The simple act of going barefoot while doing outdoor workouts can have profound advantages to your overall wellness. Feeling the ground beneath you makes you more aware of your body and nature. If you’re looking for ways to incorporate mindfulness into your exercise routine, earthing is for you.
Explore earthing benefits that can elevate your outdoor fitness routine and learn how to practise it mindfully.
What Is Earthing?
Earthing – or grounding – connects your body with the Earth and its natural electric charges by walking, swimming, gardening, and lying or sitting on the ground. This practise is believed to positively affect your body, making it a good addition to your outdoor workout routine.
The concept comes from the belief that the Earth possesses a limitless supply of energy that makes the planet’s surface electrically conducive. Earthing is meant to electrically recharge your body, helping you to gain a more stable internal biological balance.
How Earthing Enhances Mindfulness During Outdoor Workouts
Outdoor exercises offer a great opportunity to enhance your mindfulness practise. Discover some earthing benefits and how they can help deepen your fitness experience.
1. Anchors You to the Present Moment
Your mind can wander during exercise, especially when engaged in a long or repetitive activity. The physical anchoring of your body to the environment can help you feel more present and less disconnected. In moments of fatigue or mental distraction, focusing on how the Earth feels beneath you can be an effective grounding technique.
2. Helps Lessen Anxiety or Depression
The conveniences of modern living often mean less direct contact with the natural world. This shift – combined with an increasingly fast-paced world – can present health challenges. For instance, New Zealand has seen a 50% increase in the number of young people seeking hospital care for self-harm in the last few years. This figure likely represents a fraction of the individuals needing mental wellness support. Earthing can benefit your mental health by quieting the mind.
3. Improves Your Connection With Nature
Incorporating earthing into your outdoor activities sharpens your senses and deepens your experience of nature. This practise moves you from simply observing the environment to physically engaging with it. This enhanced connection is vital for overall wellbeing, with research indicating that spending at least two hours outdoors per week correlates with better health. Even simple exercises in your backyard can do wonders for your body.
4. Calms Your Nervous System
Earthing is a powerful mindfulness practise, which can help bring you a sense of calm while working out. Focusing on what you see, hear and feel lets you quiet your racing thoughts. With a more relaxed mind, you become more attuned to your body’s sensations – the rhythm of your breath, any tension areas and the movement of your muscles.
How to Incorporate Earthing Into Your Fitness Routine
There are many practical ways to add earthing to your outdoor exercise routine. Here’s how to connect with the Earth while you move.
1. Do Barefoot Activities
Take off your shoes for portions of your run or walk in local parks, beaches or neighbourhoods. Feel the warm pavement and the soft grass beneath your feet, and pay more attention to your surroundings. Take deep breaths, listen to your body and pay attention to potentially sharp objects on the road.
2. Find Natural Surfaces
Look for a natural surface like grass or sand where you can perform your pre-workout stretches and cooldown periods. Feel the connection to the ground as you move through poses. You can also do exercises like lunges, planks and squats on these surfaces to boost your strength and stability. Focus on your breath and notice how your body feels as you perform these routines.
3. Notice the Sensations
As you move, pay attention to how your body feels overall. Were there any shifts in tension, posture, breathing or balance that might be related to your grounding connection? Try synchronising your movement with the environment. Don’t hesitate to take pauses when you feel tired. Spend time just standing or sitting barefoot on the ground to feel the connection.
Try Out Earthing
Earthing enhances mindfulness in various ways. Dedicate a few minutes of your outdoor routine to barefoot activities to reap the health benefits. Start slowly and gradually increase the duration of your barefoot activity.