Spring Is the Best Time of Year to Take Workouts Outdoors

Since winter is behind us and the outside world is literally blooming, why coop yourself up in a gym to get your endorphins pumping? There are numerous benefits associated with getting your daily dose of exercise in the great outdoors, whether you hike, bike, walk, or run. The possibilities are almost limitless!

The following suggestions, backed by science and research, will help motivate you to take your workouts outdoors.

Just Get Outside!

Studies show that you’ll work out harder outdoors, and for longer periods of time with less fatigue when you exercise outside.

There are also several mental health benefits to grabbing some sunshine. A study by PNAS shows that, for some people, urbanization is responsible for mental illnesses, such as depression. Since roughly half of the world lives in cities, we must make conscious efforts to break the concrete landscapes and venture to parks and other areas more engulfed by Mother Nature.

Outdoor exposure is extremely promising for long term physical health, aside from the obvious fact that exercising keeps your muscles in shape. Outdoor activity is beneficial to heart health and has been linked to lowered blood pressure.

Furthermore, being surrounded by dense forest may help fight certain types of cancer by boosting the body's natural cancer fighters. This is caused by people inhaling phytoncides while they are outside, which are aromatic substances that plants naturally produce.

A Cheaper Alternative: Try New Outdoor Activities

Gyms are an option, but lets face it: most are pretty expensive. For many people, working out in the great outdoors can save a lot of money. If you consider yourself to be a gym rat, it may be time to step outside. There are so many possibilities for free outdoor workouts, many of which are likely new to you!

• Ride a bike: Simplicity at its best, the nostalgic feelings of riding a bicycle are hard to beat. Whether riding a road bike, mountain bike, or something in-between, just get to pedaling whichever suits your needs!
• Surf this Spring: While the sport is typically associated with summer, many people enjoy surfing in the springtime. Be sure you have the proper equipment. Also, consider surfing lessons—or at least read over some surfing tips for beginners if you are new to catching waves.
• All the sports: In addition to surfing, there are nearly countless outdoor sports to choose from. Among the best are sports that don’t require a whole team and are easy to for anyone to pick up. Consider tennis, rock climbing, or trail running this spring!
• Mellow workouts: If you’re seeking a more chill outdoor experience, but still want to burn some calories, there are plenty of options. Recently, I went agate hunting on the Oregon coast for the first time and was blown away at how sore I felt from it. Then I thought about the fact that I had been walking along the rocky coastline for hours and bending up and down literally hundreds of times to inspect shimmery stones. Simply put, find an outside activity that you actually enjoy—strive for a relaxed activity that motivates you to get out there!

Exercise by… Gaming Outdoors?

The mobile game Pokémon Go swept the world last summer. Practically every millennial and their dog downloaded the game, in which players must physically walk around in order to find creatures to collect and battle.

In case you aren’t familiar, the mentioned game is an example of mobile augmented reality. This means it uses player's smartphones as an interface for the outside world. Basically, players’ reality is slightly skewed through smartphones and their cameras. Little critters pop up in random locations like hiking trails, restaurants tables, and even in bathrooms!

An insightful article by ReportLinker states that “three quarters of Americans agree that Pokémon Go helps put an end to the couch potato epidemic,” as the game involves walking in order to find the creatures to capture and battle.

There are also plenty of other exercise-centric video games are out there. If you don’t fancy Pokémon, but are seeking a gamified workout routine, you’re in luck! This type of video-game-fueled exercise has been around for years, so there are plenty of ways to game while you burn calories.

While Pokémon Go has certainly become the most popular video game to promote exercise, gamified workouts aren’t all that new. The major gaming consoles have been promoting these types of games for years, through Wii Fit games, the Xbox Kinect, and the Playstation Move.

Here are some additional games and apps that promote outdoor wellness through gamification:

• FitRPG is an app that turns your FitBit into a role-playing video game.
• Zombies, Run! is a running/adventure game where zombies chase you.
• Superhero Workout is a workout game with the motto “heros aren’t born, they’re trained!”
• Pact involves keeping others in check by using small fiscal rewards for completing goals.
• Geocaching is similar to a scavenger hunt, but with some puzzling additions, integrated GPS mapping, and the occasional small prize.

No matter how you do it, getting outside this spring is certainly advantageous of you. It can be as simple as collecting rocks while walking along a beach, or as intense as a day long mountain biking trip.