A workout by the seaside

Most people associate the beach with swimming or surfing but the water isn't the only exercise-friendly element.

Some beaches feature rings, swings and balance beams — free equipment that can make a workout engaging and fun. Plus, the sand offers a shifting surface that forces the muscles of the core to fire.

Jennifer Cohen (www.jennifercohen.com), fitness trainer and author of No Gym Required, chose the Santa Monica Beach near the pier for a workout.

She showed a number of strength and aerobic training exercises that can be done on a warm day or even a brisk winter one.

Ab crunches and pelvic tilt on a swing

• Lie on sand on your back with your feet on a swing seat, legs extended and hands behind your head.
  
• Contract the abdominal muscles, bringing the knees and the shoulders together without straining the neck.
  
• Release and repeat.
  
• For the pelvic tilt, place back and head on the sand and feet on the swing seat with knees straight.
  
• Push the pelvis up and release, squeezing the glutes. Repeat 15 times.

Decline push-up on a balance beam

• Place hands in the sand and toes on top of a low balance beam. Your hands shoulder-width apart for best results.
  
• Lower the chest to the ground while keeping the body straight.
  
• To increase the difficulty level in this exercise, bring one knee towards the chest during the push-up, and then by alternating legs.

You can also switch between bent-leg and straight-leg push-ups. Three sets of 10.

Speed skating

• Stand straight.
  
• Move the right leg back and to the left side while leaning forward and touching the toe of the left foot with the right hand.
  
• Switch and repeat.
  
• Keep the body low to the ground.
  
• Increase the difficulty level, doing this exercise while lifting a pail of sand with the outstretched arm.
  
• Switch the pail from hand to hand while switching feet.
  
• Start with 30 seconds, then gradually increase the time.

Pull-up on rings

• Find rings that are low enough to be reached without straining or jumping.
  
  They should be about shoulder height or a little higher.
  
• Grab the rings with both hands, keeping the rings parallel and gradually lower your body.
  
• Keep your legs straight, feet in the sand and slightly apart (the wider feet, the easier the exercise).
  
• Pull yourself up towards the rings, keeping the body straight.
  
• Go back.
  

Doing this exercise with the rings turned at 45 degrees also works the biceps. Three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.

Beach drills

• Begin with spot jogging on the sand for about 30 seconds.
  
• Keep feet hip-width apart.
  
• Drop to a squat.
  
• With hands in the sand, kick the legs out to a push-up position.
  
• Now there are several options: Jump back into a squat position, stand up and repeat.
  
• Do a push-up, squat, stand and repeat.
  
• Or segue from the push-up position to side planks, return to push-up position, squat, stand and repeat.