Every day we lose more and more contact with nature. We mostly live and do the majority of our daily activities indoors or inside some sort of transport. All of this considered, it is no wonder that more and more people are taking the most natural thing we all do – exercise – outdoors. There is an increase in group workouts taking place in parks and more and more outdoor gyms, especially when the weather gets nicer. And it isn’t just because of the atmosphere – there are plenty of benefits to exercising outdoors, and here are just a few.
The body adapts naturally
No matter how many different settings your cardio machine at the gym can produce, it will never come close to going on a hike on an actual mountain. Our bodies are made to adapt to different terrain, and it is important to provide it with a constant challenge. Exercising on the same setting on a machine is not only monotone, it can be dangerous. Working on the exact same muscle group over and over can lead to injury and have you benched for quite some time. But going on a run with a different route every day is not only good for the body, but also the mind, because it teaches to you be aware of your surroundings even while you are under physical stress, which is a lot more natural and healthy for the entire body.
It is budget-friendly
The only thing you need for an outdoors workout is yourself. Gym memberships can be very expensive, and depending on our lifestyle, it is very often just not worth it. And all of that money that you spend on a membership, thinking that paying in advance will force you to go more often, could have been saved and replaced by just one training session outdoors, because the beauty of practicing outdoors hooks you instantly. A plus to this is that very often there are group classes that are completely free in public parks and other green spaces.
It is great for groups
Do you have a friend who would like to work out with you, but they don’t have a membership in your gym? Or maybe you just want to exercise as a group once per month, so you don’t want to pay for a gym membership – especially because many gyms don’t support larger groups? Going outdoors for jogging, a run or some heavy-duty workouts is a great way to spend quality time with friends or family, without being crammed into a small space.
How to simulate being outdoors
If, in spite of all your efforts, you simply can’t exercise outdoors, there are ways to bring the outside in. The first and the most important one is: open the windows and let the fresh air in. If you live in an area where the air is heavily polluted, try to find the best air purifier for your room and make sure the air in your home is fresh. Either way, open the curtains to let some sunshine in and you can even play some white noise of people in a park, to get the full experience.
Being outdoors in the fresh air as much as possible is something we should all strive for, and exercise is the perfect way to incorporate more of that outside world into our lives. It is healthier, cost efficient and simply more beautiful than any four walls of a gym, and I can guarantee that once you try working outdoors, you will never want to go back into a closed space again.
About the Author:
Diana Smith is a full time mom of two beautiful girls interested in topics related to home improvement, DIY and interior design. In her free time she enjoys reading and preparing healthy meals for her family.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianaSmith82;
E-mail: dianasmith.dany@gmail.com; G+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/116091795770131287107/posts