Welcome to my first instalment of: "The Coaching Professor" — your weekly dose of insight into the science of exercise training. Every Friday, I'll unveil a short, yet impactful snippet of information that aims to spark your curiosity, broaden your understanding, and empower you on your fitness journey. Whether you're a seasoned athlete, a budding fitness enthusiast, or simply someone who seeks to optimize their well-being, "The Coaching Professor" seeks to serve as your virtual classroom — where the lab coat meets the track suit.

I'm a big believer in basics and fundamentals first. So to begin this newsletter series, I wanted to share a simple bit of research that highlights what I feel is best practice when it comes to a question you might sometimes have:

As we always profess — context first. If you have to train in heavy pollution, wildfire smoke, or dangerous roads, the answer is obvious. Stay safe and train inside.

But otherwise, and in almost any other context, you probably want to hit the outdoors. A recent study titled “Exercising is good for the brain but exercising outside is potentially better” published in Scientific Reports sheds light on the impact of the exercise environment on cognitive function.

We all know that exercise offers numerous benefits for our cognitive abilities. However, this study suggests that where we exercise is just as crucial as the exercise itself. In this study, spending time in natural outdoor environments during exercise was found to lead to better cognitive improvements compared with just those of acute exercise.

Very simply, after a 15-minute walk outside, participants showed improved cognitive performance and increased attention and working memory, as indicated by changes in brain activity. Surprisingly, these effects were not observed after an indoor walk of the same duration.

This research has important implications for all of us, especially in an increasingly urbanized world. By incorporating outdoor training into your routines, you can harness the power of the natural environment to enhance both your physical and cognitive abilities.

I reflect on Athletica ambassador Andi Boecherer's training camp visit to my region in the middle of winter. The weather was typical winter — cold, wet and no shortage of ice. Some would even say tough. And we of course had all the indoor training options available. But any time there was even the remotest chance to train outdoors, we did. We both just felt better for it.

So, when context permits, seize the opportunity to train outdoors. Embrace the beauty of nature and let it inspire and energize your workouts.

Yours in health,

Paul Laursen