Athlete Paul Tierney, the UK Master coach for the Born to Run coaching method, argues we need to make more use of the ‘natural gym’ that is the Lake District

It’s the best time of the year to be a runner, especially here in the Lakes. Long summer evenings allow plenty of time for training in the finest gym in the world.

There are no membership fees, no towels with logos, no mirrors in which to watch yourself sweat, no state of the art equipment, no air conditioning. Just mile after mile of grass and rock and fellside to walk or jog or run on and breathe the freshest air in the world.

We all need to get outside and move more. The human body is designed for being active within its natural environment for most of its waking life. It expects to be used for a diverse range of movement patterns, such as climbing, balancing, jumping, running, crawling and manipulating objects.

Before the advent of modern civilisation, humans were generally mobile, resilient and athletic, relying on these attributes to survive. Now we sit down for 16 hours a day, often hunched over computer keyboards, and then wonder why our bodies hurt.

I take a 'fitness' class in the park in Ambleside, and if you were to watch us in action you would see people playing - running, jumping, crawling, climbing, and having fun, just like when we were children, and just like the children in the playground next to us. These classes are designed to get people moving in ways they may not have done in a long time, or perhaps ever.

We include a game-based element that's sorely missing from most adult's lives. People here are re-learning how their bodies ought to be used, so that they can better enjoy their sport - or life in general

The feel-good factor generated by our classes should not be underestimated. We make sure training is invigorating and enjoyable. I don’t really think of it as a 'fitness' class - it's more as an opportunity for people to move in new ways while socialising and having fun.

As runners here in the Lakes we are lucky enough to use the fells all around us rather than running on a treadmill. In order to improve our downhill running, we run downhill more (with the correct technique). We don’t need plank exercises to improve our 'core strength' because we want to create loose, relaxed, graceful runners, not people who can do a good coffee table impression! We have a natural gym all around us.

The Born to Run coaching model was developed by running technique coach Lee Saxby and sports scientist Dr Mick Wilkinson. The idea that running is a skill (which can be improved) is the foundation of the BTR system. By adjusting the three fundamental 'micro-skills' of posture, rhythm and relaxation we can dramatically influence the 'macro-skill' of running. We can create a better runner by improving the biomechanics associated with greater efficiency and reduced risk of injury. And the only 'equipment' you need is your own two arms and legs.

But if you’re not a runner, what can you do on a day to day basis? First, create ways of making yourself walk more. There’s no point driving to the gym and then parking as close as possible to the front door. Get up earlier and walk to work some days. And when you drive to the supermarket, park at the furthest end of the car park. We all need to move more.

Adapt different resting postures as alternatives to sitting, such as deep squats or kneeling. Sitting for long periods of time makes your body rigid and tight. Get up and move every ten minutes or so if your job is desk-bound. Adapt your workspace so that you can move around more. And at the end of the working day, don’t just sit there and look at those wonderful hills all around us. Get up them!

To learn more see http://www.missinglinkfitness.co.uk/ or www.borntorun.com