New: Using Trees to Support your Fitness Goals

Using Trees to Support your Fitness Goals

So you would like to be a healthy, fit person. Perhaps you already work out at the gym regularly, or keep active by running, cycling, or other physical activity. But did you know that you can use the power of trees to help you achieve your health and fitness goals?

Yes, it may sound peculiar, but there is an untapped potential of trees and their benefits to our mental and physical health that the vast majority of people completely overlook.

A person may not even need to improve their fitness regime or over-exert themselves in order to see a measurable improvement in their health and therefore their quality and enjoyment of life.

As human beings and creatures of Earth, we are drawn to the outdoors and become less-than-optimal when we confine our existence to indoor and man-made spaces. After a long period of spending time inside, our natural inclination tells us to "get out" and we understand that we must take this "step" in order to improve our mental and physical health. No one tells us this, we just know.

For instance, a dog that is confined to the home and rarely goes outside for a walk becomes depressed and withdrawn. Not only that, the dog becomes physically unhealthy, leading to obesity and heart disease. Why do we believe that this is any different for humans? It is exactly the same. We feel just the same detrimental effects to our mind and body when we prevent ourselves from having enough outdoor activity in our lives.

The indoor gym can be a wonderful space to work out your body and enjoy the different ways to push yourself to new levels. The correct exercise machines and weights are essential in being able to fully take advantage of the conveniences of the modern day to improve the state of your life, now and for the future.

But one should not assume that simply spending time at the gym is the best way to improve their mental and physical health. In fact, excessive time spent in the indoor gym is a sure-fire way to feel withdrawn from society and lose motivation, since a person is not spending time in new surroundings and experiencing the world as it happens.

Therefore, any good health & fitness regime should strongly advise followers to spend sufficient time outdoors, specifically around trees, in order to advance their fitness goals and be able to fully achieve a state of mental and physical wellness.

Trees Support Your Physical Health

Motivation to Exercise

A woodland, park or tree-lined route turns going for a walk / run / cycle into an activity with something to explore. This can help to motivate a person to do their exercise outside rather than on a treadmill, enabling them to enjoy the colour and sunshine and to witness the happenings of the world.

A person could choose to alternate between different locations for each time they go outside to exercise, allowing for a varied schedule rather than going on the same route every time. This will the brain's dopamine reward circuitry, responsible for making us happy when we experience new places and motivating us when we have something new or unexplored ahead. Areas with trees are some of the most accessible, easiest to find spots to do exercise.

If you find yourself thinking "I need to do 45 minutes of exercise", it can feel like a chore. But if you think of it as "I'm going to walk through the woods and see what's there", you will be much more likely to actually want to do that activity - and enjoy it more!

Add Extra to Your Workout

After a session at the gym, consider walking, jogging, or cycling, rather than driving home. The exposure to trees and natural surroundings can be very beneficial for your mental and physical health.

Firstly, scientific studies show that the improved air quality around trees (they filter pollutants and particulate matter) helps to reduce the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular disease - of course, both the lungs and the heart are crucial for fitness and being able to maintain healthy exercise into later life. Therefore, it should be considered important to make an effort to spend some time in the close vicinity of trees to be able to reap these important benefits.

Secondly, it has been shown that spending considerable time around trees is associated with lower rates of asthma and chronic lung conditions - again, it is crucial to avoid these ailments to be able to maintain a physically fit and healthy lifestyle in the future.

Create Structured Workouts

You can use trees as landmarks for structured workouts, turning a park or woodland into an outdoor gym without needing any equipment. After spending time in a park or woodland, you will come to recognise particular trees within that area. They may even be tagged/numbered for added convenience. You can use these trees as markers, for example: "brisk pace until the oak, easy pace until the next junction".

For example:

Easy day
- 45–60 min relaxed walk through the park.

Aerobic day
- 10 min walk to the big oak tree.
- 30 min circular jog around the forest.
- 10 min walk to the willow tree and back.

Hill day
- Walk brisky uphill to the big tree at the top.
- Recover downhill.
- Repeat.

Strength day
- Walk between marker trees and perform bodyweight exercises at suitable points in-between.

Ultimately ...

Trees create an enjoyable environment in which to exercise, encouraging a person to spend more time outdoors doing physical activity. Their enjoyment of the activity will result in greater consistency, and ultimately improved fitness and general health. We hope that you will incorporate this practical advice into your regular fitness regime for the benefit of your mental and physical wellbeing.

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