I love gardening. It’s peaceful and productive. It’s rewarding and relaxing. It is art and it is science. But is it exercise?
My 82-year-old mother-in-law and I have this conversation at least once a year.
Her claim is that gardening is her exercise. She shovels dirt, divides perennials, pulls weeds, trims trees and plants seeds. Sometimes she stays out in her garden all day. She gets tired, sweaty and a little sore — the “good” kind of sore where you feel your muscles have been working harder than usual.
There is no doubt that gardening can be a vigorous physical activity and that it’s good for you, both physically and mentally.
My claim is that exercise is what humans today need to do in a deliberate, methodical way in order to be able to undertake the rigours of daily life and to fully enjoy physical pursuits such as gardening.
In other words, gardening is something we need to exercise for in order to do. We need to prepare our bodies for the bending, lifting, twisting and pulling of gardening and yard work. We need to follow a gardening training plan, no matter at 22 or 82 years old!
Gardening is the goal, the peak, the season. In the off-season, that’s when physical preparation comes in. Just like training for a sport, you need to incorporate these three basic categories of exercise. The good news is that the training can be enjoyable and uncomplicated yet still effective.
Endurance
Prepare your body for long days of gardening by going for long-duration walks, runs and bike rides. Spend at least 30 minutes doing these activities, but 60 minutes or more is even better.
Make sure your heart is beating at a rate that is at least 65 to 75 per cent of its maximum or that your effort level feels like a 6.5 or 7.5 out of 10. You should be able to talk but will have to take a breath or two during each sentence.
You should do this type of training three to five days each week for a few months before gardening season begins.
Range of Motion
To avoid injury, make sure the joints of your body, such as knees, shoulders, spine, hips and so on, can move freely, the way they are supposed to.
Do exercises such as yoga, Pilates, as well as dynamic warm up drills that focus on alignment of bones, activation of supporting muscles, and movement around the joints.
This type of activity can be practised all year long. It’s even a good idea to perform some of these exercises before and after a gardening session.
Strength
Strength training by lifting weights and/or using body weight as resistance will condition your muscles for the heavy work of gardening.
You will be able to perform more difficult tasks such as digging out a clump of hardy perennials or shovelling and moving a few yards of top soil. You will be less likely to have aching muscles for days afterwards.
Strength training should be performed once or twice each week for a few months before gardening season begins.
And as for my 82-year-old mother-in-law, she walks her dog year round and does Pilates from October through to April. She is definitely training for gardening season.
Remember to ask your friendly, neighbourhood fitness professional if you need advice about the types of exercise you should be doing.
Darnelle Moore is co-founder of Eastside Fitness. She believes that every body can be fit and strong. Reach her at darnelle@eastsidefitness.ca.
