Exercising Through Yard Work and Gardening

Exercising Through Yard Work and Gardening

It’s a common complaint; many people would like to exercise regularly, but simply do not have the time. If you find yourself saying this, there’s a solution that will not only allow you to exercise, but also give you the chance to spruce up the outside of your home. Simply put, the answer lies in good old-fashioned yard work.

If you want to get in better shape, and have some outside chores you’ve been putting off, try some of these helpful tips:

– Cut your grass with a push mower. The harder you push the mower, the more calories you’ll burn off.

– Raking leaves is a good way to work out your arm muscles. Try to rake leaves in front of your body, and use both arms equally.

– Take extra loops around your yard and house when using a wheelbarrow. This will eat up a bit of time, but will also burn calories.

– Utilize both your arms when digging holes; this will ensure that both arms get a decent workout.

– If you need to water plants, soil or anything else, try using a hose instead of a watering can. Lugging a watering hose around is an efficient way of working out your muscles.

– Remember to stretch before doing any yard work or gardening chores. Stretching your arms, legs, and back can prevent your muscles from being strained while doing yard work activities. Stretches that can prepare your muscles for yard work include crunches, leg lifts, arm lifts, squats and push ups.

– Making a compost pile can also burn off calories, to the tune of roughly 150 every half hour.

– Don’t overdo the most labor-intensive work. Vary strenuous activities, such as digging, raking leaves or snow shoveling, with easier and relaxing tasks, like weeding or watering plants.

In all, try to get to about 30 minutes of yard work/gardening exercise. It doesn’t have to be 30 minutes straight – you can reach this total through intervals of approximately 8 minutes. Make sure to use a cushion if you plan on spending a lot of time on your knees. To avoid straining your back, keep your back straight, and remember to stand up and stretch your back approximately every 10 minutes. Do not sit on your heels, and try to use lightweight, long-handled shovels.