The morning air is crisp and alive, a little wild. Your feet sink into the soft ground while the breeze rustles through leaves. The chirping birds and fresh air do something amazing for your exercise routine and mood, but you cannot quite put your finger on it.
For once, your racing heart does not feel restricted by gym walls. You feel alive as it blends with the rhythm of nature around you. That’s exercise in nature, where fitness meets freedom.
Before you renew that gym contract, you might want to rethink where true fitness begins.
EXERCISING IN NATURE: WHY IT WORKS BETTER THAN YOU THINK
A study from the University of Copenhagen published in PubMed found that people walking in green surroundings recovered faster, felt calmer, and showed a bigger drop in the stress hormone cortisol than those exercising indoors or on city streets.
The key insight? It wasn’t the workout that changed – only the setting – yet the difference was remarkable. When you swap walls for wilderness and exercise in nature, your senses awake, you breathe deeper, and your nervous system relaxes.
Psychologically, participants reported more joy, less fatigue, and lower anxiety. Physically, heart-rate variability (a key measure of recovery) was up to 30% higher after walking in nature than indoors. These benefits of outdoor exercise mirror what many call “green exercise,” where exercise and the natural environment combine to improve both body and mind.
Perhaps most importantly, participants were more eager to do it again, suggesting that outdoor workouts might improve consistency, which is the real secret to long-term fitness.
“It is not new or surprising that nature is good for our health. But there has been a lack of research examining both the mental and physical effects of exercise in nature compared to the gym and the city,” says Associate Professor Stefano De Dominicis from the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the University of Copenhagen.
This article also looked into how a 50-minute walk in nature can significantly reduce stress, boost mood and mental clarity, and enhance overall well-being.
How to bring nature into your fitness routine
You don’t have to climb mountains to feel the benefits. Try these simple steps and start working out in nature:
- Swap one indoor session a week for an outdoor alternative.
- Use the terrain: sand, rocks, and hills add natural resistance.
- Explore hiking trails, nature walks, or outdoor obstacle courses.
- Combine movement and mindfulness. A forest walk or yoga on grass doubles as stress relief.
- Make it regular: even 30 minutes in nature once a week can make a difference.
The bigger picture: Why outdoor exercise matters
The gym has its place, but this study highlights something we often overlook: the environment impacts motivation and performance. For those who find indoor workouts draining or repetitive, outdoor exercise offers an energising, motivating alternative that benefits both mind and body.
Exercising in nature is a way to reconnect with yourself and your environment. If you want fitness that feels good and works better, let nature be your training partner. Step outside. Breathe deeply. Move freely. It turns out that true fitness begins in the great outdoors.
