My friend Pam was stand in editor of her local parish newsletter and she had some space to fill. So she asked me to write 500 words on training outdoors. Here is what I came up with. Hope you like it…
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Welcome to our outdoor gym!
My name is Cerin and I’m a local fitness coach and personal trainer (www.ReesFitness.co.uk). I work at a very nice, modern gym with all the latest exercise equipment.
So why do I take every chance to train people outdoors in parks, fields, at reservoirs, in woods etc? Here are just a few reasons…
Cost.
It’s very inexpensive (or often free) to go outside and find natural alternatives.
Variety.
In just a few square miles we have paved roads, dirt tracks, bridleways, footpaths, flats, slopes, moorland, riverbanks etc. We have biked to an outcrop of HUGE boulders, climbed, crawled, scrambled and jumped all over them, played tag in a field, raced up a hillside then ridden home in time for tea. The options are limitless! And because of this variety…
It’s available to everyone, whatever the age, sex or ability.
I have trained outdoors with young athletes, busy mums and grannies and grandads who insisted they were “too old” for this. I used to train with Brian and Vera when they were in their eighties! We all know there is nothing healthier than getting out in the fresh air. And personally, I have learned so much about this wonderful place from my more mature training partners!
Transferable skills.
After moving in lots of ways, it’s simple to transfer these skills into real life. There’s not much difference between dashing up that hill and dashing to catch your bus/train. If you can scramble over and crawl under boulders, you can certainly play cowboys and indians with your grandchildren. All because you have learned to use your body. Which brings me to my next point…
We learn to use our body, not just machines.
Our body is the most complex and amazing tool/gadget we will ever own (forget your ipad, its nothing compared to your body!) If we want to use it for even a fraction of its full potential, we need to learn how to use it, not a machine. I’d rather spend time learning that my body can climb, crawl, jump, run, balance and move in a million ways, than learn that a treadmill can go faster or slower.
It opens our eyes.
I’ve seen many peoples health suffer because they have been convinced, unless they have a certain piece of fitness equipment, they can’t do anything. But once we start training outdoors, we see all the possibilities open to us. Footpaths become treadmills, rocks and logs become resistance machines, that patch of soft grass becomes our exercise mat, those trees become our climbing frame. We turned my friends horse field into our own mini assault course! Complete with hay bales, horse jumps, trailers and tractor tyres. We start to realise the power to improve our health and fitness lies in us, not some fitness gadget.
It’s gorgeous out there!
This must be the best reason of all…we are so lucky to be living in surroundings like this. Why not get out there today!
If you would like to join me training outdoors contact me through my website: www.ReesFitness.co.uk