Embracing a change of scenery while switching up your workouts is a super effective way to stay motivated and avoid being bogged down by exercising in only one environment. There are a whole wealth of benefits to be reaped by running classes or having a one-to-one outdoors. Even on a cold day, believe it or not! Yourself and your clients will enjoy a brand-new setting, a bit of adventure and will help create a more fun dynamic between you all.
In 2021, 71.78% of gym members across 120 different countries stated that training outdoors was the best way to achieve their fitness goals. With an increased interest in exercising in nature, why not inspire yourself to find some outdoor locations and use this trend to your advantage?
If you’re keen to mix up your sessions and are looking to start adding outdoor classes to your Personal Trainer offerings, here are some of the fantastic reasons to inspire your clients to join you out in the fresh air:
Proven to reduce your stress levels and blood pressure
Training outdoors does wonders for your physical health adding a lot of fantastic benefits to your body and mind in the long-term.
Training in the outdoors has been proven to reduce blood pressure as spending time with nature and plants actually lowers your stress hormone (cortisol) and thereby reducing both blood pressure and heart rate.
As an impact of this, you’ll find that exercising outdoors is actually less demanding on the body - allowing you to perform at your best!
Boost up your Vitamin D and bone density
Sufficient in Vitamin D? Outdoor fun in the sun will help you to top-up on much needed Vitamin D as you exercise outside. It’s essential for a healthy immune system, muscles, teeth and bones. By having the sunlight hit your skin, you’ll be able to absorb these benefits.
The National Osteoporosis Society recommends having 10 minutes of sun exposure to bare skin between once or twice a day. Even on a cloudy English day, you can still get your Vitamin D needs - it just takes a bit more time.
Outdoor runs burn more calories than using a treadmill
Harvard Medical studies have found that wind resistance while exercising is more effective for burning calories by 10%… great news for us!
Lets not forget the challenges of up-hill running or a speedy down-hill descent - using a treadmill can’t exactly replicate either of these experiences.
In this regard, being active in natural elements can be very impactful, rewarding and provides an experience that just cannot be duplicated indoors at home or in the gym.
It enhances ‘happy hormones’ in your body, improving mental health
Believe it or not, we spend up to 90% of our time indoors on a given day. If you’re feeling like you need to lift your spirits, going outdoors for a workout has been proven to raise your mood and improve mental health. A study by The Environmental Science and Technology Journal found that it only takes 5 minutes of exercising in a green space outside to significantly raise your endorphins.
So a run on the beach, yoga in the park or biking through the forest does a lot more than just keeping you in shape! Author and physician, Dr. Eva Selhub, cites the impact of connecting with nature: “It opens the brain centers that make us feel like we’re part of something bigger. That heightening of the so-called love response — an increase in dopamine and serotonin — actually opens the brain to having bigger perception and better clarity.”
Get a good night's sleep! Reduce your chances of insomnia
As your cortisol levels drop and your stress levels decrease and happy hormones grow, your ability to get a better night's sleep will increase as a result.
Gaining higher oxygen levels in the fresh air and regulating your body clock by increased sunlight exposure makes a huge impact on your ability to get a restful sleep too.
However, it’s important to note (for those suffering with insomnia) not to exercise in the evening as it stimulates your nervous system and raises your body temperature - it takes a while for both to calm down and will only keep you up longer.
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