Editor's note: Consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program. Stop immediately if pain occurs.
CNN:
Many people find it difficult to accept the idea of regular exercise, even though they know it is good for their physical and mental health. However, staying fit doesn't mean going to the gym or running.
Gardening is a great example of a popular hobby that can be accessed and used for exercise.
Research has shown that working in your garden or yard is a source of moderate to vigorous physical activity for young adults and moderate to moderate physical activity for older adults. Hobbies are also a muscle-strengthening activity, according to the US Exercise Guidelines, and a form of exercise with a low injury rate.
The good news is that gardening for just two hours a week can boost your mood, and community gardening, which is widely practiced in communities and schools, offers social benefits that can reduce stress and help fight isolation and even dementia.
With all these benefits, gardening will become a trend this year for exercise, predicts Rishi Mondal, co-founder and CEO of San Francisco-based fitness app Future. "Our prospective clients are already asking their trainers to add gardening and gardening to their routines," says Mondal, because it's easy to access, fits their lifestyle and offers the benefits of meditation.
This demand is in line with the overall demand among consumers for exercise that is affordable and meets an active lifestyle.
Gardening involves all major muscle groups like arms, legs, shoulders, back and abs, says Mondal. The activity improves mobility, helps build endurance, and is an exercise similar to walking or Pilates.
All the calories needed to dig, plant, harvest, dig and repair. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a 154-pound person burns an average of 330 calories per hour. This type of activity is similar to what someone burns when playing golf or dancing.
Tom Adkinson of Nashville has long considered gardening a way to stay in shape. The 72-year-old has three gardens where he mainly grows tomatoes, peppers and okra. Labor strength varies throughout the growing season.
"I turn the soil by hand every year, and I find it a tough exercise," Adkinson said.
Adkinson spends her time planting tomatoes and then watering and weeding the three gardens, which involves a lot of bending and stretching, which she likens to yoga in the garden.
As with a traditional workout, Adkinson warms up beforehand by doing some stretching. That makes sense, says Christine Zellers, assistant professor of family and community health sciences at Rutgers University.
"Gardening doesn't seem difficult, but using your body in a new way can be stressful if you're not active and prepared with some exercise," says Zellers, who will be teaching in Cape County in May. New Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Sweater
In addition to stretching, a short walk before gardening can also be used as a warm-up. When working in the garden or yard, it's important to bend your knees and walk briskly if you're young to lift heavy objects, she says.
Just as a new runner gradually adds kilometers before participating in a marathon, new gardeners should start with short sessions, gradually increasing the time and intensity they spend in their garden.
Once you get the hang of working in the garden or yard, you can open things up to a bigger challenge. If you buy a bouquet of flowers, carry them one by one into the garden. When it's time to mow, increase the mower speed or switch to a rear mower. For a little strength training, fill two large water tanks, then take them out into the yard to water the plants.
"Gardening brings a sense of accomplishment and reward as well as activity, doing something rewarding with your hands, such as feeding your family or beautifying your yard," Zellers said.
For Adkinson, the biggest benefit of gardening as a form of exercise is the tangible reward you get for your efforts. "Having fresh tomatoes and fresh okra in the fall is so much better than going to the gym," Adkinson said. "There's nothing better for a sandwich than your own diced tomatoes."
Melanie Radzicki McManus is a freelance writer specializing in hiking, travel and fitness.
