People started asking if gardening and yardwork truly count regarding exercise. Experts say the answer is a resounding Yes. But you could do some things to boost the benefits of planting a few seeds.
If you’ve woken up the day after a lot of yard work, you know what a workout it can be. Just 30 to 45 minutes of gardening or yardwork can actually burn about 300 calories.
But many of us don’t treat it like exercise, and that can increase our risk of injuries.
“We all do that when we start a workout for the first time,” said Henry Ford Health Athletic Training Director Christina Chapski, ED.D. “We say, ‘Hey, this isn’t that bad. I feel pretty great.’ And then the next day, it really creeps up on us. I think it’s the same thing with gardening.”
To grow your garden and your fitness, you much approach it like you would a workout, says Chapski. That includes stretching first, alternating light activities with heavier ones, and cooling down afterward.
It’s also important to focus on your form.
“Do everything from your core,” Chapski said. “So instead of grabbing that bag of mulch and just hoisting it over your shoulder, bend at the knees to pick it up, make sure that you’re using proper mechanics. By using proper mechanics, you’re engaging in your full body to assist you with that instead of just isolating to your arms or your back or your legs.”
Staying hydrated by drinking water is also key.
“You are out in the sun and out in the heat and the humidity, so make sure that you’re properly hydrated,” Chapski said. “We do know, too, if you’re not properly hydrated, that’s going to impact how your muscles act.”
To maximize the benefits, going old school using manual tools instead of the power versions will increase the intensity.
But Chapski cautions, don’t do too much at once. Take breaks and space it out.
“I don’t think I know of one person that hasn’t done something in early spring because they get a little overzealous, and then they have those that delayed onset muscle soreness the next day,” Chapski said.
It would be best to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
“I think it’s a double benefit,” Chapski said. “It gets you moving, it gets that blood flowing, it gets you that activity, but then you get to see something tangible.”
Chapski said they talk to gardeners the same way they talk to athletes about the importance of proper shoes, having the right equipment, and using good form.
This time of year, remember the use sunscreen and bug spray too.
Gardening is such a great activity for kids, too, as it teaches responsibility while also getting them outdoors, and it really instills a sense of pride when they see their flowers bloom or their vegetables grow.
You’re teaching kids responsibility, getting them outdoors, and it really instills a sense of pride when they see their flowers bloom or their vegetables grow.
