Nothing better in this scorching heat that has been tormenting Rio residents for weeks than a nice beach, right? Wrong. At least for the Flamengo basketball players. What for most people becomes a relief, leisure, and fun in temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, for the Flamengo players means sweat, hard work, and a lot of suffering. After two victories in Espírito Santo, the vice-leaders of Novo Basquete Brasil started the week by swapping the HSBC Arena court for the sands of Barra da Tijuca beach, aiming for the match against Joinville, which will be played only after Carnival, on February 26th, in Rio de Janeiro.

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But despite the unbearable heat that hits Rio de Janeiro, the benefits of beach training are crucial during the games. According to fitness coach Rafael Bernadeli, more important than aerobic and physiological gains, exercising on the sand primarily serves to break up the group's routine.

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"The key is breaking the routine. Here, they do specific, differentiated work in a different location. In addition to gaining leg strength and endurance, working out on the beach helps renew energy and motivate the group, breaking away from the daily routine of training in the gym. This also greatly benefits the psychological aspect," explained Rafael.

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While grimaces and complaints are common among athletes during workouts, the results in practice during matches are worth any sacrifice. Although the response on sand is slower than on a court, the surface increases the intensity of the exercises, providing much greater endurance on the court. 

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"Working on the beach is not aimed at increasing speed, but rather improving physical conditioning," emphasized the red-black physical trainer, who also said that exercises on the beach also serve to speed up the recovery of injured athletes, such as Coloneze, Ian and Hélio.

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"Working in the sand releases the receptors in the knee and ankle joints, strengthening the injured areas," added Rafael. 

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But it seems that not even the extra work and the 40-degree heat have bothered the red-and-black players. Having recovered from plantar fasciitis in his right foot, Hélio approves of training on the beach.

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"The important thing is for the team to be well prepared. Training on the beach is good for giving us more physical endurance. Those who live here in Rio are already well accustomed to the heat. This week without games will give the team the opportunity to work on some things and prepare well for the rest of the NBB," said the red-and-black point guard, who joked: "We do our work for an hour or so, and then we can enjoy ourselves a bit."