1. Give Up or Quit

   Smoking, drinking and chocolate are bad for you. Stop now! Well, perhaps you want to give up something that you think is bad for you. This will hopefully make you feel better about yourself. Giving up smoking or binge drinking is definitely a good New Year Resolution to make, but get all the support you can if you want to succeed. Get yourself a buddy who can share the experience of giving up with you. You can give each other support and talk about how it is going.

   Buy Nicorette pathces and inhalers from Amazon

2. Fitness

   Stop spending so much time on your backside and improve your fitness. There are many who choose to join a gym. This is a costly business, and by the end of February, you may well have given up as it is becoming a chore. What you need is to use the outdoor gym. If you love being social, outdoor bootcamps will provide you with friends, fun and fitness. Go for a walk outdoors for half an hour every day. Start going for a run, slowly at first, and then build up. Go cycling. It is free, and being outside will lift your mood. The changing scenery will also keep your interest. There are also more and more outdoor gyms appearing in parks across the country.

   Buy Bestselling Fitness Gear from Amazon

3. Diets and Losing Weight

   Food glorious food. After the festive food feast, you may think it is time to shift some weight. Don’t just starve yourself. Find out about a balanced diet, and get your metabolism going. Begin to do more exercise to use up more of the calories you take in.

   Bestselling Diet Books from Amazon

4. Do something unforgettable

   This is the year that you should go out and do something that makes you feel great about yourself. Have a go at one of the amazing activities that the outdoors has to offer, from high speed driving, skydiving, or experiencing the rush of white water rafting.
   Awesome Outdoor Adventures

5. Complete a personal Challenge

   Set yourself a personal challenge for your New Year’s Resolution. It could be to run a marathon, get that promotion, or even do something you have been thinking about for a while.

   Great Challenge Ideas

6. Learn how to do something new

   There are always new things to learn, and you should learn how to do something new or different as one of your New Year’s Resolutions. Get inspiration on taking up a new hobby.

7. Travel and Visit Somewhere Amazing

   Why not travel and visit somewhere new for your New Year resolution? Travel companies are desperate to get you off travelling around the world, and January is one of the best times of the year to grab a bargain. There is an adventure out there waiting for you. These are the top 40 dream adventure trips everyone else has done.

8. Be social

   Make this year the year that you go out and make new friends. Don’t just use Twitter or Facebook, join a club, or get in touch with old friends. Spend more time with your family, or get to know people in your neighbourhood.

9. Charity and Community

   Think about others as well as yourself. You have a lot to offer others who would really appreciate your time and effort. There are lots of charities that are always seeking help, and community projects that you will get to see the results of.

10. Earn More Money

    This year is going to be a year of opportunity, so look for ways to get your cash flow into a more positive position. Get yourself out of debt and into financial stability by getting that promotion, or getting a new job. If you don’t like the desk job, there are plenty of outdoor jobs that pay well.

Good Luck With your New Year Resolutions

Whatever you endeavour to achieve this year, get all the support you can and stick at it. Things may be easy or they may be tough, but keep going. It will be worth it.

The post 10 Top New Year’s Resolutions appeared first on Active Outdoors.

But what role models do today’s teenagers have? Pop stars, footballers, and er, well, I can’t think of anyone else? You don’t get to see any of them doing outdoor activities in the wilderness.

So, perhaps you should be getting your inspiration and encouragement from a source a bit closer to home – your dad. Does your dad encourage you to spend time outdoors? Do you enjoy spending time with your dad outdoors? What makes a great outdoor dad?

I have been pondering this question lately as I watch other dads ignoring their children in the park while they lounge around looking fed up at being dragged out with the family, or shouting at them to stop mucking about when they create their own disruptive fun. There does seem to be a big disconnect between dads and their kids. Is this because they spend all of their time at work and not enough time playing with their children? Do they actually know the best way to interact?

I love the great outdoors, and as a dad I try my best to introduce my children to as wide a variety of outdoor experiences as I can . This doesn’t mean taking them on 10 mile hikes over mountains because it will do them good. I encourage them to try new activities and experiences, but it has to be fun. I provide guidance and knowledge from my years of experience as an outdoor adventurer, but also give them the freedom to learn and discover things for themselves.

This led me to thinking, “What makes a great outdoor dad?” With a lot of input from my children, here is my list of 20 things on how to be a great outdoor dad.

1. Fun – Make every outdoor experience fun.
2. Get a dog – The family will love the furry creature to bits, but it is you that has to go out in all weathers to walk the beast. Not forgetting those times when everyone else is tucked up in bed while you are out there in the driving rain and cold waiting for the little darling to do a poo. Or to come back when called, not.
3. Camping genius – Be able to put up the family tent on your own in the pouring rain while everyone else watches from the safety of the car.
4. Be adventurous
5. Be safe – Test out trees and rope swings before they do. You do have to then let them have a go though.
6. Cook an amazing meal over an open fire or on the smallest of gas stoves.
7. Stand on the touch line of the football or netball match and shout encouragement without getting yourself banned.
8. Be able to demonstrate every outdoor sport and activity to your kids and try to be better at it than them. This won’t last as they will soon learn how to be better and faster than you. No fear those kids, especially teenagers or those low to the ground. As a dad you feel the weight of responsibility for making sure you don’t break anything as you have to look after them and get and drive them all home after the holiday.
9. Come up with amazing facts. Did you know that …?
10. Do stuff with them. Don’t send them off on their own while you stay in and watch tv.
11. Be able to run or walk great distances back to the car so that you can go and pick everyone else up on the so called circular route where they are too tired to walk the rest of the way.
12. Bicycle repair man. Have a tool for every occasion and be able to fix everything, usually where over enthusiasm has led to a favourite toy breaking. Fixing bent derailleurs and twisted handlebars from unexpected dismounts. Still, at least it was the toy and not them.
13. Lifeguard on the river rapids. Keeping up with the kids at water parks.
14. Find your way anywhere. Even in the dark. Usually for finding holiday places late in the night whey of arrive down a narrow country lane. Also useful for finding your way to and from the pub when staying in new places.
15. Give their inexperienced friends important advice when descending steep mountain bike trails, such as “keep it slow and use your brakes,” only to be ignored as they know better. Good job young bodies bounce better than older ones.
16. Don’t be afraid of the dark (or anything, especially wild animals).
17. Help to develop self confidence by showing them that they can do things – assault courses and mtb single track
18. Develop independence
19. Guide yet give freedom to learn and discover
20. Enjoy spending time together. You never know how much you will have.

Have I missed anything? What is your dad like? Is your dad great outdoors? Let me know what you think makes a great outdoor dad on the Active Outdoors facebook page.

The post The Joys of Being an Outdoor Dad on Fathers Day appeared first on Active Outdoors.

I have learned from personal experience that the best way to support your mental health and wellbeing is to do any outdoor activity that involves focussing on any form of physical movement in the real world.  It doesn’t have to be physically demanding, so long as the activity uses your mind to move your body and interact with the physical world.  It could be physical exercise, gardening, making something, photography, camping, or spending time sharing outdoor experiences with people you love being with.

The different types of outdoor activities in the list below help to break that cycle of spending too much time thinking and dwelling on things without moving your body or interacting with the physical world.  The best outdoor activities I have found for boosting your mental health and releasing the tension from living in the modern world are making or repairing things, dancing, gardening, mountain biking, or learning any new skills that requires moving your body in a specific way to interact with reality.  These outdoor activities force your mind to focus on the here and now, and free your mind from those freewheeling thoughts that just lock you into a state of perpetual anxiety.  Before you know it you will find yourself totally absorbed in the outdoor activities you are doing and find that sense of calm and wellbeing you have been seeking.  But you need to find the right activity for you.

The outdoor recreational activities list will provide you with inspiration for things to do outdoors whether you are on your own, in a group, with your teens, friends or family.  If I have missed anything out, get in touch on the Active Outdoors Facebook page.

The post Outdoor Activities For Your Physical and Mental Health appeared first on Active Outdoors.

You may be thinking “Wouldn’t it be good if I could run a reasonable distance without being completely out of breath.” Well, thinking about it is the first stage. To actually get outdoors and go running needs a bit more effort.

Walking or running is a great benefit for your health. It helps your heart, lungs, muscles, and also ensures that your bones grow strong and healthy. The impact on your bones whilst running when you are a teenager has a lifelong benefit (so long as you don’t over do it). Just going for a walk for half an hour each day will keep your body ticking over to some extent.

Enough of the boring stuff, how should you get outdoors and improve your running skills? Before you go out and buy the best running shoes, you should begin by building up a bit of fitness first.

Courtesy of the British Orienteering Association

Running Outdoors

For those of you who go running on a treadmill in a gym, running outdoors is quite different. For one thing, it is much more stimulating in that the scenery changes. You also get outdoors into the fresh air. If you are fortunate enough to live in the countryside, you should appreciate the nature around you. Many people find that running outdoors is tougher than running on a running machine. Just stick with it and take it slowly. You will find that over time your stamina and pace will improve. Your body will get used to running up and down hills. Another advantage of running outdoors is that you can run away from the crowds. You don’t have to worry about how others think you look at the gym. If you are out running, you will soon pass by anyone who you think may be looking at you. At least you are doing something about caring for yourself.

Planning Your Running Route

To start running, you will probably want to work out a route. This should be fairly short to begin with, but have plenty of scope for getting longer. Your running route may start from your home or work. You may prefer to start your route from your local leisure centre where you can use the changing rooms and showers.

You can work out your route either on a map by distance, or by walking the route you want to take and see how long it takes you. I would start off with a route that will take you about 20 minutes. A very useful online running tool is the Online Pedometer. This allows you to draw a route on a map and it tells you the distance. You can work out different routes until you find one that is of a suitable distance.

Start Slowly

For those who are enthusiastic about getting your running shoes on and going running outdoors, start off slowly and build up. Too many people start running at a good pace and soon find their bodies rebelling against the sudden exercise. Cool Running have a running guide to going from doing nothing to running 5k in a gentle manner. It starts off with walking your route, and building up through jogging to running in about two months.

Keep Track of Your Running Progress

Be patient and don’t rush. You will soon find a nice gentle pace. Once you have begun, you will need to monitor your progress to see how you are improving. Work out the distance your route is, and time how long it takes you to complete your route each time. Keep a record of your running times. You can then start aiming to beat your times bit by bit. I find that it helps if you know how long it takes you to get to certain points on your running route. You can then increase your pace evenly over the whole route instead of getting in a panic to make up time towards the end because you have been going slowly at the start.

After your initial 20 minute running session, you can build up to three running sessions a week. Space these out evenly so that your body has time to recover. From there, you can work on improving your running times.

There are now lots of running apps for your phone such as Map My Run or the Under Armour app called Record has a fantastic app providing a 24/7 connected health and fitness system.

Avoiding Getting Stitches

One of the memorable things about school cross country events was getting a really painful stitch. These are usually caused by eating too close to going running, or by gulping down too much water at once. Try to leave about an hour between eating and going for a run.

Breathe Through Your Nose

Our bodies are designed for us to breathe through our noses. The nose keeps out all of the nasty stuff that floats around in the air such as germs, pollen and pollution. By breathing in and out through your nose when you go running will not only stop that nasty stuff getting in, but the effort of doing so will improve your lung strength. Some people buy a device to stick in their mouths whilst running that restricts the amount of air they can breathe in so that their lungs get stronger. Breathe through your nose and you will soon feel the benefits.

You may find that your nose runs more than you do! This is good for clearing out any lingering colds that you may have. Take water to drink when running to keep your fluids topped up, as your nose will need this to keep the lining of your nose moist.

If you suffer from hayfever, try going running in the morning or just after it has rained. There is much less pollen around

Further Information on Running

Running Magazines

• Runners World
• Running Fitness

Running tips

• Runners World training tips for beginners and racing
• 50 Best Beginner tips for running
• 100 beginner Running Tips
• Couch to 5k Running Plan

Choosing a Running Shoe

To dramatically improve your fitness and help with weight loss, try combining running with cycling. This exercises your muscles in different ways and will improve your all round fitness.

If you find that going running is having a positive effect on you, then you may decide you want to buy yourself some running shoes or trail running shoes. Don’t rush out and buy any old pair of running shoes or ones that look nice. Do some research and find a pair of running shoes that look cool and are also comfortable. There are different types of running shoes for different types of terrain, so read about How to choose the best trail running shoes

The post How to Start Running appeared first on Active Outdoors.

The mornings start to become that little bit colder and a little bit darker.  Autumn is drawing near and as the seasons change, so does the availability of pleasant weather for your favourite outdoor activities.  Students across the world are thinking about the new academic year ahead. For some, it is the first time away from home as you head for Freshers’ week at University.

For business professionals, their return to work after the summer break is often difficult.  With the holidays over and the nights drawing in, what on earth can you do to stay active outdoors?

Running is Always an Option

Running outdoors in September after work will mean having to use a torch and some high visibility clothing.  Proviz provide a range of very highly reflective running jackets in a range of styles.  You will need to supplement  this with a good running torch.  I prefer the body worn running torch that straps over your shoulder and around your chest.  The white light on the front is bright enough to show all of the roots and uneven trails as you run, with the red light on the back making you visible from behind.

Student Fun

What fun have you been up to lately? Last weekend most students will have started at college or university. Oh the memories of Fresher’s week. Meeting new people, joining the most obscure clubs and societies (which mostly involved participating in a drink or two), and generally having a laugh.

Higher education has a great selection of clubs partaking in a spot of outdoor recreation. Depending on where you are, the traditional track and field sports are supplemented by more adventurous activities such as canoeing, sailing, snow sports, mountain biking and even a few aerial activities like flying or kite surfing.

What activity clubs do you have at your college or university? Which ones have you joined? Did you join for the appeal of the activity or because of some hunk who was already a member? Thought so :o)

Fall Outdoor Activities

October brings the change of seasons, and with it the weather changes. October and November are great months for wind powered activities. Kite flying, kite surfing, sailing and windsurfing are all ideal. It is also a most entertaining time for any drone enthusiasts. Those spinny rotor gadgets just don’t cope well in wind, so be prepared for youtube vids of some epic drone fails and crashes.

The end of October also sees the start of the marketing season for snow sports. Ski shows and exhibitions pop up at the end of October, offering fantastic bargain ski holidays and discount gear. It is the best opportunity to find out what it is all about and grab yourself a bargain. This winter, the ski industry is making a concerted effort to entice more under 35 year olds to go on a ski holiday or snowboarding holiday. Across the UK, the Go Ski Go Board campaign is offering taster sessions for only £1 at ski slopes across the country. You should get together with some of your friends and make a group outing of it. If you like it, there are lots of ski chalets you can rent as a group, some even have catering included. All you have to worry about is having fun in the snow. If you want to know more, read my guide to choosing a ski holiday that’s right for you and helps you with all the things you should consider.

My ski fund is currently generated by me providing you and your friends with great ideas on outdoor activities which leads to you clicking on useful Amazon affiliate links and other ads. Thank you so much if you do. I really appreciate it, as do my teenage daughters.

The end of October means Halloween, and if you are a thrill seeker you are definitely going to want to go to one of the theme park fright nights. Theme parks all over the world put on special events during the end of October for Halloween where you can scare yourself silly by going on the rides at night in the dark! Awesome. They also put on scare mazes and other attractions that will mess with your head. I went to one last year with some friends and had a brilliant time. It is totally different on the rides at night, and such an adrenalin rush. If you are not of a nervous disposition, I highly recommend it.

I wish you well in your work and education. May you make lots of great new friends, be invited to many memorable parties, and generally have so much fun that you walk around with a huge grin.

More outdoor activities to try

The post Fall, Fashion and Finding Fun appeared first on Active Outdoors.

I have been blessed with a generally good level of fitness, probably due to walking my dog several times a day, but have always wanted to up my game. The thing is, it takes motivation to actually do it. I found that when I try running by myself I soon falter at the first signs of fatigue, usually within the first 30 metres or so. I get out of breath or my legs ache and before you know it I have slowed to a walk with the intention of running again in just a moment. Honest. Oh well, maybe in a minute or so. Oh who cares about this running lark? It requires effort that I can’t be bothered with. I’ll just have a little rest here. Maybe tomorrow.

If only I knew someone who could keep me company to go running and give me a reason for going for a run.

So it was by good fortune that one of my dog walks took me by chance past a poster in my village for a local running group. Apparently, every week a group of like minded individuals of varying abilities gather by a gate and go running together. Sounded like it warranted some further investigation, so I sent an email to the address on the poster to see if I could join in one week.

The next week I put on my old pair of trainers and was warmly welcomed by a group of about ten at the starting point. The beginners running group was led by two Athletics England qualified running group leaders. The group consisted of men and women aged between 25 and 80. I was to be starting out in the beginner’s group, running 4.2k. Sounded like quite a long way to me for my first continuous run, but the group leader reassured me that the running pace was matched to the slowest person. Looking around the group I was fairly confident that wouldn’t be me, but the next forty minutes would let me know for sure.

We headed off along the roads around two of the Kent villages, running at a nice and easy pace. Everyone was very sociable and friendly, which was perfect for taking your mind off the fact that you were actually out running. At the first gentle hill the group began to spread out, but no one was left on their own. Everyone in the group watched out for each other and even slowed to walk with those who were struggling. For those who had the stamina to keep going, the group leader would keep running for 100 metres and then they would turn back to join up with those at the back. This was a really good way of keeping the group together whilst allowing people of different abilities to keep to a pace that suited them.

I successfully completed the run with only a couple of points where I slowed down to a walk. I blame those darned hills, and being noble by keeping company with some of the slower runners who I felt needed the support. At least that’s what I told them.

The group leader congratulated me on doing so well on my first session and encouraged me to come again. I walked home feeling quite chuffed with myself. That wasn’t so bad, and the company was good. These social workouts were a real mood booster. Would definitely be back.

Slowly Building up Running Fitness Before Going Too Far

I stuck with the beginners group for about 5 weeks so as not to overdo things. This allowed my body to get used to running that distance at a steady pace. Then I moved on to joining the intermediates running group. Some of those who ran with the beginners also ran in this group, effectively using it as a warm up and giving a total distance that evening of about 15km.

You guessed it; I was now up for running 7-10k. The first coup!e of months was tiring but achievable. The pace was nice and easy with everyone keeping together, and more importantly ensuring I didn’t get left behind. From the start of each run, everyone was very friendly and conversation flowed on a wide variety of topics. The beauty of social running groups is that you can move around the group and join different conversations depending on your mood. And if you don’t feel like talking much, that is fine too.

After a few months, the intermediates group regularly completed 10k running every week. The group run was one of the best ways for 10k run training.  Each week the 10k running plan incorporated a different element that built strength and stamina.  What’s more, it was done without you really realising how much benefit you were gaining.  Before I knew it this 10k run every week was becoming fairly straightforward.  Some weeks you did struggle if you were suffering from a cold or busy week, but the running group always catered to the ability of the entire group on that evening.  The perfect tailored 10k running plan for all abilities.

During the warmer months, we ran alot more off road across the gorgeous Kent countryside. Due to the enthusiasm of the group, they also began organising informal Sunday morning runs. Using WhatsApp, the group cold also spontaneously go for small group runs by putting out a call to see if someone wanted to go for a quick 5k that evening, or perhaps a nice little 10 miler a bit further afield. I was quite content with my weekly session.

Now after regularly running for about a year now, I feel up for seeing how I fare in running a bit faster over 10k. There is a local annual event that was just begging to be entered (along with much encouragement from my fellow runners). So, we shall see how I get on in the Darent Valley 10K in May.

How Group Running Helps Fitness and Wellbeing

The biggest motivating factor in group running is the supportive social aspect. If I hadn’t found out about the local running group I doubt that I would be as fit as I am today. We humans need that reward feedback in order to do things; those biological and chemical signals telling us that what we have just done was good and we should do more of it. If you are starting out in running, you need to get that positive feeback in anyway you can to motivate you to do it again. If the physical effort is a huge barrier for you, then the social aspect, friendship and having a good laugh together really does help to make you want to go out again. After a while, you become used to the physical effort and seek to achieve more. More distance and more speed.

The variety of running routes also helped keep things interesting.

Although the beginners group used the same route so you could sense how you were improving week on week, the intermediates group always ran a different route each week. Occasionally there would be a track session to run at different paces on the flat, or hill sessions to help improve stamina (or completely exhaust you).

How to Find a Running Group Near Me

You can search for local running clubs near you on the Run Together website. It lists all of the running groups and clubs across the UK, when they go running and what routes they take. Most of the sessions are free, but some running courses that offer a 10 week couch to 5k training routine may cost.

Another great way to go running regularly with lots of like minded people of varying abilities is to go to a parkrun. Parkruns are held at locations all over the world. It is a free 5k running session at local parks at 9am on Saturdays. You get timed, and you can compare your results with people worldwide. A great way to start your Saturday outdoors with family or friends.

I can’t recommend group running enough. It made a huge difference to my sense of wellbeing and fitness, and I look forward to my weekly running sessions; followed by the post run session in the local pub.

More about getting into running:

• Getting into running
• Orienteering
• Trail running
• Adventure races and ultra Marathons
• Obstacle course Races and Tough Mudder

The post How a Social Running Group Motivated me to go from Couch to 10K appeared first on Active Outdoors.

My aim was to become more physically and mentally resilient so that I can be there for my wife and children as long as possible and live my later years with a good quality of life.  Just like the advice to take out a pension plan early on in life, most of us leave it until things become a problem.

Always take medical advice from your doctor before embarking on any changes that may impact your health.

It is never too late to make a difference in your life.  Doing something is better than doing nothing.  You have to look after yourself because when it comes down to it, no one else will.

Chronic Lyme Disease, ME and Long Covid all seem to have a common set of symptoms;

• pain,
• exhaustion,
• headaches
• heart palpitations when at rest,
• food intolerance
• anxiety, and a sense of unease or agitation
• brain fog, memory problems, difficulty to focus,
• extreme physical tension.

I think that one of the key differences though may be in relation to respiratory problems from Covid.  The UK government is funding research to find out how Long Covid can be addressed.

This year more and more people who have long Covid are saying that they have discovered the techniques detailed below to relieve their symptoms.  My belief is that the situation is initially caused by an immune system response that is lingering and perpetually exhausting the patient.  On top of that, uncertainty about their condition  causes anxiety, which leads to unconscious learned physical responses to the mental and physical stress their bodies are suffering.  There is a way to break this cycle though.  I hope it works for you as it has for many others.

Here is what I have learned.

1. REST!  SLEEP!

You are feeling absolutely exhausted, but not necessarily every day.  Some days you will feel fine, but others feel really crap.  You need to be kind to yourself.  Treat yourself as your best friend.

One of the best pieces of advice I came across was to treat each day as you feel.  If you are feeling exhausted, then take it easy.  If you are feeling OK, do a bit more, but be gentle!  You have to very gradually build up to things.  It is so easy to over do it.

Getting good quality rest and sleep is vital.  If you aren’t feeling refreshed after sleeping at night, try to avoid some of the daytime naps so that you do most of your sleeping at night.  But, if you need to nap in the day, then do so.

As you settle yourself down to sleep, think about how you would like to feel.  Imagine that what it would be like if it were possible.  You will get negative thoughts about not ever feeling well again, and that is to be expected, but you need to give yourself permission to relax and visualise the feelings associated with feeling great.  What would you love to be able to do?  Where would you like to go?  What new experience or skill would you like to have?

The key message is to take things gently.  Now is not a time to be competitive.  If you don’t do well today, that is just today.  Tomorrow is another unique day that may well be a good one for you.  Imagine good fortune finding you and following you wherever you go.  Every thing you do, however small is another little step in the right direction, as long as you keep focused on your intention of being kind to yourself.

2. Distract Your Mind from Destructive Thoughts

The most important thing I found was that however mentally strong you think you are, your mind will identify what you focus on wherever you go.  If you are not feeling 100% and that is a concern for you, your mind will just keep dwelling on it over and over and over.  Although you should seek medical advice for any ailment you think you may have, I found that giving your mind a break and stopping the perpetual destructive cycle of going over and over your problems is a hugely powerful thing.

I was advised that mindfulness is brilliant for getting away from the day to day stresses and relaxing.  Oh boy does it cause problems if you are one of those people whose minds are always going full tilt.  Sitting still and being aware of how I felt and what was happening around me was a hugely stressful experience.   Not relaxing at all.  In fact, more and more research is showing that mindfulness causes anxiety and can be detrimental to some people’s mental health.

What you need is a way to distract your mind.

Counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help with the process of getting you head in the right space. Make sure any therapy is right for you though.  Ask lots of questions.

Mindful Movement

What I eventually worked out after trying meditation and other relaxation techniques was that mindful movement worked wonders in disengaging the mind from negative thoughts and stress.  Any activity that forces you to physically interact with the real world in a focussed manner stops the negative mental cycle of thoughts.  This is because the activity requires your full attention.

Going for a walk does not help.  However, walking in a particular way does, such as walking barefoot and paying attention to everything your feet feel.  The textures of the ground, the difference in temperature of grass as you walk from sunshine into the shade, or even lovely warm sand beneath your feet.

Mountain biking is another brilliant activity for mindful movement.  Going downhill on a rooty and uneven trail forces you to focus on what you are doing or risk falling off.  Your mind doesn’t have the opportunity to dwell on any of your worries.

Stand Up Paddle Boarding is also great for focussing on reality.  It also is a great way to develop your sense of balance in the great outdoors.

Another activity that people are finding works wonders is Chi Kung; in particular the Ba Duan Jin exercises.  These exercises help your mind and body, calming the mind, stretching and relaxing the body, and helping with the circulation of you blood and lymphatic system.

3. Balance

In your later years, balance becomes a vital skill to have to prevent trips and falls.  Developing your sense of balance while you are young and maintaining it is absolutely essential for later life.  There are plenty of ways you can have fun becoming more balanced.

• Stand Up Paddleboarding
• Learn to ride a Unicycle
• Slacklines
• Skateboarding, snowboarding or surfing
• Balance boards
• Hover Boards
• Tai Chi

4. Stretching

Most of us find ourselves sitting still for a long time, either at work or watching TV.  Research has recently proven that dynamic sitting is a great way to avoid heart disease and other diseases of the more industrialised world.

Stretching is a must for getting rid of those knotted and stiff muscles, tendons and joints.

Have you lost your flexibility? When you are young you think it will last forever, but slowly and surely your flexibility and mobility creep away right under your nose.  It is all too easy when you feel stiff to decide to give the gym a miss because that would just aggravate the problem.  Perhaps you just need to sit down put on Netflix and rest up.

Like so many of us, we tend not to stretch regularly or don’t know how to stretch in a way that will maintain or improve key movement.

Do not worry though; it is not gone forever, but you need to go about stretching properly.  Too many stretches are assumed to work when they are in fact straining your muscles or making your flexibility worse.

Proper physiotherapist designed stretches that target the problem area can more than double the effectiveness of a stretch when you know how.  If you don’t have access to a physiotherapist who can advise you, I highly recommend Milo Kemp’s book Use it or Lose It.

This was an awesome and comprehensive read, with fantastic images illustrating the stretches and clear, concise descriptions on how to do them properly. It makes the case for how important it is for people to keep their mobility and flexibility, especially as you get older.  It covers:

• Stretches to manage mobility limiting diseases such as arthritis
• A routine to make the most musclebound gym-goer as flexible as a gymnast
• You will discover the reasons stretching is important you may not have known
• How to unlock your mind-body balance and the inner peace that provides
• Discover how to build on newfound mobility to live a healthier happier life.

5. Gradually Building Up Aerobic Exercises

Building up your heart and lung capacity for exercise is a good long term investment, but you must do this gradually.  Always consult your doctor before embarking on any new significant exercise regime.

The lymphatic system is part of your immune system that gets rid of the waste.  Unlike your blood, it doesn’t have anything to pump it around the body.  This is done whenever you physically move.  So you need to move enough to make sure your lymphatic system works well.

Running, Cycling, Swimming and Outdoor Bootcamps are all great for being accessible ways to improve your aerobic fitness.  I know how hard it is to motivate yourself to go running on your own and found that joining a running club really helps.  I love the social aspect of my running club.  Everyone is friendly and will chat or leave you be as you wish.  Choose a club that suits your running ability.  There are many clubs that help you to go from Couch to 5K.  At 5 kilometres you will be able to complete a Parkrun.

It is VERY important that you very gradually build up your physical ability.  It took me 3 months as a reasonably fit person who sat at a desk all day and never exercised to go from couch to 5K.  I felt I could do it quicker, but knew that I would regret progressing too quickly.  Run how you feel on the day.  Don’t run to keep up with your goals.  It is good to have something to aim for, but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get there just yet.  You will eventually with determination.

Exercising with someone is great for distracting your mind from the physical challenge.  Having a chat on a parkrun always gives me better times.  I am not an elite athlete, but I am investing in my long term health.  That is what is important.

Hill Sprints are the next level up, and are perfect for building up your VO2 Max.  This is where you find a short suitable hill and spend 5 minutes sprinting up it and jogging down it.  You should run so that you are just beginning to get out of breath.  If you find you are hauling your lungs trying to breath you need to stop and get your breath back.  Workout with how you are feeling on the day.  Some days you will be awesome, others you will be disappointed.  It doesn’t matter as long as you do something.

You can find out the science behind hill sprints and the 5 minute high intensity training approach in the BBC documentary Michael Moseley The Truth About Getting Fit

The Royal Canadian Airforce 5BX and XBX exercises are another way of improving your fitness in a controlled manner.  To ensure that their aircrews were fit, they asked doctors to devise a series of exercises that could be done daily to maintain physical fitness and health.  In 12 minutes per day, you can improve your general wellbeing without any equipment.

Aerobic exercise has been shown to support T cell response, which is a key part of the immune system.  T cells are generated in the Thymus.  Research shows that physical exercise induces a substantial re-distribution of T-cells within lymphoid and non-lymphoid organs,  which has a positive effect on lymphocyte trafficking and enhances your body’s immune surveillance and vigilance.

6. Strength Exercises

Strength exercises that use your body weight are all you need to keep yourself in pretty good shape.  Lifting irregular objects helps your mind and body by having to adjust each time to work out how to use your muscles to lift.  Gym weights are too repetitive and don’t allow your body to cope with unusual or unexpectedly unbalanced objects.

You don’t need to use weights for strength exercises.  Press ups, sit ups, chin ups and hand stands are pretty effective.  Hand stands also help with developing balance.  For hardcore strength, see if you can build up to the ultimate inverted handstand pressup!

The only equipment you really need is a yoga mat and some resistance bands.

Once again, the 5BX and XBX exercises can be used for developing functional fitness and strength.

7. Cold Water Showers or Swimming

Wild swimming is the age old practise of swimming in natural waters.

The effects of cold water on improving the immune system have been studied widely. Cold water helps to boost the white blood cell count because the body is forced to react to changing conditions. Over time, your body becomes better at activating the immune system defences.  Cold water swimming activates endorphins, which is the chemical that the brain produces to make us feel good during activities.  When endorphins are released when we’re in pain, it helps us to cope with it.

Cold water immersion (yes you can also do it by having a cold shower) causes a stress response.  If you do it on a regular basis, over time you learn to calm yourself and your breathing to cope with being in the cold water.  This has a natural effect of also triggering your responses to anxiety and stress by your mind and body being able to calm itself more readily.  Cold water immersion has also been shown to help cope with peripheral neuropathy and pain that medicines can’t always treat.

This has been experimentally proven on the BBC health series by the Van Tulleken doctor twins.  In the TV series “The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs” they tried to get people with chronic pain to reduce the amount of prescription drugs they were on by using some lifestyle changes.  The most successful techniques were from cold water swimming with a friend (on your own didn’t distract the mind enough) or tai chi type exercises.

You can find out lots more about how it all works from the book Way of the Iceman by Wim Hof .

Science has now proved that the legendary Wim Hof Method of breath control and cold-training can dramatically enhance energy levels, improve circulation, reduce stress, boost the immune system, strengthen the body and successfully combat many diseases. While Wim Hof himself has run marathons in -30oC in shorts, swum hundreds of meters under the ice, sat in a tank of ice for 90 minutes without his core temperature changing and boosted his metabolism by over 300%, this book documents how anyone can use Wim’s methods to transform their health and strength, quickly and safely.

8. Nutrition and Fasting

Long Covid and Chronic Lyme Diesease both cause food intolerance.  Histamine is apparently involved.  Once you have got over the initial infection you find that after certain meals you feel really crap.  It took me ages to work out that I needed to limit cheese, potatoes, sugar, chocolate and yeast.  A food diary will help you log what you eat and how you feel in the next 24 hours afterwards.  You soon see the pattern.  After a month or so, I was able to reintroduce them into my diet.

Eating the right nutrition for you can be a challenge at times.  Mood, money and health can impact on what you choose to eat.  Your gut is astonishingly clever. It contains millions of neurons – as many as you would find in the head of a cat. By eating the right combination of food and feeding the trillions of microbes in your microbiome, you can influence our mood, weight and immune system via the vagus nerve.

The growing consensus from research into what diet maximises longevity, the verdict seems to be a vegan core, with fish.  If you don’t want to go all in straightaway, minimise red meat, and increase your intake of fresh fruit and vegetables.  You should make the food on your plate as varied in colour as possible.  Dark green leafy veg is high in iron.  Purple fruits and vegetables are rich in anthocyanins, which are natural plant pigments that provide foods with their unique colour.  Studies have shown that anthocyanins may benefit brain health, help to lower inflammation, and fight cancer and heart disease.

Gradually increase the right foods rather than focusing on cutting out the wrong foods.  Over time you will begin to want to eat more of the right things and reduce your indulgent intake.

There is growing evidence that intermittent fasting extends life span and ameliorates aging-related diseases.  This is because it switches your genes from reproduction mode into repair/survival mode.  There are several ways to do this from only eating between 10 am and 8pm, or limiting calorie intake on one day of the week.  Take medical advice before undertaking any form of dramatic change in dietary intake.

9. Experience Awesome Beauty

Being outdoors somewhere with a spectacular view is really good for the mind, body and soul.  During the year of Covid-19, more people have been getting out to explore the countryside.  Some though don’t seem to get the idea of being outdoors just for the pleasure of it.  Fights have broken out queuing to get to the top of Snowdon in Wales as people just want to tick it off with a selfie.

Part of the pleasure and restorative quality of nature is that you can take on that physical challenge to get to the top of a summit, and then just sit there and enjoy the view.  Find your own summit rather than go for the popular ones.  Even the view of London from Greenwich Park is most satisfying to just sit and look at.

Get Out More for Your Vitamin D

We need vitamin D to help the body absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet. These minerals are important for healthy bones, teeth and muscles.  Research shows that more Vitamin D supports T Cell production, which is a key part of your immune system.

Our body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on our skin when we’re outdoors. From about late March/early April to the end of September, most people should be able to get all the vitamin D we need from sunlight.

We also get some vitamin D from a small number of foods, including oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines, as well as red meat and eggs.  Since the winter months tend not to provide enough sunlight to produce the amount of Vitamin D we need, sounds like a good excuse to spend the evenings indoors somewhere nice and cosy with some great food to share with friends and family.

10. Shared Social Experiences

Science has shown that those who have a healthy social life live longer.  That social connection helps your mind to stop dwelling on your own issues.  One of the best ways to improve any social relationship is to share an experience together.  Doing an outdoor activity with your partner will bring you closer together and strengthen your love.

Learning something new together is a great way to get to know other people better.  A great outdoor activity for teams is sailing.

11. Learn a new Skill

Learning a new skill has been shown to rewire your brain and improve your mental abilities.  If that skill involves some form of physical activity, then you are developing your entire mind and body connection.  This pays dividends in the long run.

Top outdoor skills to learn include:

1. Bushcraft
2. Navigation
3. Board sports
4. Sailing
5. Target sports such as archery, golf or shooting
6. Flying
7. Circus skills
8. Slacklining
9. Scuba diving
10. Outdoor arts and crafts

12. Gratitude

There are a variety of things that can conjure positive feelings of appreciation or gratitude that may guide you towards meaning and better health.

The Harvard Medical School provides more detail, writing that gratitude is:

“a thankful appreciation for what an individual receives, whether tangible or intangible. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives … As a result, gratitude also helps people connect to something larger than themselves as individuals–whether to other people, nature, or a higher power.”

You will come across lots of websites saying that gratitude journals are great for improving your mental health and attracting more positive things into your life.  As an engineer, I queried how that might work.  I couldn’t get used to saying “thankyou for X that happened today.”  Who or what was I saying thankyou to?  What I did find that worked was to rephrase it by saying it as ” I am glad that X happened today.” Using this framing allowed me to connect with the sentiment and led me to being able to focus on all of the positive experiences I was having.  Over time, I could see more and more of the great things that I experienced.  What a mood booster.

If you want some inspiration on things to do outdoors that will help you on your journey, the complete outdoor activities list is the best place to start.  May good fortune find you and follow you wherever you go, whatever you do.

The post Ways to Recover From Long Covid And Chronic Lyme Disease appeared first on Active Outdoors.

Finding Comfort in Winter

As things get colder, wetter and windy, I still want to be outdoors in the very fresh air.  I have over the years found some staple cosy clothes to ensure I am toasty whatever the weather.

Beanie and Bobble Hats

Hooded jackets are a very practical solution to keeping the wind and rain out.  Women seem to prefer padded jackets with fur lined hoods.  They provide that cosy feeling, and are shaped to be slimmer at the waist to show off your figure.  Boohoo, Superdry, Primark and M and M all have a good selection of stylish winter jackets.

If you don’t want your hood up though, beanie hats or bobble hats are the thing to wear.  Both types of hats are worn by men and women.  It is all down you whether you can rock a particular colour, pattern or style.

Bobble hats are sold everywhere, from Cotswold Outdoors to Etsy.

Winter Jackets

Since I walk the dog in all weathers, I have to make sure that I am wearing the right jacket to keep me warm and dry.  The winter jacket that works best for me is a 3 in 1 jacket.  This consists of a fleece inner jacket and a Goretex type outer jacket that is waterproof and windproof.  Jack Wolfskin is my favourite brand because their jackets are very effective and also look reasonably stylish.  You have to buy them at certain times of the year from Cotswold Outdoor to get a discount.  Otherwise you are looking at £200 or more.

My latest winter jacket combo consists of a ski jacket from Mountain Warehouse with an additional fleece jacket that I wear underneath if things t really cold.

Fire Pits and Wood Burners

A most pleasant way to feel toasty and warm is to sit outdoors by a warm fire.  Although a patio heater can provide some warmth, they don’t have the same visual and spiritual appeal as a real log fire.

To safely get that fire in your garden you can get a range of fire pits.  From bitter experience, my top tip is to choose a fire pit or fire bowl that does not have big gaps between the metal bars that make up the sides.  When the wood burns, if the fire brazier has big gaps between the metal bars then the burning wood falls through onto the ground.  Burns your grass or leaves marks on your patio.

I recommend getting a fire bowl, which is a solid sheet of metal.  Some come with a wire gauze cover to stop any burning logs from spitting cinders out.  If you are a camping enthusiast and your camp site allows fires, then the Fennek Hexagon portable fire pit is great.

Biolite Camp Stove that charges USB devices

For the tech enthusiasts among you, you have to get yourself a Biolite Camp Stove.  The Biolite Stove uses the heat from the fire to rotate a turbine that then generates electricity via a USB port.  Not only can you have a nice contained fire for cooking on when you are hiking and camping, but you can also charge your phone as well!

Hand Warmers

Pocket Hand Warmers come a few different forms and are ideal for taking out on cold winter adventures (or going to work) to keep your hands toasty.  You can get gel reusable handwarmers, single use heatpacks, and USB rechargeable hand warmers.

A 7800mAh long-lasting heating electronic hand warmer ensures the heat lasts for up to 12 hours. It also doubles as a backup battery for your USB devices.  It has a soft comfy surface with a curved shape that allows you to easily wrap your hand around to enjoy the warmth from across the palm down to your thumb. The lightweight and sleek design can easily fit in your pocket or stay hidden in your glove.

The last thing I want to leave you with is inspiration for the variety of different torches you can get to light your way so that you can be active outdoors into the long nights.

Pocket torches for walking the dog, glow in the dark dog collars, running head torches and chest mounted torches, and some super bright bike lights that enable you to ride your mountain bike off road in the dark.

What will you buy yourself to make your next adventure more pleasurable? (Chocolate?)

The post Making Yourself Comfortable Outdoors in Winter appeared first on Active Outdoors.

“Our Wellness Treks through the Himalayas, Pyrenees and the Lake District take a holistic approach to mental and physical well-being. Naturally, you boost fitness by hiking and you enjoy the draw-dropping beauty of the mountains whilst also allowing time to get some peace and perspective on life. The camaraderie on these treks leaves a family-feel as you share time and a magical experience together. For me, nothing beats trekking through the Annapurna Sanctuary in the Himalayas.

On our Mardi Himal Trek in Nepal we trek through the Annapurna Mountain Range for eight days. The views vary from expansive mountain and valley views, to more sheltered colourful rhododendron forests with amazing roots embedded in the paths, to formidable views above the tree line and beautiful local villages; you’ll be spoilt for natural beauty. The change in altitude creates different climates and such varied scenery. The cold nights are matched by hot days and sun catches the snow peaks in the distance. The highlights are; a sunrise hike to Poon Hill which gives you a panoramic view of the Annapurna Range where we see two 8,000m plus peaks: Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, Hot Springs in Jhinu, sunset at High Camp, the view of Fishtail (Machapuchare) as we ascend to Mardi Himal Base Camp (4,500m), and a relaxing day on the lake in Pokhara where we usually opt to paddleboard if the muscles are up for it and uncoil with a cocktail in the evening.

The physical exertion is a challenge but the point-to-point nature of the trek makes it easier as there’s no option of stopping so your mind stops battling with you and you keep going. We have porters to carry our bags but a strong base fitness and mental endurance is needed. You will feel physically and mentally challenged and finish each day with a strong sense of accomplishment. We stop roughly every 45 minutes for 10 minutes to rest our legs. These rests are needed as the trek is tough and it rejuvenated our muscles. We take a long lunch break, a great rest for the body, as our food is prepared by lovely local Nepalese families cooking us traditional food of Dhal Bhat (curry, rice, and lentils) from their kitchens. We mostly try not to drink alcohol for first part of the trip, especially until we get over the highest part, (drinking at altitude can be a problem as acting drunk matches some altitude sickness symptoms) but even on the way down you may not want to because you feel so healthy and nourished by good times. When you’ve been hiking for eight days you do crave a delicious meal and Pokhara a bit of a mecca for hungry trekkers.

Where do You Stay on the Wellness Trek in the Himalayas?

We hike for roughly 6hrs a day – 4hrs before lunch and 2hrs after – and arrive at my preferred pre booked guest house by mid afternoon for a shower and relax before our 6pm dinner. Your hearts will lift at the first sighting of our destination settlement, you’ll pass traditional mixed farming practices of veg, fruit trees and crops with animals; goats, chickens and cows. The local people are always so joyful and welcoming. Walking is still the only way to access the guesthouses on most of the route. These traditional mountain guesthouses give you the best of Nepalese hospitality; they have twin rooms, a warm dining area, traditional or western cuisine; freshly cooked for all meals, and showers and western toilets available in most of the guesthouses (except our highest one). Bedtime is nice and early, pretty much after it gets dark, (your body gets into it’s natural rhythm) and you’re so tired you will sleep like a log. Our alarms will be set for 7am, but generally you’re already awake, as we’ll be going to bed at 9pm.

I always work with Raman as our guide a he is such a lovely man. He shares with the group about how he lives his life; leading treks in the trekking season and working in his village in the fields with his family in the summer and winter when tourism is low, you’ll learn about his culture, community and family. We often play cards as a group or with Raman and porters in the evenings. It’s relishing in the simple life and back to the games you used to get so much joy out of as a kid.

We take a max of eight people – this allows myself to effectively facilitate safety and support the group whilst also being intimate enough to form deep, lasting bonds with the fellow participants who you share this extraordinary adventure with.

The mountains have a majestic power to ground one and calm the mind. I’ve had my own struggles with mental health and trekking in the mountains has always been my ‘escape’ or temporary fix, the challenge is building more peaceful practices back into one’s life back home. We also do some casual yoga classes some evenings in the mountains to stretch out the body and share a practice that you can incorporate into your everyday life back home. The shared adventure and hiking endorphins in the mountains lifts the mood and the feeling of awe and wonder for life becomes effortless. Within a few days of hiking, people feel completely different as their body starts adjusting to the surroundings and recent lifestyle changes. Hiking six hours per day in the most beautiful landscape, meditating and eating in a balanced way has the most powerful effect on one’s brain. Each day you’ll finish feeling physically exhausted but mentally rejuvenated.

By the end you’ll feel fantastic, in body and mind. You’ll look back on it as a really memorable, positive experience and it may spark a desire to explore new trekking routes and lead a more nourishing path in the future. “The sense of camaraderie was unique; there’s always something to talk about, and just knowing that you’re all in it together really helps.”

Trek the Himalayas with Bella’s Magic Mountains

Find out more about walking holidays.

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Despite all this, one demographic who are not being catered for in terms of their fitness needs are the elderly. Arguably, it is this age group that can benefit the most from regular exercise. Evidence from the NHS suggests that the risk of suffering from heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes and depression reduces significantly with regular bouts of exercise.

As well as the physical benefits discussed, the mental benefits of exercise in the elderly are also vital for one’s general health. As the saying goes, “a healthy body is a healthy mind”, and partaking in light exercise multiple times a week is a great way to achieve this, as well as adding a meaningful purpose to our lives.

For an example of how senior fitness can be incorporated successfully, we should look to the Scandinavian countries. The thinking in countries such as Finland is that a day out at the park should be for all ages. As a result, it is common to see junior playground equipment, outdoor fitness kit aimed at adults, and an area specially designed for elderly users, all located within metres of each other. The social aspect of this approach encourages group meet ups, and interactions between all ages. With such attitudes, it is perhaps not surprising that Scandinavian countries regularly score highest for their life satisfaction and happiness levels.

Types of Senior fitness equipment

There a four types of fitness equipment for seniors that provide different benefits:

1. Cardio
2. Weight resistance
3. Balance
4. Cognitive and motoric

Senior fitness often falls into four distinct categories, listed above. It is important to include elements from each group into the design of an area, to ensure users can achieve a balanced overall workout. By incorporating activities from each in a session, the benefits touched on at the beginning of the article can be achieved. It is important to locate the equipment on a solid base – as a lot of it is accessible to wheelchair users, bark or other loose fill surfaces are not always appropriate. Ensuring the equipment is positioned at the entrance to parks, and near a pathway, can also help increase participation.

Cardio

Cardio workouts are a great way to increase general fitness and well being. The heart is a muscle, and like all muscles it increases in strength with regular use. Although elderly people may not be running marathons and cycling in the French Alpes, regular cardio sessions at lower intensities still provide fantastic benefits. Exercise stations such as a seated cycle station with pedals are perfect for senior users, providing an impact free way to exercise, protecting their joints and bones.

Weight resistance

Although there are cases of body builders and athletes achieving extraordinary feats well into their 70’s, squatting, deadlifting and bench pressing aren’t appropriate exercises for the majority of people in that age group. However, its still vitally important to work on core strength, and there are numerous pieces of equipment that can help assist with this. One such example is leg press, where the user sits with a straight back and puts their legs on the nearby pedals, gently raising and lowering them for a suitable number of reps. Likewise, the back press works in a similar fashion, focussing on strengthening muscles that can assist with keeping a good posture.

Balance

Balancing becomes a vital attribute to have as we get older, with a good sense of balance helping to prevent falls that can have such a devastating impact on the elderly, and those around them. Simple balance beams with accompanying hand rails on either side can drastically improve our co ordination, and for those looking for a greater challenge, the balancing beam can be placed on a spring to gently rock from side to side, further strengthening the core muscles and stamina.

Bridges, walkways and specifically designed tracks, often likened to an obstacle course for seniors, help put an element of fun into these exercise sessions. As we all know, we are much more likely to engage regularly in something if we enjoy the activity.

Cognitive and Motoric

Cognitive and motoric skills do naturally reduce with the passing of time, but regular exercising of these functions can dramatically help keeping us more stable and aware of our surroundings. Exercises such as the finger ladder keep the signals from our brain to the tip of our hands activated.

At a slightly more challenging level, metal bars, either straight or curved, are used to glide various shapes over without touching the bar itself. Its like a life sized game of the childhood favourite game Operation, just on a bigger scale.

Indeed one thing we have noticed where senior fitness parks have been installed is how the intended user demographic are regularly joined by their grand children, providing the great social benefits that inter-generational interaction exudes.

Supporting Functional Fitness for Life

Its vitally important that society works for, and is inclusive of all members, regardless of age. A fit and healthy elderly population benefits the NHS, by preventing falls and reducing the risk of diseases mentioned earlier in the article. It allows for fun visits to the park for all of the family, and breaks down generational divisions. Most importantly though, it can be great fun for those partaking in senior fitness activities, and gives a good reason to get out in the fresh air.

With people on average living much longer than in the past, keeping people over 70 years old active, healthy and most importantly engaged with society has never been more important. Lappset provide the industry leading range of outdoor senior fitness equipment, with stylish Scandinavian designs paired with excellent built quality.

There are other forms of outdoor exercise equipment for all ages.  If you want to know more, read about playground equipment for adults and outdoor gyms for functional fitness.

The post How Senior Outdoor Fitness Parks Maintain Functional Fitness appeared first on Active Outdoors.