Although the word “biophilia” sounds like the name of a disease or phobia, it actually refers to a very positive idea. It refers to the innate connection of the human being with nature and its manifestations of life such as plants and animals, and the beneficial impact that being immersed in a living and natural environment has on our health, emotions and mind.
This love or hobby for life and nature, rooted in our instinct for survival and evolution as a species, explains our need to be in contact with other living beings and ecosystems in order to feel in peace and harmony, according to specialists.
It also explains the well-being and serenity that comes from having indoor plants or a garden in our home or walking through a park and breathing in the fresh, open air, they add.
This human connection with “everything natural and living” is applied in architecture and landscaping, to design environments and constructions that incorporate natural forms and elements, and for therapeutic purposes, for example, through Japanese “forest bathing.” consisting of exploring a forest environment and immersing yourself in its atmosphere with the five senses.
And now biophilia has also reached the sports field, as doing physical exercise in green spaces became one of the main training trends in 2023, according to the online health site HealthNews (HN).
A biophilia workout combines our desire to be in nature and the impulse to move our body, they say.
It is an activity different from simple outdoor exercise, such as jogging or cycling, which we can sometimes do on the paths of a neighborhood park or a nearby forest, but at other times on cement tracks, streets or circuits in a clearly urban environment.
The calming effects of the mind, regenerators of the body and regulators of the nervous system, produced by contact with nature in a large open space, breathing the fresh and clean air of that place, are enhanced when combined with body movement, according to HN.
In addition to the feeling of “connection with something bigger than ourselves” that the natural world generates, doing physical exercise in a green space helps reduce stress, improve lung oxygenation, increase well-being and reduce inflammation and also has effects positive in memory, cognition and organic defenses, according to different studies.
Movement and nature
The day of the week when most outdoor sports are practiced, such as cycling or walking through nature, is Sunday, while other sports activities such as running are preferably practiced from Monday to Friday, especially on Tuesday, according to a report from the health and beauty platform Nutritienda, NT.
“Outdoor sports practice has increased compared to the years before the pandemic. The activities that have increased the most are hiking, walking in the city, running and cycling. This has had a positive impact on the population, which has gained in health and quality of life,” explains Noelia Suárez, communications director of NT.
Some research suggests that exercising outdoors in nature allows you to train for longer, which HN says can translate into more repetitions of an exercise, longer runs, and stronger workouts.
Although the physical result of indoor training does not differ much from that carried out outdoors, the mental effects of training in a green environment are significant, increasing social interaction, attention paid to exercise and the probability of continuing training, according to a study. scientific study.
With more and more people exercising outdoors, some gym chains have joined the biophilic trend, offering their users a variety of outdoor classes (dance, gymnastics, yoga) and hiking excursions specially designed to improve physical fitness. .
There are also sports clubs that offer HIIT workouts (high-intensity exercise sessions interspersed with periods of low-intensity exercise or complete rest), in local parks, with dumbbells and weights, according to HN.
The rise of this trend in Europe has prompted research to determine which are the best countries to train outdoors in the warm months, taking into account factors such as average temperature, wind speed, pollen count in the environment, the level of humidity and the number of hours of sunlight.
The study by the online platform Live Rugby Tickets, LRT, found that Spain, France and Italy respectively occupy the first three positions among the most suitable European countries for exercising outdoors.
They are followed, in fourth place, by Germany, which has the highest number of hiking routes (35,092) of the 28 countries analyzed, and in fifth place, Greece, with the highest average temperature (22.73 Cº), according to the study. of LRT.
Beginner’s Guide
To get started in biophilic training, a young, active and healthy person can create their own HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) circuit for beginners and practice it in a corner of a park in their neighborhood or a nearby forest, according to HN.
In a circuit of this type you can combine ‘burpees’ (exercises that combine jumps, push-ups and squats), ‘sprints’ (running at maximum speed over a short distance) and ‘squats’ (bending the knees, lowering the body towards the floor maintaining verticality and then return to the upright position).
It is suggested to perform each exercise for 45 seconds at maximum intensity and then rest for one minute before completing a new series of three exercises (‘burpees’, ‘sprint’ and ‘squat’), completing a circuit of 3 to 5 series.
You can also practice low-intensity biophilia exercises such as walking with a little extra weight in your backpack, practicing gentle yoga, doing vertical push-ups leaning on a tree or doing sit-ups next to a flower bed, in a green space.
“While moving your body, take the time to appreciate the surrounding nature, feeling the pure air that fills your lungs and enjoying the beauty and energy of the fauna and flora that surround you with all your senses,” they recommend from HN.
Exercising outdoors on a sunny day (with adequate sun protection for the skin and outside of the central and hottest hours), increases the absorption of vitamin D and has a positive impact on blood pressure, cognitive function and health. of spirit, according to British expert Carley Mellors-Blair.
This fitness expert advises against training in conditions of high humidity and when the wind blows intensely, because it could have negative effects on the person’s health and safety, and suggests doing a little research about the environment, terrain and surface in which you are exercising. exercise will be done.
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