I don’t know about you, but every spring I get this sudden urge to trade my gym membership for the great outdoors. I’m a self-confessed fair-weather exerciser, so after being cooped up inside all winter, the lighter mornings and budding flowers feel like precious opportunities I don’t want to miss.
This year, though, that pull feels stronger than ever – and, apparently, not just for me. A survey of over 9000 people by outdoor events provider, Massive, found that 89% of us plan to take part in the same, or more, outdoor events this year. At the same time, the Global Wellness Institute has reported a cultural backlash against overly optimised, tightly-tracked movement. And with the British Heart Foundation finding that joy is the number one fitness goal for a quarter of us this summer, it seems that what we’re craving is an injection of freedom and fun into our exercise routines.
Still, as a health writer, I can’t ignore what we might be giving up by leaving the gym. The benefits of resistance training cannot be overstated, especially for women, with research consistently demonstrating its role in preventing conditions like osteoporosis. There’s also our cardiovascular fitness to consider: markers like VO2 max are one of the best predictors of longevity, and are much easier to monitor when hooked up to a treadmill or spin bike.
Article continues below
All of which led me to the question: what would happen to my fitness if I pressed pause on my wearable and said goodbye to my gym sessions, at least for a short time?
To find out, I spent a month exercising exclusively outdoors, filling my weeks with padel games, hikes and runs, and even getting back on a horse for the first time in nearly six years.
To discover how my mind and body changed over the four weeks, read on. And if you’re after more alternative exercise inspiration, head to our guides to the best simple home workouts, the best home workouts for beginners and the most effective home workouts of all time, all of which can be done from your garden. Love a YouTube format? Don’t skip the best YouTube workouts and the best YouTube workouts in under 10 minutes.
I Replaced the Gym with Fast, Fun Outdoor Workouts – A Month Later, Here’s What I’ve Learned
What constitutes an outdoor workout?
When you think of a ‘workout,’ I bet your mind jumps to an exercise class or an organised gym session. Is there an instructor leading you through the moves, and does everyone follow in unison?
You’re not alone, and this has become the dominant form of exercise over the past few decades. But it’s not the only effective way to move. In fact, an outdoor workout can be any form of physical activity that takes place outside the confines of a gym or your home. Preferably, it will raise your heart rate somewhat, as this is what strengthens your cardiovascular system – but the way you do that could look different for everyone. It could be swimming in open water or an outdoor pool, cycling or hiking with friends, running on a trail or road, or booking a local padel or tennis court.
What’s interesting is that these types of activities lend themselves just as well as any gym session to triggering the release of feel-good chemicals in our brains. Research backs this up, with one study finding that swimming for 30 minutes significantly increased serotonin levels – our brain’s natural mood stabiliser.
What are the benefits of outdoor workouts?
Of course, from a purely physiological standpoint, you could trigger a similar endorphin release whether you exercise indoors or out. The real benefit of getting outside, says Dr Suzanne Hackenmiller, Chief Medical Advisor at AllTrails, is the way that nature influences our nervous system.
“Research shows that green spaces naturally activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which is your ‘rest and restore’ state,” she says. That’s in contrast to many gym environments, which, thanks to their “loud music, bright artificial lighting, mirrors, and performance metrics, can keep you in a more heightened, ‘fight or flight’ state.”
She reminds us that “fight or flight” isn’t inherently negative. In fact, short bursts of it are part of a healthy stress response. The issue arises when it becomes our norm. “Many of us are already spending much of our days in these highly-stimulated environments,” explains Dr Hackenmiller, who says that using exercise as an opportunity to step away from that intensity can offer the nervous system a valuable reset.
“In nature, breathing tends to slow, cortisol levels can drop, and the body begins to feel safe again,” she explains. “When you combine physical movement with a natural environment and varied sensory input, you’re getting a triple benefit.”
Who are outdoor workouts best for?
One of the beauties of exercising outdoors is that it removes barriers many of us feel towards exercise. Whether it’s the cost of a gym membership or the very real (and common) intimidation factor, moving outside on your own terms, whether solo or with friends, takes away these pressures.
“Outdoor movement is for everyone, whether you’ve fallen out of love with your gym routine, you’re new to exercise, you have a high-pressure job and need some decompression, or you simply want to tap into the benefits of being in nature,” confirms Dr Hackenmiller. Crucially, she adds, it can shift how exercise feels: “When movement feels like play rather than a chore, it becomes something you want to do, not something you have to force,” she explains.
That shift is particularly important if your relationship with exercise has started to feel overly rigid. Certified running coach Liz Newcomer notes that exercise burnout can happen to anyone, and isn’t limited to one level of fitness. “The outdoors offers a chance to step away from data-heavy targets, soak up some vitamin D and simply enjoy moving, without something, or someone, dictating how you do it,” she explains.
Are there any risks to giving up the gym for outdoor workouts?
It would be wrong of me not to mention the benefits the gym offers, particularly when it comes to structured strength training. The access to equipment makes it easier to progressively overload your muscles (a key principle for building strength) and to track improvements through measurable increases in weight, reps or speed. “The ability to lift heavy weights in the gym is a skill that’s unfortunately hard to find in the outdoors,” says Newcomer.
That said, Newcomer maintains that outdoor exercise can still build meaningful fitness. “We tend to downplay activities like hiking or trail running, because we assume they’re less intense,” says the coach. “But climbing hills and navigating uneven terrain can be incredibly demanding, and you can build a lot of fitness that way.”
It’s why, long term, it’s less about choosing one over the other and instead, about finding balance between the two. Outdoor workouts can support cardiovascular fitness, mental wellbeing and functional movement, whilst some form of resistance training remains important for building muscle and bone density.
If you’re wondering how to strike the balance, Dr Hackenmillar has some advice. “Try swapping one gym session a week for a walk outside, or exploring a new trail nearby,” she suggests, adding that it might be wise to leave your headphones at home, in order to be fully in the moment. “Research has found that even 10 or 15 minutes of being fully present can shift your mood,” she explains. “Follow your curiosity by taking a new route, stopping when you want, and noticing your surroundings.”
I Worked Out Exclusively Outdoors For Four Weeks – Here’s How My Fitness Changed
Weeks one and two
Generally, I’m a big believer in balance and rarely advocate a full overhaul of routine. But having grown tired of the gym, of tracking everything and moving in ways that felt like a chore, I knew that I needed a proper reset. I wanted to bring some fun back into it, which is why a full month away felt necessary for me.
After pausing my membership, I thought about how I wanted my weeks to look. Exercise is essential for my mental health, so I didn’t want to do less of it. I just wanted to approach it differently for a while.
I’m currently living at home with my Dad, so on day one, my stepmum and I headed out early for a run with her dog. Aside from the run club I host on Saturdays, running is usually a solo activity for me, and is often focused on just ‘getting it done’. But that first morning felt completely different. We chatted the whole way, didn’t track pace or distance, and followed no set route, just heading out for around a short half an hour. I came back feeling more refreshed than I had in months; my mood noticeably better for the rest of the day.
That run quickly became a routine for both of us. We started looking forward to it, sometimes heading out even when we hadn’t planned to. It’s the most consistently I’ve run in months, largely because it stopped feeling like an obligation and started feeling like time I genuinely wanted to spend clearing my head.
Towards the end of week two, I had a rare free Sunday. A friend invited me on a group hike with people I hadn’t met before. Normally, I’d have defaulted to a Pilates class or the gym, but this felt like a better fit for what I was trying to do.
I wore a small backpack (this one from lululemon for those wondering), which added a bit of resistance, though admittedly I could have loaded it up more. Though the hike wasn’t super intense, it was a reminder of how effective walking can be. Hills and uneven terrain tested my strength, balance and endurance, and by the end of the three hours, I was definitely tired, but at the same time, energised. Meeting new people and spending time in a new environment had left me feeling more creative, inspired and connected. The next day, my legs were sore – not in the same way as after a gym session, but enough to know I’d worked them.
(Image credit: Ash S)
Weeks three and four
Before the break, I thought I might miss the gym, but by week three, I wasn’t in any rush to go back. Exercise was feeling more social, varied and less pressured, and I was enjoying it far more. I also hadn’t noticed any significant changes to my body or day-to-day strength, but of course, I wasn’t measuring it in the same way I would in the gym.
What I still felt was missing, though, was something more playful. So I booked a padel court with a couple of friends. We went to Padel Social Club in West London, which has a relaxed, social atmosphere, plus a recovery space with a cold plunge and sauna.
(Image credit: Ash S)
I’ve always enjoyed cold water, and doing the cold plunge with friends made it even more fun. One of them was new to padel and, without any prompting, said she understood why people love it because it feels like a more enjoyable way to work out. That really summed it up. You’re so focused on the game that you barely register the exercise. The coordination element keeps your mind engaged, too, and for that hour, I felt properly present, something I rarely experience when I’m constantly checking my phone mid gym session.
Towards the end of the month, I set myself one last challenge. My dad is an equestrian coach, and I grew up riding, but I hadn’t been on a horse in nearly six years. I booked a short session with him and, unsurprisingly, felt rusty. The next day, my core and inner thighs were sore, reminding me just how differently different forms of movement recruit your muscles.
The verdict:
Over the month, I didn’t notice any major changes to my overall fitness. If anything, my running felt stronger, and my strength felt fairly comparable to where it was before. Over a longer period, that would of course shift, but in the short term, it wasn’t significant.
What did change was my mindset. After months of feeling bored and burnt out, I felt re-energised. Bringing in more variety, fun and social connection made exercise feel enjoyable again, rather than something to tick off a list.
I will go back to the gym, as I want a structured approach to maintaining strength and supporting my long-term health. But it won’t be my only focus. I’ll keep running, hiking and playing padel, and I want to keep trying new activities too.
So let this be your reminder: exercise doesn’t always need to be rigid to be effective, and for me, variety feels key to maintaining a routine that actually lasts.
Shop MC-UK approved outdoor workout gear now:
lululemon All Rounder Backpack
This little backpack is the perfect thing for day hikes. The chest straps and back panel distribute the weight of the 10L capacity evenly, so you’ll never find yourself with a sore back mid-hike. It looks chic too, making it the perfect accessory to any gorpcore look.
Speedo Sculpture Butterfly Back Swimsuit
If a trip to the pool or your local open water spot is on your outdoor workout agenda, then a proper swimsuit (rather than the bikini you use for sunbathing) is probably a good investment. I’ve been a Speedo girl since my swimming lesson days, and this training suit is a great all-rounder.
What’s that saying – all the gear, no idea? Well, that pretty much sums up my love for these padel rackets. As much an accessory as a piece of equipment, their pastel coloured range is made from lightweight carbon fibre, making it easy to move around the court.
