sand running

gmmag · 05-01-2007, 06:11 PM

ok so i heard the other day that running in the sand is great to build up leg strength and endurance.. is this true??? what types of things should i do on the sand??? do i wear shoes or do i go barefoot??? thanks for the help...

**Cap'n** · 05-01-2007, 06:13 PM

This is better off in the conditioning forum....

Endurance I can see, but strength? Nothing fantastic.

Murdock4 · 05-01-2007, 06:15 PM

beach sand is the best just run in sneakers or barefoot. It's great mostly for the calf muscle which helps keep your stability in the sand, which in turn is what works it out.

**Sonny** · 05-01-2007, 06:40 PM

Running uphill in sand will kill your legs.

Zerocrew1984 · 05-01-2007, 07:55 PM

more conditioning forum........

i ran in the mud the other day and that was harder than sand.

Dan's Knuckles · 05-02-2007, 10:55 PM

Mud is harder to run in than sand by far, because mud sucks your feet down, but sand is also great, as long as you have good balance and don't sprain your ankle, you'll save your knees from a lot of stress, plus you have to work harder to move your body the same distance as on concrete because the sand gives. Run in bare feet if you want, but make sure you don't get your feet cut up, run in sneakers that won't get loaded down by sand and wear socks that you won't get blisters from.

Lopyswine · 05-02-2007, 11:32 PM

on vacation I ran barefoot all week....

my feet were torn up, however my calfs and ankles were buring from using stablizing muscles.

GThomas · 05-03-2007, 12:19 AM

I live right on a nice long state beach here at school, and now that its warm out I have been doing all my running on the beach. Its definetely harder then running on a solid surface. My calf muscles are nice and sore the day after.

Polynikes · 05-03-2007, 12:56 AM

I remember doing rucksack runs with two sandbags in the ruck...

Ah the good old days...

Running in the sand is good stuff, but wear shoes man...

It's sounds sexy and cool to run barefoot, but don't risk it. You never know when someone shot up and ditched a syringe or something in the sand, broke a bottle, etc...

Throatpoker · 05-03-2007, 07:32 AM

This thread reminds me of the Discovery doc on BUDs/SEALs training, where the applicants ran long distances on the sand while wearing boots.