Gardening: The Secret Workout

Take off your running shoes and slip on your wellies, experts say taking up gardening is just as good as going to the gym. Spending time outdoors provides substantial health benefits and improves your wellbeing. Simply being in a green space can make you feel happier and healthier and gardening is an easy way to get out in nature. 

From mowing the lawn to planting flowers, each activity will be sure to make you raise your heartbeat and help you reach those recommended 10,000 daily steps. Here’s a list of gardening tips that you can use for your daily exercise: 

Lawn Mowing

If a shorter burst of exercise is what you’re after, grab your lawnmower for a quick 35-minute garden spruce-up. Mowing the lawn with a traditional push mower is an amazing cardio workout and helps you to burn a substantial amount of calories in a short space of time. Without the need for leaving your home grounds, you can improve your health and fitness levels in a much shorter space of time.

Hedge Trimming

Just doing up to half an hour weeding can burn up to 100 calories and tasks that handle heavy electrical equipment such as hedge trimming will give you the ultimate workout. Even using manual cutters can help stimulate muscles in your forearms and shoulders, improving your strength and mobility. 

Potting Plants

They not only brighten up your garden, but potting plants will also do wonders for your health and wellbeing, providing a lighter form of exercise. One hour’s worth of potting your favourite plants will burn calories and build up your core and arm muscles. Don’t forget you can also spend time painting and decorating the pots to your liking, which will add another fun and meditative element to your ‘workout.’ 

Raking

Raking leaves makes you walk around picking up piles of leaves and throwing them away. It’s a lot of back and forth but that means a lot of cardio exercise for your body. You can also try: 

• Planting trees
• Digging
• Sacking grass
• Carrying and stacking wood

Splitting Wood 

Splitting a stack of wood is a tremendous workout. You work your arms, back and core swinging the maul around. It’s also a great cardio workout. To ensure you don’t injure yourself, remember to bend at the knees and use the power in your legs.

Eager for more advice? We’ll be posting daily workouts and health tips on our YouTube, Facebook and Instagram page to ensure that you stay the best possible version of yourself.

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