One of my grandma’s favorite hobbies is gardening. She has huge garden that she is always taking care of. She grows lots of vegetables – corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peas and green peppers. She claims that all of her hard work in her garden helps keep her young.
The more I thought about that statement, the more I realized that she was exactly right! Gardening is a something that lots of people enjoy as a hobby, but did you know that gardening is a great workout?
If you still aren’t buying the idea that you have a world-class gym in your own backyard, here’s a couple of comparisons:
• Turning compost is similar to lifting weights
• Raking is like using a rowing machine
• Pushing the mower is similar to walking on a treadmill
One of the great benefits of gardening is that it uses all of the major muscle groups. Your legs, buttocks, shoulders, stomach, arms, neck and back all get a workout! In addition, you can increase the benefits of gardening by making some slight changes to the way you work.
Here’s a few ways to maximize the health benefits of gardening:
Plan a daily gardening activity. Of course, people living in colder climates (like us!) need to be creative. If you use a snow thrower, shovel a portion of your driveway. When buying seeds or other easily carried items at a garden center, park your car a mile away and walk.
Vary your activities. Don't let one activity consume you, or you'll pay for it later. Break up strenuous gardening chores with more moderate and enjoyable activities. For example, break up a session of post-hole digging with some quiet weeding or transplanting.
Count the minutes. Make sure the total daily time of garden activities adds up to 30 minutes. Each activity should last at least 8 minutes. If you've been inactive, build up to the 30-minute total gradually.
Listen to your muscles. Pay attention to the muscles that are working for you, as well as to your exertion levels. If you can increase your range of motion or safely add weight or resistance to a garden activity, give it a try. But whatever you do, don't use your back.
I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking pretty strongly that I want to try starting my own garden soon! Not only do you get some great health and exercise benefits, you also are rewarded with wonderfully fresh fruits and vegetables.
What’s your favorite part of gardening? Do you have any tips for me as I start to plan for my very own garden?