Shape it up: _The advantages of an exercised-filled day at the beach_

We are finally at the home stretch. It is the end of week nine, and all we have to do is survive one more week of classes and then finals to be rewarded with summer.

With the end of the quarter comes the end of my column. I have loved writing to you this quarter and sincerely thank everyone who took the time each week to read “Shape it up.” It really has been fun.

As we come close to the end of the year, students are running out of time to make use of the great location surrounding our campus. I wanted to take advantage of this while I could, so last weekend I went on a day trip to Santa Monica.

Of course, I wanted to find a way to exercise while I ventured off campus.

I came across a shop at the Santa Monica Pier called Blazing Saddles, which has reasonably priced bike rentals that are paid for by the hour.

The shop also offers a round-trip bike tour between Santa Monica and Venice Beach. I did not try it because of the $40 per person price tag, but if you have some extra cash it could be a fun way to learn about the area during your workout.

I had my boyfriend with me, so we rented a tandem. Even without experience, it didn’t take long to get used to riding the two-person bicycle.

The rules of the tandem are pretty simple: Both riders pedal, while the rider in front controls the steering and the brakes. You don’t need to worry about pedaling in unison.

After leaving the pier, we rode to the far end of Venice Beach and then back to the pier. The trip was roughly six miles long and took about an hour, which meant that the tandem rental cost $16.

The trip between Santa Monica and Venice was a great way to get a light workout without making a day out feel like too much exercise.

It was also great to take in the environment. Hearing the Venice Beach drum circle perform, seeing all kinds of street performers and feeling the ocean breeze made it hard to believe I was working out.

Especially in Venice Beach, some parts of the path got very crowded with both people and bikers. It certainly required focus and patience, but the navigation was manageable and did not take too long to get through the congested areas.

Other parts of the path were less congested and provided an opportunity to pick up the pace. The changes in speed resulted in alternating intensity levels during our bike ride.

Because the trip only takes about an hour (if you don’t make any stops), you can take advantage of other resources in the area to work out.

There are beach volleyball courts to make use of right off the Santa Monica Pier, which are a fun way to stay active after returning the bikes.

There are also plenty of grassy areas directly up the path from the pier. These would work well for strength conditioning and yoga.

Swimming at the beach is another great option. Swimming is an exercise that uses your entire body, and the resistance provided by the ocean waves make it more difficult than swimming in a pool. Also, you get to feel refreshed by the cool water at the same time!

All of this provides an opportunity to work out and have a fun day while re-energizing yourself for finals week.

And once your exams are done, you can head home, hopefully with a new or reignited interest in health and fitness. I hope this column has been at least half as enjoyable to read as it has been for me to write.

Have a good and healthy summer, Bruins. You deserve it.

How will you get fit before going home? Email Davis at [email protected].