I went for a walk on the beach the other day at the behest of one of my friends. I had explained to him that my knees were beginning to bother me after my usual walk on the asphalt surfaced track or on the concrete sidewalk. He suggested that I try walking in the sand because it would be easier for my joints. So I followed his suggestion and went out for an early morning work around six O’clock a.m. To my surprise there were tons of people out there, old, young, men, women, everybody it seemed were there; walking, jogging, swimming – doing whatever their heart desired in order to keep their bodies healthy.

In recent times, racquetball had been my favorite pastime, but I resorted to walking after the facilities near my home closed for renovations. I used to get about two hours on the court every afternoon except weekends and that really kept me in shape, but now it’s just walking. Walking requires less physical exertion but many health practitioners agree that thirty to sixty minutes of brisk walking every other day is just as effective in maintaining your health as jogging or other more physically demanding activities.

It appears however that where you walk is important. So far, the advice I got from my friend seems correct – walking on the sand does appear to be less taxing on your knees and ankles than walking on hard surfaces like asphalt and concrete. While walking in the sand does take a little getting used to, once you become acclimated, the stress on your joints is greatly reduced. At this point, I’ve been doing it for a few weeks now and I can already feel the difference. The usual pains in my legs that resulted from walking on the hard surfaces are on the decline since I started walking on the beach.

Fewer leg pains are only some of the benefits you get from walking on the beach, but think about it, there is no way you can beat the refreshing experience of inhaling the fresh ocean breeze that bathes your face and caresses the rest of your body as you walk on a crisp early morning. Oh man, what a feeling of rejuvenation and exhilaration. If you haven’t tried an early morning walk on the beach yet and your address allows It, you should make it the first thing on your “must do” list. Your body will love you for it and you will love it too.

And finally, perhaps one of the greatest benefits of walking on the beach is that you can “super size” your workout with a swim in the water. There is nothing more exhilarating than a plunge in the sea water after an invigorating workout. It’s like being reborn on a brand new day.