Strength training in the forest can turn out to be not only an effective physical effort, but also an interesting idea to break your training routine. By exercising in the forest, we work not only on the body, but also on the soul - the forest has a beneficial effect on our body. Find out what forms of physical activity you can practice in the forest!
Contents:
- Forest training - advantages
- Training in the forest - what to train?
- Training in the forest - use natural "accessories" and terrain
- Training in the woods - safety rules
- Training in the woods - how to dress?
Training in the forest is pleasant and useful - we strengthen our body, regenerate the body and cleanse the psyche. Physical activity in the bosom of nature is a great idea to stop the racing of thoughts, reset your head, oxygenate the body and gain new amounts of strength. If you haven't tried it yet, we have a lot of useful tips for you.
Forest training - advantages
Training in the woods has many advantages. Here are the most important of them:
1. Fresh Air
There is nothing better for our he alth than fresh air and breath! Training in the forest is perfect for oxygenating us, improving blood circulation and nourishing the entire body. The air in the forest is clean, unpolluted by exhaust fumes, so training in such an environment is the same he alth!
2. Communing with nature
Communing with nature has a salutary effect on us. The silence of the forest, trees around, peace and fresh air - it has been known for a long time that spending time in the forest allows us to recharge ourselves with positive energy, let alone the training performed there.
3. Peace and quiet
There is peace and quiet in the forest, and trees and vegetation effectively suppress all noise and sounds of the city. Such an aura perfectly affects our nervous system, which can regenerate properly. The forest climate will also be good for our psyche, and the mind will be able to take a break from the racing of thoughts and reset itself.
4. A break from the hustle and bustle
Rather, most of us live or work in the city. The hustle and bustle of the city, noise, exhaust fumes, constant pursuit of something, can turn out to be overwhelming in the long run. How to reset yourself from everyday life and break the monotony? Turn the gym into a forest and train there. It will certainly give you strength,will clear your mind and make you gain new energy for life.
5. No queues for the machines and the gym ;)
In the forest, unlike at the gym during rush hours, you do not have to queue for machines or give up some exercises due to busy equipment. As much space in the forest, as much equipment. There are enough paths, clearings and trees for everyone to do a strenuous and effective training.
Training in the forest - what to train?
1. Running
Running in the woods is a great idea. First of all, the soft forest path will prevent you from overloading your joints as much as when you run on asph alt in urban conditions. Secondly, running in the forest will be an additional training challenge - you will have many natural obstacles to overcome on your way, such as protruding branches, hills and other uneven terrain. And thirdly - the forest is characterized by fresh air, lots of greenery and perfect fluids. Running in the woods can even have a rejuvenating effect.
2. Nordic walking
Nordic walking in the forest is an interesting alternative to running or just walking. Walking with poles is made for such conditions! The choice of paths in the forest is huge, and each one will have a different level of difficulty.
3. Functional training
Functional training in the forest is a great idea. This can be simple strength training based on basic movement patterns, or heavier endurance training in which you can use nature to exercise. Branches, stumps and fallen trees can be excellent training equipment on which you can pull up, jump over obstacles or perform squats.
4. Yoga
Yoga already in its philosophy tells us about breathing, peace and striving for balance, let alone yoga performed in the forest. There is probably no better environment to practice yoga than nature. This Middle Eastern type of physical training is a medicine for body and soul. Most asanas can be successfully performed in the forest without taking a mat with you. For those who do not want to limit their training, even a thin blanket tucked into a backpack and spread over soft grass or moss is enough.
5. Picking mushrooms! ;)
This may not be professional training, but what a wonderful and useful kind of effort! Especially in the fall season, we can successfully go to the forest in search of mushrooms, and collect them many kilometers and perform a lot of squats and bends.
Training in the forest - use natural "accessories" and terrain
Training in the forest opensThere are many new possibilities ahead of us, and the nature of the effort is limited only by our imagination. Use natural forest goods and obstacles and create training equipment from them.
- Tracks
Forest paths are characterized by a great variety. They can be divided into winding, bumpy, wooded, open, etc. This characteristic means that training (especially running) can be so interesting that every time you visit the forest, you have the opportunity to try something new.
For example, winding paths are perfect for those who want to work on agility and lively running. Bumpy forest paths are dedicated to amateurs of strength training. You can not only run on them, but also do strength or interval training.
On the other hand, paths characterized by numerous obstacles will be an excellent form of fitness effort. Each broken branch, bush or fallen tree can be an interesting obstacle to avoid, where it is necessary to jump, squats, bends and push-ups to overcome them.
- Trees and stumps
The trees in the forest will be an excellent "training equipment" for strength exercises. You can pull yourself up on overhanging branches, and do push-ups or other exercises against a tree trunk. In turn, the truncated stumps can be used for various squats, deadlifts or bends. He can also treat them as steppe and perform aerobic training on them by climbing or jumping over them.
- Hills
It often happens that a forest has a very interesting and varied topography. Numerous hills and hills that are in it can effectively increase the effectiveness of training. Walking on forest hills will perfectly affect the leg muscles and strengthen the ligaments. Running on hills in the forest will also be a good idea, especially when we train for running competitions in mountain areas.
Training in the woods - safety rules
Training in the forest is completely safe, but if we do not exercise caution and common sense, it may become a potential threat to us.
1. Watch out for animals
Animals are not a threat to humans, if we are careful and understand that we - humans are guests in the forest. The forest is primarily a home for animals and we must respect that. For this reason, be careful not to run in overgrown parts of the forest, close to burrows and potential animal habitats.
2. Don't go to the forest during a storm
Training in the forest during a storm is a very bad idea. Lightning and lightning hitting trees can be for usa big threat. Additionally, if there are lakes or swamps in the area, the water can attract a storm towards them, and branches that are broken by the storm can fall on our heads and cause a serious accident. It's best to stay home during a storm.
3. Do not train at night or after dusk
Training in the woods at night or after dusk is very dangerous. First of all, it's easier to get injured then, because visibility is much worse. Secondly, animals come to life at night, and this may turn out to be a potential threat to us (especially when we cannot see anything). Training in the forest at night is only applicable during specially organized night running marathons.
Read also: Running at night
4. Watch out for mud and swamps
Especially after heavy rain or a thunderstorm in the forest, it's easy to find puddles and mud. If we do not have ankle boots, we can easily get stuck in such terrain and sprain the ankle. There are also swamps in the forest that are much less visible than puddles and therefore even more dangerous. Therefore, before we go for a training in the forest, it is worth checking the area on which we are going to run.
5. Protect yourself from ticks
As before every trip to the forest, remember to cover your body properly, preferably long pants, a blouse with long sleeves, a hat or a hat on your head. Use anti-tick repellants - suitable repellants - substances containing diethyltoluamide (DEET) that are sprayed on clothing and exposed skin, except the face. You can also try natural remedies for ticks. After returning home, be sure to carefully inspect the entire body and shake your clothes thoroughly outside.
6. Train in places you already know
You should prepare yourself properly for training in the forest. Therefore, before we start exercising, we should check the places where we will train in advance. Regardless of whether we are going for forest jogging or strength training - let's walk along the paths and take a look at the future area of our training.
Training in the woods - how to dress?
The outfit for training in the woods depends on the weather. If it's cloudy and rainy, wear a rainproof but light jacket that won't let you sweat too much. A hat will also come in handy to prevent chills. On the other hand, if the weather is good, it is worth putting on airy clothes in which we will not overheat.
In contrast, shoes for training in the forest should fit snugly to the foot and have a thicker sole with a tread that will not slip on natural ground.
If you have planstraining harder and you intend to run on less clear routes, wear rather thick clothes and wear long pants to protect your skin from protruding branches and ticks.