5 reasons I do my training out in nature

5 reasons I do my training out in nature

It is proved and tested that a walk through nature can relieve anger and tension. It just seems that we belong in natural surroundings and need them to stay healthy and balanced.
When I go out to work out, I never stay in one place all the time. I tend to move around for different parts of my session.

I feel that this is fully natural. And whatever my work-out, this moving in nature will always allow me to leave any concerns behind.
My mind will become clear and receptive and I feel emotionally balanced.

Being in and moving through nature, I very soon have this sensation of being especially grounded and rooted. I become very centred and at home within my self and in nature. This being centred and rooted, my mind without worry, my emotions balanced and flowing, opens the space for creative vision and inspiring. It’s out in nature that I am inspired to live my passion and have the clarity to see how to do this.

The beauty of diversity. Unlike working out in a gym, a work-out in nature is always varying. The way I work out varies constantly anyway, so that I gain as much all round fitness as possible. But doing it all in nature, it is impossible to do the same work out twice. It’s always going to be different. With every step I take, barefoot or in minimal shoes, my body has to adapt to the surface and bring it’s self into alignment. Every time I carry a heavy log, weight-lift with rocks, climb a tree, balance over a log, it’s going to be different than last time.
Even the weather conditions are a great variable, temperature, wind speed and light, all these and more influence my body, my mood and my work-out.

Then, of course, there is the health factor. Even just constantly exposing my-self to different temperatures and weather conditions while I work out, is training and boosting my immune system. I’m getting more oxygen and breathing healthier air than being in confined space. I’m loading vitamin-D by spending lot’s of time in the sunlight. Reasearch in Japan suggests that nature time, especially when spent in the forest regulates our metabolism, boosts our immune system as well as relieving stress and anxiety. It seems that a big part of the effect might have to do with our body’s natural reaction to the smells of the tree resins, like in aroma-therapy.

Last but not least, the sum of all resolves in an all over enhanced body coordination and balance, greater awareness and being rooted and centred. All this makes me less prone to injury and accidents in every-day life. Because of the constant need to adapt to new training situations, I train my mind to stay receptive and flexible. This also pays off in every day life.

Get outside and move to your roots!
wild-horse 09/2015