One of Britain’s favourite pastimes could actually be one of the best ways to get a full body workout. So now the weather is warming up, pick up your tools and get pruning…
Prune for bigger guns
The arm raise defines the biceps and it’s a great choice for a gardener keen to impress. Be sure to choose your position with care. Stand with feet slightly apart and directly beneath home-grown produce. With repetition, this exercise will impress everyone as you reap the fruits of your labour.
Tackle those trees for perfect pecs
Any version of the chest press will quickly sculpt the body and you don’t have to be a body builder to create definition. Be reassured that tree care such as regular pruning and lopping will shed around 238 calories every 60 minutes, improve shape and get rid of excessive growth for you and your branched friends.
Jump to it
A great exercise for strengthening muscles and increasing explosive muscle power is star jumps and vaulting off a fork or spade. It’s sure to bulk up biceps, so get excited about digging. For those that prefer to keep their feet a little closer to the ground, it has been reported that an hours worth of digging, filling or composting can burn up to 272 calories.
Get to the root of problem areas
Lunges are a great exercise for strengthening and building several muscle groups. If you want a toned butt and defined calf, then a slight bend and back to standing position and you are pretty much done. If you want a perfectly weeded lawn then put these moves into action with a weed puller. You could burn as much as the 238 calories per hour.
Get down to the job in hand
There is no better exercise than the squat to gain a well-honed body. It tones pretty much every muscle group, except the fingers. No man wants to end up with bigger biceps on one arm than the other, so use an ambidextrous pruner to work both left and right hand.
Dig deep to create impact
If you are looking for impressive triceps and well-defined upper body, then the shoulder press will get you in shape. Digging is guaranteed to move the ground beneath your feet, so you had better get busy with a garden spade. With roughly 272 calories burnt per hour and muscles getting a full work out, your garden and body will be looking great by the end of the season.
Exercise reduces stress
With busy lives and ever growing to-do lists, our minds become cluttered, adding to ever increasing stress levels. Gardening is one of the most effective exercises to reduce stress. In order to relax, it’s important to take time out to reflect, to rest, to clear the mind and to reach this almost meditative state, not to have over exerted oneself in the garden first
