Do as parents extol their rambunctious kids: Go play outside.
Working out while experiencing nature — or green exercise — confers added benefits compared with even exercising indoors or in urban “built” environments, according to research. These range from improved immune function, lower blood pressure after exercise and potentially more restful sleep at night to enhanced mood and lower levels of perceived exertion, says Mike Rogerson, a researcher on the Green Exercise Research Team at the University of Essex — where the term green exercise was coined in 2003 — in England. “The exercise feels easier, sometimes even when people are working physiologically harder, with the green exercise than the comparison ‘non-green’ exercise,” Rogerson says in an email. Here are some ideas to get out there and get the most from your green workouts.
Go for a walk in the woods, canyon or meadow.
If you’re not sure how to commune with Mother Nature while working to get at least 150 minutes of recommended moderate exercise per week, start with a brisk walk outdoors. You needn’t take a road trip to a state or national park — any local park or green space will do. And many communities now have biking and walking paths that make this introduction to green exercise even more convenient and accessible to people young and old, points out Kelly Bricker, a professor and director of parks, recreation and tourism in the College of Health at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
Pedal power your way across new terrain.
Many people are taking advantage of not only the rails-to-trails movement turning old railroad tracks into paths to bike in green stretches of cities, but expanded mountain biking trails in many areas, as well. That’s in addition to bike options themselves, from sleek, thin-tired road bikes that allow a rider to move swiftly on leafy streets to big sky country roads alike to fat tire bikes that grip on rocks, mud, sand and even snow. Fat tires are making biking accessible in different seasons, too, Bricker says. So find the two-wheel option that gets you going to enjoy the open air.
Take advantage of man-made adventure outside.
The purist might object, but for the sake of variety, don’t ignore the conspicuously placed structures that amp up physical challenges and fun in outdoor spaces. Many parks now line fitness trails with simple apparatuses where a person could stop to do everything from dips to sit-ups. Take advantage of the free-to-you equipment for a more dynamic workout, says Francis Neric, American College of Sports Medicine’s national director of certification. He also recommends checking out adventure parks springing up in some communities — some free, some charging a fee — where kids and adults can climb rock walls, do rope courses in the treetops and, in some cases, zip line.
Strike a pose outside four walls.
“Personally, I believe that yoga is the second healthiest thing you can do. The healthiest thing you can do is have an intimate connection with nature,” says Eoin Finn, a yoga instructor in Santa Cruz, California, who spends a lot of time outdoors. Doing yoga outside enhances the mind-body benefits, says Finn, whose favorite yoga mat is actually grass. Firm sand works well also, as does any comfortable surface sans protruding rocks. Avoid midday sun, doing yoga in the morning or evening, and wear layers to peel away or add clothing as needed. You can even do yoga on snow — or snowga.
Make it a combo.
There’s another way to do yoga outside: floating on water. Specifically, paddleboard yoga has really taken off, and it can be done on a calm bay in coastal waters to lakes that dot the country’s interior. Combining two activities outside enhances the workout; steadying oneself while striking poses on a paddleboard provides a great core workout, among other things, Bricker says. She advocates other combinations as well, like kayaking to a trail and then hiking or taking a trail run. Why limit yourself to one mode of experiencing nature — or working out in it — per outing?
Take advantage of the geography in your neck of the woods.
Rolling hills could be perfect for a challenging run. Flat plains — wind cooperating — can be conducive to riding for miles. Access to caves could afford one the opportunity to wriggle the body into all sorts of contorted, challenging positions. In southern Utah, many gravitate toward canyoneering — exploring canyons by means such as rappelling. It’s almost “a vertical yoga workout, because you’ve got to stretch and bend and move,” Bricker says. In the same outdoor mecca of a state and many other places, mountaineering is also possible — and popular. With any technically challenging activity, bone up on needed skills, like backcountry navigation, and go with others, including a guide as needed, for safety.
Start your digital detox here.
The trailhead is a great place to leave the cyber world and all your electronic devices behind. Sure, you can take your smartphone to make a call in event of an emergency — or take the occasional picture of an awe-inspiring landscape. But to get the most of green exercise, turn off and stow all devices. “We live in a box, we work in a box. We look at a box all day,” Finn says. By contrast, he adds, nature expands our horizons. Exercise and being in nature can both relieve stress, as can unplugging from devices that, ostensibly, keep us wired. So use green exercise as an excuse to disconnect to boost the mind-body benefits of your workout.
Go for the solitude or the socialization.
A walk in the woods or a park alone can provide the opportunity to collect one’s thoughts. Alternatively, the solace of nature — again uninterrupted by electronic devices — is well-suited for connecting with others. “People spend significantly longer socially interacting with an exercise partner during exercise” outdoors versus an indoor setting, says Rogerson, based on findings from research he led published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health last year. So whether you want to work out alone or with a friend, you’ve got a place to do it.
Use nature as an excuse to go wild — and push your limits.
Perhaps when you go to the gym you follow rules (after all you don’t want to annoy gym mates). One of the freeing things about being outside is those same lines don’t exist. So take a page from approaches like — excuse the name — fartlek, or “speed play” in Swedish, training. “Make a game of working out,” Neric says. That might mean sprinting to the next turn on the trail, then walking, or finding other ways to incorporate unstructured play in your workout. Think about how hard you push yourself when playing tag with a child, he notes. Experts say nature affords the opportunity to lose yourself in outdoor play, while unknowingly pushing your limits.
Ride the wave, and experience nature on its terms.
Besides frequently doing yoga outside, Finn likes to hike and bike, and he surfs almost every day. Not everyone has access to a beach, but there are many ways to incorporate the elements into workouts. For some, that could be heading out after a snowfall to cross-country ski. For others, it could just be running in a drizzle. Though a downpour would send him indoors to do yoga, “a little bit of rain is fine — I love it,” Finn says. “You can feel your skin more. It’s amazing.” Preparation is key — from bug spray, as needed, to proper attire. After all, you want to make it a pleasant experience you’re likely to repeat, Neric says.
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Green Exercise: 10 Ways to Incorporate Nature Into Your Workout Routine originally appeared on usnews.com
