Get Fit for Gardening
Written by Libby Norris
Gardening typically falls in to one of two categories - a leisure activity and labour of love, or a necessary chore. But did you know that gardening now ranks as the second most popular activity in Canada, surpassed only by walking?1
Despite its increasing appeal, gardening is often overlooked as a "real sport" where you feel it necessary to train and condition. Sure you read and hear recommendations to stretch but it's typically not until you finish that first session outdoors in the spring that you realize just how strenuous gardening can be!
If you look at the physical demands of gardening, however, it's easy to see how intense it can be and how gardening can be part of your overall fitness program.
When we evaluate sport and fitness activities, we look at a number of variables - time, intensity and the specific physical demands. Let's see how gardening measures up!
Time is an important consideration with gardening. Very often, people spend hours outside - bending, squatting, holding awkward postures, pushing and pulling - before taking a break. This definitely counts as a workout because it involves multiple muscle groups and movements that are much greater than the regular demands of a day.
Related to time is intensity. Because a number of muscle groups are involved, gardening can become quite intense. In fact, you can burn up to 250-400 calories per hour (varies with body weight and intensity) gardening which is about what you would burn in an average one-hour fitness class.2 But remember, many people spend hours at a time, so you can now put the intensity in to perspective - it can be like hanging out at the gym all day!
An additional consideration is the specific demands and challenges of the "sport" of gardening. Gardening is predominantly one-sided - much like tennis, hockey and many other sports. Because you use one side more than the other, your risk of injury actually increases because of the imbalance in the demands and the development of the muscles and flexibility.
You should now start to look at your gardening activity a bit differently and with an increased sense of priority to prepare yourself for this seasonal sport. Here are some simple sport-specific exercises you can do before the season, along with some stretches to include before and after your gardening sessions.
Pre-Season Conditioning:
| Exercise | Action | Focus |
| Planter's Squats | Start- stand beside a chair with one hand on the back for balance Action- squat down and up, sitting back over the heels | - Keep your weight on your heels throughout the whole range of motion to help recruit muscles in glutes (gluteus maximus) |
| Horticultural Hinges | Start- stand beside a chair with one leg and balance using the chair back Action- keep torso long, bend from the hip to a 25-40° angle (as though you were reaching over a table) Change sides and repeat | - Keep your weight anchored on your heel - particularly when you lift up - which helps to recruit muscles in your glutes - Keep your torso long and avoid any rounding through the back |
| Weeding Rows | Start- stand beside a chair bent over from the hip to a 25-40° angle with one foot forward, one foot back (split stance) Action- draw elbow and arm up and down Change sides and repeat | - Squeeze shoulder blades first and use the back to initiate the action - Keep the torso long and avoid any rounding through the back |
| Raking Rotations | Start- stand with feet hip distance holding a weight -dumbbell, laundry bottle or book - with arms directly out in front of your chest Action- rotate from side to side in a controlled motion | - Keep arms out straight so that you move through the range of motion |
Pre and post garden stretching:
| Stretch | Description |
| Back Arch | Stand with hands behind the small of your back and lean back to a comfortable stretch. |
| Shoulder Stretch | Take one arm across your chest with your palm facing in and pulling gently with the other hand. |
| Chest Stretch | Take both hands behind the head and open elbows back to a comfortable stretch. |
| Hamstring Stretch | Take one foot up on a step or low chair; bend the base leg and lean forward from the hip (keeping torso long) until you feel a comfortable stretch. |
| Hip Flexor Stretch | Take one toe up on a step behind you; balance on the other leg bending that knee slightly, pull your back hip forward to a comfortable strength lengthening across the hip. |
| Neck Stretch | Reach behind your back with your right arm to grab the left wrist; pull gently down and then drop your head to the right; repeat to the other side. |
| Hold all stretches for 10-30 seconds repeating 1-3 times each | |
1. Physical Activity Among Canadians - the current situation; Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, 2005
2. Source: Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Whitt MC, Irwin ML, Swartz AM, Strath SJ, O'Brien, WL, Bassett DR Jr, Schmitz KH, Emplaincourt PO, Jacobs DR Jr, Leon AS. Compendium of physical activities: an update of activity codes and MET intensities. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000 Sep;32(9 Suppl):S498-504.
