with thanks to Gloucestershire Youth Support Team for this article
“Yet for all this, nature is never spent”……wrote the poet G.M. Hopkins.
With the current, necessary restrictions to fight COVID-19, keeping fit and physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy is more important than ever before.
Exercising in nature can confer many of these health benefits a few of which are conveyed in this
Gyms and fitness clubs are closed but our green spaces are still accessible so why not use your once daily permitted time away from home to exercise in the outdoors. Below are a few tips you might find useful.
Explore your local area
Grab a map, log into Google maps or download a smartphone app like ViewRanger, MemoryMap, RouteBuddy (only available with iPhones & iPads) or Ordnance Survey so you don’t get lost.
Download trails or make your own route up.
Find where those hidden lanes go, make and follow a route outline that looks like a dragon, or plan a fitness journey on quiet roads where you can practice hill reps, speed intervals or fartlek (look it up, not as silly as it sounds!) if you’re feeling fit without dodging people.
Dress for the weather
“There’s no such thing as bad weather; only bad clothes” as an old Scandinavian proverb puts it. Think in layers – what you wear next to your skin is most important.
Cotton will quickly get wet and chill you (Mountain Rescue refer to it as “Death Cloth” for this reason!), whilst synthetic and wool layers will help to wick moisture (sweat!) and keep you feeling dry.
Depending on the weather and how hard you’re exercising, put a warm layer and something light and windproof on top. Start off feeling cool – you’ll soon warm up – but think about if you have to stop for a long period.
Be visible to drivers
You don’t have to wear fluorescent kit with more lights than a Christmas tree, but light colours definitely make you more visible. large trucks or 4x4s may have difficulty seeing you – thinking of yourself as the invisible person trying to be seen may help . Pedestrians are most often hit when cars turn corners or a traffic light changes, so be especially careful at these places.
Connect
Hitting the beats through headphones can help motivate some people to exercise but means that you won’t be able to hear traffic or other dangers, turn them down.
Or off and…
Connect with your environment
Is that bird you hear – a Chiff-chaff or a Stonechat? (Clue – a chiff-chaff is a spring visitor and it’s call sounds like its name – chiff-chaff, chiff-chaff, until it trips over its own call; a stonechat sounds like two rocks being banged together…).
Listen to the wind whistling through your bike helmet or the sound of your tyres/feet on the gravel.
How many breaths does it take to walk 100m?
How many shades of green can you see?
What does the mud or dried leaves feel like as you pass through them?
Pick it up
“Progressive overload” is the technical term for training sessions progressively increasing on challenge as you adapt to training.
To get better and fitter, you need to challenge yourself – can you walk or run up that hill with less rests, or more weight, in a faster time than last week? Can you hold that stretch with better form and for longer?
It’s not just cardio work you can focus on outdoors – try adding resistance to strengthen muscles.You don’t have to run holding hefty rocks like a Royal Marines Commando Mountain Leader – try loading a rucksack and alternating running & walking with squats, lunges and jumps. You could use park benches or sturdy trees to replicate the exercises done in the gym.
Checkout “you are your own gym” or download the app for inspiration.
There’s lots of apps and smartwatches out there that will let you know how hard you’re working, how much recovery you need, what cadence you’re cycling at and even analyse your foot strike for more efficient running.
Without access to tech, if you’re exercising somewhere between “I can just about hold a brief conversation” to “I can just about utter a few words” you’ll get the most benefit out of your session.
Rest
Having one or two rest days – or at least lighter days is vital. It helps your recovery, prevents injury, helps prevent muscle fatigue and supports deep, healthy sleep.
If you exercise hard every day, not only will you not recover effectively, but you may find your motivation dips and your immune system isn’t as effective.
Rest is when your body adapts to exercise and repairs itself. Don’t feel guilty about taking a day off.
Have fun
Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore – find something that motivates and interests you.
A good long hike? Yoga on the grass? Bouldering? Mountain Biking? Animal Flow in the park? Dancing like you don’t care in the garden? The Body Coach’s PE class, live from 9am on Youtube every weekday morning
Boost your immune system and get a hit of feel-good endorphins in these troubled times – but please be responsible and follow current social distancing guidance #FlattenTheCurve.