The Great Outdoors

Do you do most, if not all, of your training in the gym? I know there are the obvious advantages of being in the gym, but there are also huge benefits of getting outdoors in the fresh air! For me the biggest benefit is that it can be so varied, you’re not just staring at a wall for half an hour whilst running on a treadmill or stood waiting for the next bench to become free whilst those two guys are sat staring at their massive guns! When running outside compared to a treadmill your body has to adapt to every terrain it encounters i.e. grass, tarmac, gravel and even water. This puts different strains and stresses onto your body giving you a much more beneficial workout. Being outside will also help you stick to your regime better as you are not confined to the same four walls every session, seeing the same faces doing the same exercises. The Vitamin D that we get from the sunshine has great benefits too. It helps to strengthen our immune system, makes our bones stronger and can actually help us fight off cancer! Getting out in the sun can also help people with depression and other mood disorders. How good do you feel once you’ve got out and had a walk after a fall out with your partner? Endorphins, which can raise your mood, are released when spending time in the sunshine. So now the weather is starting to pick up, get outside and use what nature has provided.