With the warmer weather and longer days most people feel more motivated to move and the great outdoors is a gym of which you’re already a lifelong member. Here are five reasons why you should get yourself to the park to enjoy the fresh air and the feel-good factor.
1. There’s no joining fee
Whether you’re a road runner, out biking in the woods, or just taking time to power walk in the park the great news is there’s no joining fee or contract. Few people in the UK live very far from public open space and most don’t realise what’s on their doorstep until they start exploring.
2. You can choose what, where and when
Wherever you are and whatever you do, you can cherry pick the time, place and exercise for you. If you’re a runner, grab a pair of running shoes and head on out, or get on your bike, shoot some hoops in the garden or have a game of table tennis on an outdoor ping pong table.
3. You’re guaranteed to work harder and for longer
Successive research findings conclude that adding outside exercising to your indoor sessions can help you perform at a higher intensity for a longer period of time.
There are many reasons for this but in the main it boils down to being somewhere different and engaging with the sights and sounds around you. This shift in mental focus takes your interest beyond the exercise to the environment in which it is taking place, and because it does so exercising outside helps you increase your overall workout endurance.
4. You’ll dodge more germs
Whilst this won’t apply to those who workout in the comfort of their own home, the fresh outdoors is a long cry from the many germs that infiltrate the gym environment. Shared kit, mats and changing areas can harbour bacteria. So if your immune system needs a break there’s nothing better for it than getting out and about.
If you’re a fan of gym classes or indoor activities, why not take your session outside from time to time to vary things. We also strongly suggest buying your own personal equipment for use during such sessions, especially yoga mats and exercise mats, and fitness accessories such as gym balls, weights, resistance bands and the like.
5. You’ll improve your mood and combat stress
A breath of fresh air is exactly that, and getting outside releases good endorphins in the body. Serotonin is released in the brain which lifts your spirits and helps address any stresses in your life.
Being alone outside to exercise is incredibly therapeutic in the sense that it also encourages a more mindful mindset – which is why it can be a good idea every now and then to ditch the earphones in favour of hearing the natural sounds around you.
Plus of course you’ll feel the sun on your skin giving you a good dose of vitamin D which is great for your bones, brain and blood pressure.
Still need motivation?
Of course not everyone has the motivation and confidence to just get up, go out and get going. For them there are plenty of choices with Boot camps in most public parks during the week, tennis courts for hire throughout the country and the fantastic free park runs at the weekend.
Alternatively we have a great range of outdoor games that will provide hours of fun for you and all the family. So what are you waiting for!
