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THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF GARDENING

Every year when it warms up a little, we pull out the garden tools, head for our favorite nursery to get our plants and dig in without even a thought about how vigorous a workout gardening can be. The next morning we wake up with an aching back and tight hamstrings and say, “I wonder what I did to hurt my back?” Suddenly we have a “aha moment” as Oprah would say and link it to the gardening.

It is important to start stretching and strength training several weeks prior to beginning outdoor chores. Regular strengthening and stretching of legs, back and arms are essential to preventing aches and pains later. Squats, pushups, crunches and deadlifts will help in preparation of spring and summer chores.

Here are a few facts about gardening and how many calories that you burn which I found interesting. The numbers below are based on a 180-pound person per half-hour of activity.

Weeding 182

Digging, hoeing 202

Trimming Shrubs (power) 142

Planting seedlings 162

Mowing (push with motor) 182

Raking 162

Watering lawn or garden 61

Are you as surprised as I was? Prepare for your outdoor activities with a 5-10 minute warm up and stretches. Realistically, you could be working outdoors for about 7 hours the first day out. Would you go begin a run or any fitness activity without a proper warm up and stretch? Of course you wouldn’t. It just makes sense that we would prepare our bodies for a day of gardening the same way we would for a fitness activity or competition.

For your comfort and safety, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

If you are going to be gardening on your knees, use a cushion
Stand up and stretch your legs and back after about 10 minutes of squatting, on your knees or bending over
Bend your knees when you are lifting
Gardening is great exercise and can certainly be a nurturing activity. It uses all the major muscle groups in the body. It also increases flexibility and strengthens joints. But remember always and without exception, warm up and stretch before you begin.

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