The physical responses—like heart rate and V02 max, or the amount of oxygen your body needs to keep up with your workout—were similar whether the participants were walking on the treadmill or outdoors.
But when they exercised outside, they reported a more pleasant mood. And even though they walked faster and covered more distance outside, they reported feeling less exertion than when they walked indoors—meaning they didn’t feel like they were working as hard. They also reported a greater desire to complete the workout again in the future. (Want to build muscle and burn away the fat covering it? Try The 21-Day MetaShred from Men’s Health.)
Outdoor walking is flat-out less tedious than slogging away on the treadmill—external factors like the weather, birds, and sounds could help distract you from the draining effects of exercise, like feeling tired or bored, the researchers believe.
Mountain Climber / Uphill Sprint / Downhill Backward Walk:
Now, the study was performed on obese women, so it’s not clear yet whether the same effects would hold true for guys, or for people doing more intense cardio—think jogging or running instead of walking.
But if you’re finding yourself dreading your cardio days, it can’t hurt to take some time away from the gym and bring your workout outside instead. Here are 3 outdoor workouts that are better than running.
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