Investigating Learning, Performance and Health Outcomes in Nature-Based Physical Activity, Exercise and Sport

Dear Colleagues,

Interest in Nature-based physical activity, exercise and sport and their relevance for performance and health outcomes has emerged as a global phenomenon over the last several decades. Nature-based physical activity (e.g., green exercise, adventure recreation, trail walking) has been promoted as vital for human health and longevity, in addition to being important for planetary health. The rapid rise in participation rates in Nature-based physical activity, exercise and sport has overtaken many traditional sporting activities, and Nature-based sports and physical activities are now fundamental to many education contexts. Learning from the experiences of participants has also contributed to our understanding of the broader human condition. It seems that the momentum for Nature-based physical activity, exercise and sport is intensifying. At the same time, traditional perspectives on motivation, learning, performance and wellbeing have been critiqued, and emerging research points to a more subtle and interlinked understanding of learning, performance and wellbeing. This calls for alternative ways of building knowledge and undertaking research that are capable of revealing the nuanced perspectives of the human dimension of participation in Nature-based physical activity and sport. This Special Issue brings together cutting-edge research and thought examining learning, health, wellbeing and performance in Nature-based physical activity, exercise, sport and abilitation. In particular, but not exclusively, we are interested in research and ideas that examine:

• Becoming a participant;
• Effective performance;
• Learning and behavior change;
• Outcomes from participation;
• Psychological aspects of performance;
• Maintaining health and wellbeing;
• The relationship between performance, wellbeing and longevity;
• Methodological issues;
• Conceptual frameworks;
• Definitions;
• Barriers to participation.

Dr. Eric Brymer
Dr. Gert-Jan Pepping
Dr. Shahin Rahimi-Golkhandan
Dr. Allan John
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sports is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• adventure
• physical activity
• green exercise
• nature
• wellbeing
• longevity
• environment