With all the latest gadgets and fitness instruction, you would think that our society is more fit than ever right? No- not even close.
Studies show that people are more overweight and unhealthy than ever before; living with more stress, and less energy. Many people are on antidepressants and the numbers for type one and type two diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and obesity are higher than ever before.
A fast paced lifestyle has a lot to do with this along with hours in front of electronics, computers and sitting behind the wheel with long commutes. We are bombarded by media images of real thin models eating greasy french fries & drinking sugary drinks. These are conflicting messages that may lead people down the path of half-truths and misinformation. Despite all this, health and fitness means so much more to people today than ever before. So what are the solutions?
Outdoor Fitness Defined
The physical components of outdoor fitness include muscular Strength and endurance, cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility and balance. Two other aspects of an outdoor program include kinesthetic awareness and proprioceptive awareness. These are skills that bridge physical and mental spheres and allows the whole body to function more confidently and efficiently in its environment
Outdoor fitness takes a fresh approach to a total body mind conditioning. It blends the exhilaration of being outdoors in any environment with traditional style fitness exercises and innovative techniques. It is convenient enjoyable and accessible workout that has great appeal to a broad population. From beginners to elite athletes kids to seniors. It is a remarkably efficient training that brings drastically improved level of fitness health and well-being. It is exciting way to take advantage of virtually any natural environment from urban to rural from mountains to beach.
Any outdoor setting can be the best place to get in shape for life. You can learn to create your own outdoor fitness facility it just takes some scouting and creativity. Every community has a variety of unique topography, parks, playgrounds, hills, hiking trails, stairs, beaches and streams. Outdoor fitness is a contemporary holistic approach to fitness that honors the connection of body mind emotion and the environment.
With outdoor fitness you can have a comprehensive training program that combines essential fitness techniques with the latest information on fitness physiology nutrition mental health and well-being. It utilizes the outdoors as the gym and as a source for health and well-being by harnessing the positive factors of the outdoors and helps to foster a greater appreciation for the environment. Being active outdoors builds mental acuity, alleviates stress and inspires the spirit of fun and adventure.
Being active outdoors and having fun will greatly improves your chances of being active for life. A mix of healthy activities is the key. You can bike ride one day-take a long walk or hike the next. Then, perhaps you have a couple of days where you work out at the park.
10 Key Features of Outdoor Fitness
#1 – Outdoor Fitness uses the available outdoor environment & incorporates a variety of terrain and venues for stimulating and challenging workouts. With proper planning any outdoor setting can become a place to get fit.
#2-Fully balance training. Through proper planning it provides a comprehensive fitness program that incorporates muscular strength and endurance flexibility mental focus cardiovascular balance and agility
#3- Develop sensory awareness. The qualities of the outdoors aid in stimulating and enhancing the senses which include visual auditory olfactory and tactile. You will be able to awaken your senses and feel alive by working out in the natural environment.
#4- Integrate breathing work and mindfulness. Learning to breathe properly lens itself to a more relaxed efficient and effective affective training session. Add this to mental focus development the work out becomes a synchronization between your mind and muscle.
#5 Promotes environmental integration. Something that is unique to outdoor fitness is that you’ll learn how to interact with your environment to prevent injuries and enhance your training by drawing on the natural forces of gravity and flow.
#6 Outcomes can be measured. Depending on your goals just about every aspect of the training can be quantified – from your muscular strength and cardiovascular fitness to your body composition and your mood.
#7 Will encourage a lifestyle enhancement. The outdoor training encourages you to adjust the balance between the body mind and your emotions and divide your attention evenly between all important aspects of your life. When you start working out your mood will improve you’ll start to be happier and you’ll find that you will just naturally want to start eating better.
#8 Gain emotional power. You gain the ability to observe and identify your emotional triggers and control or alleviate them is possible. You can become inspired by your ability and power to improve your emotional state at any given moment.
#9 A core belief of outdoor fitness is that nature is a powerful contributor to your personal health and fitness. The physical mental emotional connection is enhanced by being in the fresh air and working out in the natural environment. Being active in the outdoors will deep in the connection you have with yourself others and the environment.
#10- More than likely you will adhere to a long-term fitness routine once you start being more active in the outdoors. The variety of different sports and activities is almost limitless.
Benefits of Outdoor Fitness Training
- Positive effects on body composition
- Positive effect on self-image
- Increases your energy
- Enhances motivation
- Decreasing stress and anxiety
- Can decrease the incidence of depression
- Enhances greater emotional power and control
- Improves mental acuity
- Helps prevent injuries, increases bone density
- Decrease his cholesterol levels
- Decreases incidents of type two diabetes
- Promotes social connection
- Support spiritual awakening and overall sense of well-being
- Enhance his sensory awareness
- Enhances greater sense of connectedness with the natural world