My article in canfitpro Magazine made the cover this month! So exciting! Check it out….

Training in nature is like making an extra $20,000 a year

Happiness Effect of Being Outside
Studies in Ontario showed that spending time outside or simply living where green space was in immediate sight contributes to elevate someone’s mood and decrease their stress level, as much as a twenty thousand dollar raise in salary would.

The Science Behind ‘Fresh Air’

Outdoor space contains electrically charged particles, created when the air molecules come in contact with sunlight and water. “Fresh air” basically means air that is fully charged, unlike the air inside an air-conditioned gym. As we exercise through these ions present outdoors, we become more alert, gain mental clarity, and elevated mood.

“…exercising in front of a window
where you can see trees and green space
increases positive brain function.”

Measuring stress hormone behaviours when sweating outdoors, also showed an increase in performance. A Japanese study at Chiba University showed the di erence of people walking in city centers vs. in the forest. The later showed less cortisol (stress hormone) and lower blood pressure. Even a fteen minute walk in the woods causes measurable changes in physiology. Of course, being outdoors also boosts your Vitamin D level.

Outdoor Training

Find a way to take your clients outdoors. Not only does it provide variety, but it also generates higher levels of endorphins. Find an outdoor area, a tree or a small piece of grass, where you can run to as a warm up or a final sprint. Use this space for the after-session stretch.

Use the bleachers or soccer goal posts in a nearby sports eld to attach your suspension trainer or tubes. Use the stairs to run up and down, and use the ramps for pull ups. Carry empty gas tanks and ll them up with water at an outdoor foun- tain for added strength training. Use park benches for tricep dips and decline push- ups. Carry jump ropes or heavy chains to pull behind them in the grass as they come up and down a slope.

In the summer, if you are close to a beach, or when your clients travel down south, put together a program for them to do right on the beach. There’s nothing worse then going to a tiny indoor gym when you are on holidays by the ocean. My husband and I have a great workout on the beach as we race each other carry-
ing a lounge chair, we lift the chair as a dead-row while the other sits in it, we lift the chair for overhead presses, use it for decline pushups, tricep dips, jump overs, etc. Imagination is the key! Make sure
you carry your business cards with you as the people around you will be inspired and intrigued. Take advantage of this free marketing opportunity!

Can’t Get Outdoors?

Neuroscience research also shows the di erences in the brain when looking at images of cities. The brain sent more blood ow in the amygdala part of the brain (where fear generates). Instead, when looking at scenes from nature, it was the anterior cingulate and the insula that were owing and lit up. These areas make us calmer, nicer, and generate empathy. Therefore, exercising in front of a window where you can see trees and green space increases positive brain function.

If you are restricted with outdoor options and must stay inside, position yourself strategically in the gym. Brighter lighting will have a positive effect. Stay away from television monitors. Position your client facing the windows, if possible. Train them in front of pictures of nature or around green and blue colours.