BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR TRAINING

(Original article edited and added to from Mens Health)

You Only Need 5 Minutes

Park your excuses. According to Environmental Science and Technology journal, just five minutes walking in green space is enough to reduce stress and increase your motivation to stay active. In their research, those who exercised within view of a river or lake experienced the biggest mental boost. Best reroute that commute.

Fresh Air Open Space

Long runs, a PT providing varied outdoor exercises and a cool breeze to speed recovery.  Why did we use gyms in the first place?!

A Park Run Burns More Calories Than a Treadmill

Wind resistance lifts your calorie burn by up to 10%, according to Harvard Medical studies. However, it’s your joints that really stand to benefit here, as the firm, flat surface of a treadmill places more stress on your knees and ligaments. Time to rage against the machines.

Training Outdoors Boosts Your Self-esteem. But Which Type of Exercise is Better?

If you’re chasing the feelgood factor rather than a PB, a stroll should be your activity of choice. Big ideas to pitch at work? Turn your next brainstorming session into a Silicon Valley-esque power-walking meeting. It’ll give your confidence an upgrade.

Booking an Outdoor Fitness PT Makes You More Likely to Stick to it

Men who train in the open air enjoy it more, according to research by Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, while Canada’s University of Sherbrooke found higher attendance rates for outdoor sessions compared to gym classes. More space and less queuing were cited as reasons. A respite from gurning bros and chart remixes probably helps too.

It Will Keep Your Vitamin D Topped-up

Five to 30 minutes twice a week will keep your D levels at optimum, according to the National Institutes of Health. That’s a weekday jog and Sunday morning calisthenics in the park. Schedule sessions for 11am-3pm when the sun’s rays are at their strongest. Don’t overdo it though; no summer six-pack will make up for a lobster’s complexion.

Does Gardening Count?

Ain’t nothing weedy bout weeding! A Konkuk University study found that digging and mulching counts as a proper workout. Weeding has been given an MET score of 5 (that’s it’s ‘metabolic equivalent’ value; anything over 3 is considered high-intensity). Digging scored highest with a value of 6.3 – the same as weightlifting.

Heat Things Up

Your gym’s aircon could be freezing your fitness gains. In a University of Oregon study, cyclists saw a 7% improvement in performance after 10 days of ‘heat exposure’ training.

Exercising in warm weather improves your ability to regulate body temperature and helps the heart pump more blood to your muscles. Returning to the gym