Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there’s a strange irony to modern fitness. We’ve never had more… shall we say “sophisticated” ways to exercise, but we’ve simultaneously removed ourselves from the most effective workout environment: the outdoors.
You don’t actually need a treadmill that simulates a mountain climb, a screen in front of your stationary bike playing a virtual route, or an expensive membership and high-tech machines. Sometimes all you need is a pair of trainers, a bit of open space, and a reason to move.
That doesn’t mean indoor gyms are going anywhere. They’re brilliant for structured strength training, specialist equipment and getting in a session no matter what the weather has to throw at us. But we’re seeing more and more research showing that taking exercise outdoors, whether to a walking trail or your local park’s outdoor gym equipment, can add something even the best-equipped gym can’t replicate: the effects of being in nature while you move.
The Rise of ‘Green Exercise’
In 2026, “touch grass” feels less like an insult that someone’s lost touch with reality, and more like a thoughtful response to our current reality. We really do need to touch grass.
We live in a time of global urbanisation, long hours in front of screens (for work and entertainment), and little contact with the natural world. Concerns about mental health are becoming increasingly widespread.
And so, in 2025, a study was conducted. This systematic review and meta-analysis, published in the National Library of Medicine, included 15 randomised controlled trials involving 980 adults.
The study found a moderate but statistically significant positive impact on mental health among people taking part in green urban exercise. Interestingly, the strongest effects were found with some of the most accessible sessions possible: low-to-moderate intensity exercise, lasting 20 minutes or less and performed at least three times a week.
In other words, you don’t need to embark on an epic hike through the wilderness to benefit from the outdoors. A short workout in your local park should suffice.
That’s great news for anyone who thinks they don’t have the time, fitness levels or inclination for a full-scale outdoor adventure.
The Outdoors Works Out Your Brain, Too
The mental health argument for outdoor exercise is perhaps the most convincing.
We probably all know by now that exercise brings with it a better mood, reduced anxiety and depression, improved sleep, and better overall cognitive health. Wins all around. Adding nature to the mix stretches those benefits even further.
The US National Park Service, while not conducting studies themselves, have highlighted evidence that time spent in nature improves mood, relaxation, attention and cognitive function.
Even just 20 minutes in nature is enough to improve concentration and very interestingly, reduces the need for ADHD and ADD medications in children.
This isn’t actually surprising if you look at the details. When you’re at a conventional gym, there’s little to focus on besides the workout, whereas nature gives your eyes and brain something else to look at.
Trees move in the wind, birds tweet and flitter, light changes, people walk past, the terrain varies. You might notice the weather, the smell of grass or the sound of leaves under your feet.
These details, which may seem insignificant, can provide what researchers describe as a restorative environment, helping to reduce the mental fatigue that comes from spending hours concentrating on screens, spreadsheets, traffic and notifications.
So while you’re training your legs, shoulders or core, you’re also giving your brain a welcome change of scenery.
You’ll Enjoy it More, Too
There’s another advantage that’s easy to underestimate or maybe even totally overlook when thinking about exercise: enjoyment.
The systematic review and meta-analysis we discussed earlier also found that outdoor exercise was enjoyed more (by a significant margin) when the intensity was matched.
That might sound like a soft benefit compared with VO2 max or muscle strength, but it could actually be one of the most important factors of all.
The best workout is not necessarily the one that burns the most calories. It’s the one you’re willing, and maybe even keen, to do again tomorrow.
If exercising outside feels more like something you actually want to do rather than something you have to endure, you’re more likely to stick with it.
Outdoor Exercise Isn’t Just About Fun
While the psychological benefits tend to get the headlines, outdoor exercise has plenty to offer physically too.
First, there is simply the benefit of moving more. The World Health Organisation recommends that adults accumulate between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity, alongside muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days each week.
Yet around 31% of adults worldwide (around 1.8 billion people) don’t meet those recommended levels, according to WHO data.
This makes the environment in which we exercise surprisingly important. If a park, promenade or public outdoor gym is conveniently located for you as well as easy to use, exercise can become less of an “event” and more of a normal part of your everyday life.
You might walk over instead of driving and do a quick 20-minute circuit before work. You could use the equipment during a lunch break, or meet a friend for a quick workout instead of a coffee. Basically, the environment can turn exercise from something you need to plan ahead into something that just happens.
We know that fitness culture can sometimes make exercise unnecessarily complicated. We talk about optimisation, programming, recovery protocols, wearable data and marginal gains, which all have their place. But before any of them matter, there’s a more fundamental question:
Are you moving?
For a surprisingly large proportion of the population, the biggest obstacle isn’t a lack of knowledge about how to exercise. It’s making physical activity convenient, enjoyable and sustainable.
Let’s Not Forget The Social Side
There’s one more advantage that we want to bring attention to: outdoor exercise can bring people together.
A conventional gym can of course be social. But public fitness spaces naturally exist alongside other community activities. A single park might contain walking routes, children’s play areas, sports pitches, outdoor fitness stations and places to sit, socialise and snack. So, people of different ages and fitness levels can use the same space in different ways.
Research into community-based outdoor physical activity is increasingly pointing in this direction. A 2025 systematic review that covered 57 outdoor community-based physical activity intervention studies found small-to-moderate positive effects on general health and mental health. There was also evidence that these programmes increase participation in physical activity.
Train Longer. Recover Smarter. Live Stronger.
Perhaps the biggest lesson from the research we’ve discussed isn’t that outdoor exercise is magically better than indoor exercise. It’s that where we exercise can influence how we feel about exercise.
Nature can make movement more enjoyable, green spaces can support mental wellbeing, and public fitness facilities can make activity more accessible. And a workout that feels good is one you’re far more likely to repeat.
So the next time you’re tempted to look for a better gym, a more advanced machine or a more complicated training plan, take a look outside first. Your local park might just have everything you need.
