The garden gym

In my previous article The power of horticulture I uncovered some of the benefits of horticulture on our mental health. As well as being great for our minds gardening can prove to be great for our physical health too. Did you know that we are recommended to get at least thirty minutes of exercise a day, five days a week? So not only does gardening providing a great resource for our mind but our physical well-being too. The garden also provides us with amazing rewards, edible and ornamental to help motivate us to get out there.

What kind of rewards can be reaped from gardening? Free food is an obvious one and if you grow your own fruit and vegetables it can help fuel all that gardening exercise. We can also use some of the plant material being grown as cut foliage and flowers which is a great way to brighten up the home. It can also be cheaper than a yearly membership to the gym and it’s a little closer than your local gym too!

So you’re thinking, tell us about this miracle that is gardening and how it can improve my physical health. Just think about all those gardening activities and relate them back to the areas in your body that you use to carry them out. Those areas that may ache a little after a couple of hours of enjoyable gardening (believe me that’s definitely a good thing, you’re using muscles that you haven’t used in a while). Here are seven gardening activities that give your body a good work out:

1. Pruning, the use of secateurs and pruners are a good way to tone those biceps and triceps. So it might prove worthwhile to go out and prune those roses or dead head the herbaceous perennials. Now I’m not saying that after a couple of hours in the garden you’re going to turn into the ‘Incredible Hulk’ or anything but it still will have a positive effect. It also can benefit certain hand muscles and can be a way to relieve cramps and strains.
2. Weeding helps to exercise muscles in our hands. So although it might seem like torture and nuisance to see the weeds in your garden it can actually build strength in your hands and arms. You will use muscles that you weren’t even aware of and after a couple of hours weeding, I can guarantee you that you will be quite sore but well rewarded, both you and the garden.
3. Mowing the lawn, now I’m not saying go hop on to the ride on lawnmower (if you have one!) with its cruise control, sitting back to enjoy the scenery. Dust down the good old push lawnmower and as you can imagine it will be a great exercise for your legs and back muscles. The bigger the area to mow, the more exercise you will achieve so although the ride on lawnmower may seem convenient it definitely is less beneficial than the old fashioned push lawnmower for working out muscles in your body.
4. Planting, using that spade or trowel to plant bulbs, herbaceous perennials or shrubs can be a great way to exercise shoulders, legs and arms. Think about the preparation that goes into planting, preparing the area, carrying the plant/plants to that area, digging to the correct depth and width and backfilling in once planted. These activities all require various muscles to carry it out successfully.
5. Although it may seem like a pointless and thankless task raking those leaves when they have fallen in autumn can be great for exercising your back muscles. The great benefit of gathering up all those leaves too is that it provides a great mulch for your flower beds for the following spring.
6. Hedge cutting, using the hedge strimmer to tidy up those boundary hedges will prove beneficial for your shoulders and back. So not only are you providing structure and a backdrop to your garden but you’re also getting a good dose of your daily exercise. Just remember to be careful and don’t cut above shoulder height as that can lead to more damage rather than having a positive effect.
7. Potting and pricking out, this is similar to weeding and is a great exercise for hand muscles. Sowing those vegetables, pricking them out as seedlings and then potting in or planting out are ways of exercising without even realising. While benefiting and enjoying new plants that you have either taken from propagation material or a recent purchase, it is also good for your body.

With all these gardening activities please be cautious and take the correct steps to ensure your own safety and those around you. Wear the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and if unsure consult with a professional beforehand.

Thanks for reading and hope you have found my latest article interesting and perhaps learned something a little different. I would love to hear some of your feedback, stories and suggestions.

Happy Gardening!!!! #horticultureiscool

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