In a continuing collaboration with Scott over at Straight to the Bar, we will be writing about alternative exercises throughout the month of June. Cross training can easily be expanded outside of the realms of running, weight lifting, bicycling and swimming.
A great way to condition yourself and to accomplish something at the same time is to spend some time in your yard. Most landscaping chores involve some sort of physical labor and can be a great way to get some exercise. As a bonus you will also get to spend some time outdoors enjoying the weather.
Yard work can hit every muscle group, and can also exercise your mind as you plan out how you want your lawn or garden to look. Mowing the lawn, spreading mulch, raking leaves, pulling weeds and hauling just about anything can get your heart rate elevated and help you break a sweat.
Go slowly; like any exercise, a proper warmup can help to ensure that you do not pull any muscles. Change your posture on any tool that you are using, switch hands, and change which direction you are working frequently in order to work each side of your body. For example, when raking leaves, use forward and back motions as well as left to right and right to left sweeping motions. Any time that you are going to lift something, be sure to bend at the knees and not at the back. Never reach over your head with your tools; this will help prevent you from straining anything as well as prevent you from cutting something that will then fall on your head.
When you are done after spending a day in your yard or your garden, you can look back at what you accomplished. Your yard will look nice, and if you planting vegetables or herbs then you will eventually have some home-grown food that you can enjoy with your meals.
Read all of 'Alternate Exercises (June)': 1, 2, 3, 4
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June 12th, 2007 at 2:59 am
Conditioning without trying : Yard Work…
Blaine continues this month’s look at various ways of keeping in shape without really trying, this time examining the many benefits of yard work. If you’ve ever taken the mower for a walk, removed a tree stump or just raked……
June 18th, 2007 at 3:19 am
Conditioning without trying : Walking 10,000 steps per day…
I have two doctors, my left leg and my right. - George Trevelyan, 1913 Walking is a greatly underrated form of exercise. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, increase your conditioning work or simply ‘stay in shape’; walking will……
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:46 pm
[...] the best way, though, to get a good workout and to utilize all of the energy that you produce is to get outside and do some yard work, especially activities that do not require power such as digging a hole or planting [...]
July 4th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Great post, I mentioned this post to my wife. My wife had been pointing this out to me for quite some time. Guess she really did know what she was talking about!
Thanks
Tim
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:09 am
[...] option for staying fit in your yard is to just do some yard work. Most activities that you engage in when caring for your lawn will have some measure of fitness [...]
June 16th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
[...] cross training, I suggested that you pay attention to your lawn and do some yard work. You can get a good workout that way and your spouse will love you for [...]