To think getting out for a walk is better for you than the gym?

[lostinthememory]

And this is a hill I'm willing to die on

Yes going to the gym is great, especially if you're lifting weights etc with a goal to building muscle mass. But for most of us, it's far better to get out and go for a nice brisk walk in the sunshine (or even the sleet, as I did yesterday!) and leaves you feeling much better

Fitness is multifactorial

I walk daily, but walking doesn't raise my heart rate to the extent I want, so although I don't go to the gym, I do HIIT and aerobics too, as well as weights. You also need plyometrics (basically jumping - usually part of aerobics and HIIT) to keep your bone density - walking won't do that. Then some form of stretching to stay supple.

The OP isn’t talking about weight loss though, more about feeling good & mental well-being. I agree OP. I get a mental lift from walking/hiking that I never get from the gym. I also get very few colds etc. since I switched to outside exercise.

You can get the same effect (muscle strengthening) by doing body weight exercises - you don't actually have to lift weights if you don't want to.

I've actually lost a huge chunk of weight (77lbs last year) mainly through dieting and walking 😅 that's how I came to my conclusion, walking just makes me feel better than the gym does

But I've seen the comments about the bone density and I am now here at the gym and I will do an arm weight session (promise!) before going home 🤣

Yes that's what I came on to say. I would always choose outside over the gym, but that's because I live somewhere really beautiful, and safe, where I can walk or run anytime I want. I've been out today in the snow, with mini crampons on, and had a brilliant run long farm tracks and snowy footpaths. I couldn't have done that when I lived in the centre of Leeds.

I go to the gym four times a week to do a mixture of weight training and cardio. I enjoy it but it doesn’t give me the same lifted mood that a nice walk outside does. I don’t think a walk has the exact same effect exercise wise as the gym but it’s better than nothing and is really good for mental health.

I like doing both but just walking for me won’t get me to my fitness goals plus I like the community aspect of where I train whereas walking for me tends to be a solo activity

It's all black ice where I am so it's a death trap for walking at the moment. I walk everywhere as standard, we're a car-free household, so it doesn't really have a novelty factor for me, it's just how we get from A to B.

For me the gym has the novelty factor so it's a bit more interesting, but the downside is that I don't HAVE to do it whereas I have to walk to work etc.

No not really. Walking is just one exercise and there are many things it can't help with.

How much does walking exercise your arms ?

The gym is better for all round training. Yes walking can be good but it can't do the whole body as well as gym can.

Running outdoors is definitely better, or at least preferable for me, than running on a treadmill. I can never go as far on a treadmill because I get too bored. Having said that at this particular moment in time I'm rethinking all of that because the treadmill is still better than the outdoors in 2 degree temperatures. Nothing about being outside right now is good for me.

In general I dislike the gym because I prefer to exercise by myself, and I only really go to gyms when travelling for work and the hotel has one. My resistance training consists of fairly basic home workouts with weights - my focus is really on running - but if I took muscle gain more seriously I'd find gym equipment more useful.

It's neither objectively better nor worse, it's all about what your fitness goals and preferences are.

I've spent 50 years getting out for a walk (and I walk quite briskly too, 4mph).

I am not fit. I am not strong. Apart from my walking speed I'm not fast either.

I have cold weather induced asthma and got perpetually ill from running outdoors at this time of the year.

Using hand sanitiser is a must at the gym. I've had one very short lived cold in two years.

I'm guessing you are yet to become acquainted with the wonderful Caroline Girvan...

Same here, I walk everywhere, but haven’t done any other exercise for several years. Am I a fast walker? Yes. Can I comfortably walk several miles per day? Certainly. Am I fit and strong, with a toned physique? Definitely not!

I hate walking . Much rather do a spin class

Just back from a brisk walk in the snowy hills around my home. Feel great. Heart rate increased because I walk fast and enjoyed being in the winter sun. Gyms can't compete.

@Semiramide never heard of her 😅

Now I'm here it's not that bad, I do quite enjoy how my muscles burn when doing the weights etc., but I just find it so dull! There's no sea, no dogs, no people, no wind. Just the weights and the music I can never get right on my headphones!

As you say in your OP it really depends on what you are doing and perhaps on what personal limitations you might have.

agree with this

for a lot of people (women in particular) gyms are (or feel) safer than walking alone at dark

they can also be less intimidating - most people just get on with their own thing at the gym - nobody calling you names or beeping their horn or worse

if you get injured there will be someone to help straightaway rather than falling over somewhere isolated and being stuck for hours

more variety at the gym - classes, weights, cardio etc.

classes can be a lot more fun. If you don't live somewhere with lots of 'nice' walks easily accessible then walking around your housing estate or muddy local park for the 1000th time can be very boring

most people walk alone or with someone they already know. Yes, sometimes you exchange a 'morning' with other people (particularly if you have a dog), whereas classes can be a lot more interactive and sociable - lots of people make friends at the gym. So if you, for example, live alone and WFH then doing a fun class would probably benefit you and 'be better' for you more - both exercise and social interaction

no chance of getting suddenly soaked in the gym

you can wear the same clothes all year round in the gym - no need for waterproof coats, boots, etc

if it's a nicer gym you can also swim, go to the sauna, etc at the same place
treadmills are usually easier on the joints than paths so good for people starting out exercising/overweight/with arthritis etc

All things being equal, would I prefer to walk three miles on the beach on a sunny day or on a treadmill in the gym. Beach, definitely. But it's quite arrogant to say that an outside walk is always "better", ignoring personal circumstances.

YABU.
There is NOTHING enjoyable about walking in the dark, the sleet, the fog, etc.

Yes, a scenic walk on a warm day, during daylight is lovely BUT, not everyone lives where it is scenic...... not everyone can get out and about during daylight hours ...... walking on the flat doesn't raise your heart rate / burn energy at a very high rate (and we can't all magic up a lovely mountain to trot up after work).

Obviously, whatever exercise any individual enjoys, is the best exercise FOR THEM, but there are so many more options at the gym than there are options in going for a walk.

I do both. I do very fast, 50 minute walks with my dog 2-3 times a day (it's 3 in thr lighter months) and go to the gym 3 times a week. I enjoy both.

Personally I found my walk yesterday in the sleet better than the gym 🤷🏼‍♀️

Depends on your aim. Not if you're trying to lose weight. I walk everywhere and I'm still fat.

I love a walk. I have one scheduled each week with a friend.
I often head out into the fields for a stomp, whatever the weather or time of day.
Out in the fields in the dark I can swing my arms and sing or talk to myself.

I also run (that's my preferred sport).
I do not enjoy the gym at all. I do a strength class once a week (I should do more) which I love. It's outside when it's light and dry.

I've found the sport that works for me.

I do find that walking gives me thinking space. When I run I can shake off stress and worries, but not really resolve them - I just feel better all over. Walking allows to actually think things over.

A dog is a brilliant accountability partner and PT.