The NBA off-season is here, which means plenty of social media photos of players training in the sand.
But this isn't just about aesthetics or cool beach content.
It is grounded in performance science.
Here are five science-backed reasons why sand training should be in your performance or rehab toolkit.
1. Improves Jumping and Sprinting Performance
A six-week training program that combined plyometrics and sprint work on sand led to significant improvements in jump height, 15-meter sprint times, and sport-specific performance metrics.
Sand is not just for general preparation.
It can directly transfer to explosive sports performance.
2. Reduces Muscle Damage and Soreness
Sand absorbs more impact than firm ground, which reduces eccentric loading.
In one study comparing sand to grass, athletes training on sand reported less soreness and had lower markers of muscle damage, despite both groups improving their performance similarly.
This makes sand an effective surface for high-output training with less residual fatigue.
3. Reduces Joint and Impact Forces
Sprinting or jumping on sand reduces the peak forces experienced by the joints due to its shock-absorbing qualities.
While the surface may slightly limit maximal power output acutely, the reduction in mechanical stress makes it a smart choice for higher-volume sessions, return-to-play progressions, or older athletes with joint sensitivity.
4. Increases Energy Cost and Muscle Demand
Training on sand increases energy expenditure by up to 40 percent compared to firmer surfaces.
The instability of the surface increases muscular recruitment and challenges balance, coordination, and force production.
This makes it a built-in overload tool for both conditioning and strength-endurance phases.
5. Improves Neuromuscular Control (Knee Mechanics)
A six-week jump training intervention on sand reduced knee valgus angles during landing in adolescent female athletes.
This is significant because excessive valgus may be a risk factor for ACL injury.
Importantly, this was achieved without compromising performance, suggesting sand may offer a unique tool for ACL risk reduction and movement retraining.
Coach鈥檚 Takeaway
Sand training is not a replacement for traditional plyometrics or sprint work on more complex surfaces.
It doesn't replicate the exact ground reaction forces or elastic demands of competition.
But that doesn鈥檛 mean it lacks value.
Due to its unique combination of reduced joint stress, increased muscular demand, and favorable neuromuscular adaptations, sand offers a powerful tool in a coach鈥檚 toolbox.
Its best use? The early off-season.
It provides a lower-impact environment for reintroducing high-output movements, improving landing mechanics, and building aerobic and anaerobic capacity, all while minimizing soreness and injury risk.
Use it strategically, not exclusively. Blend it into your plan to progress athletes from general prep to more specific, high-speed work on firmer ground.
I hope this helps,
Ramsey
References
- S谩ez de Villarreal E, L贸pez-Gull贸n JM, Ardig貌 LP, Nu帽ez FJ, Izquierdo M. Effects of plyometric and sprint training performed on sand on muscle performance and throwing velocity in youth beach handball players. Journal of Human Kinetics. 2024;90:91-101.
- Impellizzeri FM, Rampinini E, Castagna C, Martino F, Fiorini S, Wisloff U. Effect of plyometric training on sand versus grass on muscle soreness and jumping and sprinting ability in soccer players. Br J Sports Med. 2008;42(1):42-46.
- Gaudino P, Alberti G, Iaia FM. Estimated metabolic and mechanical demands during different small-sided games in elite soccer players. J Sports Sci. 2013;32(24):1-10.
- Arazi H, Mohammadi M, Asadi A. Muscular adaptations to depth jump plyometric training: Comparison of sand vs. land surface. Interv Med Appl Sci. 2014;6(3):125-130.
- Richardson MC, Evans W, Chesterton P, Wright M. The effects of a 6-week sand- vs. land-based jump training programme on frontal plane knee angle and jump performance in adolescent female football players. J Sports Sci. 2025;43(6):523-535.
