Work Your Muscles with Gardening

We all know that gardening is a satisfying hobby.  It’s a chance to spend time outdoors and grow a variety of fresh and healthy foods. But have you ever thought about the fact that gardening is a great workout?

Any workout should start with a thorough warm up.  So before you get dirty, do ten minutes of aerobic activity to get the blood flowing.  A brisk walk works, or you can gather all of your tools and supplies from around the garage and yard.  Once you’ve warmed up a little, it’s important to stretch to avoid post-gardening muscles soreness.  Follow these tips from Scott’s Miracle Gro to prepare your muscles for your gardening activity:

Lower back stretch:  Begin by sitting in a chair.  Put your hands underneath one knee and pull it in towards your chest. Then switch to the other knee.  Finish by pulling both knees in toward your chest.

Chest stretch:  Stand and clasp your hands behind your back with palms facing in.  Keep your chest and shoulders open as you gently lift your arms.

Shoulder and Neck stretch:  Stand and place your right arm straight across your chest.  Bring the left hand underneath and gently pull your right arm across the body while keeping your shoulders square.  Add a neck stretch by aiming your right ear toward your right shoulder. Switch sides.

1. Use your legs rather than your back when lifting or pushing a wheelbarrow.

While raking or cultivating, alternate your stance from right-handed to left-handed to work your muscles in balance.  You may have to practice a little to build strength and coordination on the side you don’t usually use.  You will use a wide range of muscle groups while varying your activities.  Raking and hoeing use large muscles in your upper body, while digging works your gluteus maximus and quadriceps.

Gardening incorporates both resistance movements and aerobic activity.  It can improve your strength, flexibility and endurance.  Depending on your level of activity, you can burn up to 400 calories per hour, while accomplishing a lot at the same time!

To avoid muscle soreness and stiffness, be sure to cool down and do some additional stretching after your gardening session.  You may find that you have used muscles you don’t ordinarily use, so take care to stretch and go easy on certain movements during your next session.