Get Your Yard - and Yourself - in Tiptop Shape
It's double duty with the yard work out.
Always wanted a home gym? Before you invest a couple grand for a treadmill, miracle weight lifting system, and assorted late-night TV paraphernalia, take a look inside your garage or garden shed. Got yourself a push lawn mower? A string trimmer? How about rakes, hoes, shovels, watering cans and a wheelbarrow? Surprise: You have yourself a home gym - fully equipped!
That's because when it comes to physical activity, yard work strongly competes with other forms of exercise. In fact, regular landscape maintenance, such as lawn mowing, raking, planting, weeding, pruning, mulching and watering, works all major muscle groups, increases your heart rate - and burns up to 300 calories an hour [1]. And the health benefits of yard work don't stop at a slimmer waistline. When you get yourself moving outdoors, whether it's behind your lawn mower, reaching to trim branches, or squatting to plant or spread mulch, you're helping to [2]:
- Lower blood pressure and cholesterol
- Prevent diabetes and heart disease
- Fend off osteoporosis
- Relieve stress and combat depression
- Increase your energy level
- Improve your sleep
Here are some tips to get the most advantage from your yard work workout.
- Before you step outside, slather on some sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful rays.
- Warm up your muscles with a walk around your yard and some light stretching to avoid soreness.
- Don't dawdle. Move at a decent pace when you mow your lawn.
- When raking or sweeping, change directions to exercise both sides of your body.
- When digging, weeding or watering plants, use both hands to work out both arms.
- When planting, stand and squat several times for a great workout for your legs and glutes.
- Instead of using a sprinkler, haul around a hose for watering your lawn. (Don't forget to keep yourself hydrated, too!)
- Burn more calories by taking a detour with your wheelbarrow before its dump destination.
- Don't save all yard work for one day. Your body gains most health benefits from about 30 minutes of exercise per day [3]. So instead of six hours on Sundays, divvy up your chores throughout the week for a daily routine that will keep you and your yard in prime condition.
When you turn your outdoors into your personal gym, you're getting your body in better shape, while also beautifying your home's property. Doesn't that sound more satisfying than running in place while staring at the tube?
[1] CalorieCountAbout.com. Calories Burned Gardening
[2] MayoClinic.com. Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity
[3] MayoClinic.com. How much exercise should the average adult get every day?
