Brooklyn Queens Land Trust

Gardening for Exercise

Jan 14, 2009

Gardening is a good form of exercise, stated a magazine article recently detailing the number of calories burned and the muscle groups used doing various yard and gardeningactivities. Most cardio exercise programs state that the activity must be continued for at least 30 minutes to get the best results.

Fitness has its' own language and uses terms such as endurance (stamina) resistance (( in medicine) the condition in which an organism (usO can resist disease [syn: immunity] ), flexibility (capable of being bent, usually without breaking) and strength (bodily or muscular power) all apprly to gardening activities.

Gardening is moderate, and sometimes strenuous, exercise that incorporates many important elements of accepted exercise regimes, such as stretching and stance, repetition and movement, and even resistance principles similar to weight training, while expending calories. Gardening provides an adequate and challenging workout, but is not as stressful to the body as other exercise options, such as jogging or aerobics. It is still important to warm up muscle groups by properly stretching before gardening and is imperative to use proper techniques for lifting objects, bending, or carrying.

Digging and spading in the garden gives a moderate to heavy intensity workout. It involves muscles in the upper body, back,and legs. Women doing this activity burn 150 calories per 30 minutes, while, men (who have more muscle mass) will burn 197 calories. This activity improves muscle strength and endurance because much resistance against gravity is involved in lifting to remove hard clay pan found in soil.

If one mows the lawn the old fashioned way with a push mower, it will prove to be a good workout. It uses many different muscle groups in the arms, back and legs as well as hands, forearms, shoulders, and upper back to give a high intensity workout. Women wilk burn 181 calories while men will burn 236 in one half hour of mowing. Using a rotary powermower will create a moderate workout for women (135 calories) and men (177).

Transplanting or planting, trimming and pruning shrubs and trees gives the whole body a moderate workout in a half hour, using 135 calories in women and men, 177.

Riddmg the the garden's plant beds of weeds works legs,hips, buttocks, hamstrings, arms, wrists and shoulders a moderate workout, especially if we bend or squat while weeding. In a half hour seeion, the calories burned will add up to 138 calories for women and 181 for men.

Raking is a moderate or light workout strengthenig hands, forearms, shoulders, upper back and back, hamstrings, and buttocks . Women burn 120 calories men, 157 after 30 minutes.

The great part about exercising while gardening is that you create a beautiful space and help healthy food grow at the same time. It is a win-win or a win AND lose situation. Let use it during 2009!