, which helps with the power you generate during pad and bag work.
The real benefit, however, comes when you stand up on the surfboard and teeter on the waves. Once you’re upright, you work your leg and core muscles.
This makes you more durable and balanced during sparring, which is important when blocking kicks during Muay Thai sparring.
Read more: 5 Ways To Get An Energizing Outdoor Muay Thai Workout
