Written by Kerry St. George and Shayla Krowiak of the Wellness Institute.
Gardens and gardening have many health benefits. Not only can we enjoy the freshness of vegetables and herbs, but we can also exercise and enjoy the outdoors. You can burn approximately 200-400 calories per hour of garden work. Digging in the soil reduces stress and promotes a sense of well-being. The visual appeal of a garden provides both enjoyment and relaxation, while the scents provide a natural aromatherapy.
Like any activity we have not performed regularly, preparing our bodies for the physical demands of gardening is essential. We often jump into the garden as soon as the weather permits after our long winters and are surprised when our first couple of gardening days become a week or more of pain and stiffness. So, to help you prepare for this crucial first step of gardening, we have the following preseason warm-up recommendations:
Back Stretch
Sitting tall with feet hip distance apart, clasp your hands together and reach up towards the sky, then bend forward slowly reaching towards the ground bring arms between your legs.
Trunk Rotation
Sitting tall in a chair with your arms crossed across your chest, rotate your trunk first in one direction and repeat in the other direction.
Trunk Rotation
Sitting tall in a chair with your arms crossed across your chest, rotate your trunk first in one direction and repeat in the other direction.
Hip Stretch
While sitting tall on the chair, place one ankle over the opposite knee creating a shape of the number 4. Gently press your upper leg downward to stretch your hip.
Walking Lunge
Standing tall, step forward and bend your back knee towards the ground, lowering into a lunge position. Push yourself up to standing position and step forward with your other leg (moving your body forward) and repeat lowering into a lunge position.
- Only go as low as you are able
- As you get stronger, you will be able to go lower so your thigh is parallel with the floor.
- If you have poor balance or not strong enough yet, do static lunges, returning to the same starting standing position and repeating with the other side
- The better you are able to lunge, the less likely you will be tempted to bend over and arch your back while working in your garden which will cause a sore back.
Dumbbell Deadlift
Dumbbell Deadlift mimics the motion you use when you bend to pull a weed or pick up a bag of compost.
- Stand tall with feet hip width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of you lined up with your front thighs.
- Keeping your spine straight, push your buttock backwards, bending forward while lowering the weight towards the floor.
- Bend your knees slightly
- Keep your shoulders down and back and look forward, not downward.