Top 5 benefits of exercising outdoors

1. Fresh air

Being outdoors, you don’t get the stale smell of sweat which is associated with being in a gym. Instead you have the fresh and familiar smell of the beach, the woods, cut grass or flowers. Air comes in through your nose, down your airways into the lungs and is distributed around the body.  Being outside makes this air fresh and clean. The next time you go out for a walk, take in 10 big deep breaths to exchange the stale air in your lungs.

2. Release tension

There are scientific studies to show that being outdoors and breathing in the fresh air whilst focusing on your activity relieves the daily pressures of life. This includes reducing stress and depression levels, increasing endorphins, clearing your mind and helping you focus on your next project, generally making you feel amazing.

3. Functional exercise

Think about when you’re at home, reaching for some shoes off the shelf, placing them on the floor and putting them on, or lifting a heavy box from the floor on to a shelf above your head. Now think of a machine in the gym that does this exercise. Struggling? That’s because there is none. You can do it in sections, but not as one swift movement. All you need is a medicine ball or sandbag to get a full body exercise which is also functional and used daily. There are many different exercises that have the same principle including running up the stairs carrying clothes.

4. Sociable and not daunting

Ok so you can go to the gym with your friends, but how often do you get machines together? In big open areas you can work out with your friends, either with a personal trainer or without, do the same exercises (at your own levels), have a chat, get it done and go. There’s no hassle with people getting in the way, no reason to feel like people are watching you and no excuse to rest.

5. It’s free

How much is a gym membership? Possibly between £30 and £50 a month, and do you know what you are doing when you’re in there? Do you feel motivated? Do you wish you had someone to push you or tell you what to do?
 How much does the beach, park or field charge you? Maybe a car park fee, but you could always walk there for a warm up. You can get your basic equipment, which will cost around £10. But how will you know what you’re doing or be motivated to do it? And what about guidance and advice for safe effective exercise and tips for a healthy diet? Having a personal trainer to help you achieve your goals, guide you, provide the equipment and show you how to use it is surely a better use of your money than what gyms charge you just to borrow their equipment.

In summary, training outdoors is functional, sociable, tension relieving, refreshing and FREE (leaving you with money to spend on having a personal trainer should you choose).

About the author

Rebecca Uterhark is a personal trainer and zumba instructor based in Cornwall, UK. She joined Azul last winter to run the much-loved beach zumba sessions for locals and visitors, leading each and every class with an abundance of energy and enthusiasm. She now runs her own personal training company in Cornwall, R.U.FITness, loving the satisfaction of working one on one with people to motivate them to live healthier and more satisfying lives.