...I TRAIN OUTSIDE
Leave behind the comforts of your gym for the
great outdoors to really spike your mental and
physical well-being. A Parkrun, this is notMEN’S HEALTH 25
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01
RUN FOREST
Battling the elements- either in the saddle
of a mountain bike or
laced up in trail shoes - will test your energy
systems far better than
any boutique gym class,
according to multiple
studies in the Journal of
Sports Sciences. Outdoor
training stresses different
muscle groups, taxes
your cardio system for
extra endurance and
earns you a higher calorie
burn per minute.
03
TAKE THE
PLUNGE
Now, descend from
the heights and take to
the wild (and freezing)
waterways of Great
Britain. According to
research published in
Free Radical Biology
and Medicine, regular
cold-water immersion
helps to float your body’s
levels of glutathione,
an antioxidant that
works to maximise the
performance of other
antioxidants, reducing
your risk of heart disease- man’s biggest killer.
02
HIGH FLIERS
Another study in the
same journal found that
climbers who ventured
above 3km experienced
a mental boost following
their ascent. So, adventure
beyond rolling hills and
aim really high: you’ll
be rewarded with a flood
of feel-good hormone
dopamine and memory-
boosting noradrenaline,
sharpening your mind while
leaving your anxieties at
the top of the mountain.
Just don’t look down.04
BRIGHT
FUTURE
The more time you
spend adventuring
outdoors, the greater
the impact on your health.
Research in the British
Medical Journal suggests
that the increased level
of sun-induced vitamin D
from adrenalin-fuelled
training may reduce your
overall cancer risk by a
fifth. It might even slash
your liver cancer risk by
up to 50%. That post-
workout beer by the
barbecue has never
seemed more deserved.05
SECOND NATURE
Training under open skies
should be more than just a
summer fling. Make the great
outdoors your long-term
gym floor and it’ll have
crossover benefits for your
fitness as a whole, increasing
your appetite for exercise
and helping it feel like a
pleasurable habit, not a chore.
A study in the International
Journal of Behavioural
Nutrition and Physical
Activity found that those who
exercise outside squeeze in
an extra half-hour of activity
each week. All this for the
membership fee of exactly £0.0105030204A
08
NATURAL
WHAT HIGHSHAPPENS
WHEN...
TURN OVER A NEW
LEAF TO ENJOY WILD
FITNESS BENEFITS