I can’t emphasize enough on the importance of performing outdoor sports. Practicing regular outdoor activities, enhances your physical performance, boosts your cortisol hormone and serotonin enabling you to be happier and fitter.
There are plenty of outdoor sports which you can choose in order to suit your needs and specific tastes you may have.
The reality is that when the weather is sunny we are just inclined and motivated to go outside and perform some sort of sport or activity. Although working out in the gym is good and beneficial for your body, performing outdoor sports in a fresh environment can also help you obtain a healthy and strong body.
Benefits Of Outdoor Sports
If you like to regularly work-out you will then understand that exercising is both good for your mental and physical health. Having said that, I do believe that performing outdoor activities also enables you to be around other people, work and improve your overall health and enjoy yourself more.
Here are some of the benefits we can enjoy from performing outdoor sports:
a) Self-Esteem
Research shows that practising outdoor sports improves your overall self-esteem. This is mainly due to the exposure of the sun and all the positive effects it has both in your body and mind. I
The sunlight exposure also improves your sleep. This is because the sun triggers your body to produce optimal levels of daytime hormones nad neurotransmitters that regulate your biological clock. One of the most powerful neurotransmitters is serotonin, which is commonly known to help bring about feelings of happiness and well-being.
Getting direct sunlight outdoors for at least half an hour has been shown to produce the most benefit.
b) Releases Endorphins
In general, when we exercise we tend to release endorphins which produce a sense of happiness and pleasure in our bodies. The cool thing about actually exercising in the outdoors, is that you usually get the benefit of performing team sports, or being around friends and love ones which leads to a further spike of this sensation, hence overall happiness. Your body and mind will thank you in the long run!
c) Physical Benefits
Exercising and performing outdoor activities will provide you with some amazing physical benefits you will actually love. The research shows that you can stay younger, longer if you have more lean muscle on your body.
Do something you enjoy! The best form of exercise is the exercise you´ll actually do. It´s difficult enough to fit exercise in with all of the things we have going on today. So what better than playing an outdoor sport we truly love and getting all the physical benefits as well?
The Best Outdoor Sports
1) Cycling
Cycling tends to be one of the most popular outdoor sports. We´ve been trained to ride bicycles since we were little kids, but as we grow and evolve we can incorporate it in our day-to-day life as an option to commute or as an actual sport activity.
In particular, this sport is great to build up your resistance, obtain strong legs and endurance. The cool thing about biking is that you can exercise while enjoying the fresh air and nature. Also, you can go for a bike with friends, head to your favorite coffee, or even design your prefer route to ensure you get to see places of your interest
Depending on your pace you can typically burn up to 400 calories or an average of 200 which is quite good!
2) Running
Running tends to be one of the favorite and popular outdoor sport for the majority of the people. There are plenty of good reasons for that, but amongst the main attributes, the fact that you can do it in a beach, outdoors, park, city, street etc gives you a lot of options and makes it easier for you to give it a go.
Another cool thing is that it doesn´t require a big upfront investment, apart from a good pair of sneakers and running gear.
I personally love it, and I find it an incredible way to get to know new places I visit. It´s a must for me, to go out for a run the minute I arrive to a new location. What a better way to get to know that place? The other great benefit, is the mental battle you put yourself with which will provide you with astonishing personal growth and overall happiness by improving day after day, week after week while you commit to this outdoor sport.
3) Fishing
Fishing is a very popular activity in North America and the great thing about is that it comes along some very interesting and great benefits for your overall health.
4) Soccer
Soccer is by far the most popular sport in the world. The last World Cup in Russia (2018) was viewed by approximately 4 billion people, that’s almost half of the world’s population! There are literally endless benefits of why soccer is such a good outdoor sport, but amongst the main ones we could name:
5) Tennis
I am a big tennis fan and I couldn’t leave it out of this list. Although it´s not a big team sport as soccer for instance, it´s a great sport which grants you amazing physical benefits, builds up your character and overall confidence.
In tennis, you need to be fit but amongst anything else, you need to have mental toughness as you will most likely be playing by yourself (if its a single) or with just one teammate (doubles).
You get to workout your legs, arms, core and also enjoy all the benefits of the sun.
Conclusion
There are plenty of other outdoor sports but this is the top list I came up with. As you may have already seen, performing outdoor activity will be most beneficial for your health, mind and soul.
