Gardeners Dig Functional Fitness
Carol is an avid gardener. She begins each session by telling me about her crop of green beans or how much dirt she hauled.
Carol 74, has been working out with resistance and cardio training for years. Her main motivation included brain health promotion and a desire to gain leg strength to hopefully eliminate continue leg muscle soreness. She also participates in water exercise.
She works with a trainer once a week focusing on strength, balance, and fluid motion. Carol can enjoy long days feeling better than before she started exercising regularly.
Stay Strong for Gardening
Gardening is a great hobby and a good physical challenge. In fact, it’s a full-body workout that can burn upwards of 300 calories in an hour.
Millions of people over 50 have enjoyed the hobby throughout their lifetimes. Here are just six reasons they should keep it up.
Gardening improves strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance.
It improves self-esteem and fights depression.
It lowers blood pressure and physical and mental stress.
It’s a great creative outlet.
It provides a powerful social outlet, as well, with neighbors, community gardens, and even grandkids.
And it provides a reason to go outside, get some fresh air, and be in nature.
“The variety of tasks associated with gardening is one reason older adults are more likely to stick with their regimen,” says the American Society for Horticultural Science. “Gardening tasks change throughout the season and different activities are involved in daily chores.”
Gardening can be a component of a lifestyle that’s good for mental health, too, including dementia.
“It appears safe and reasonable to recommend … the maintenance of physical activity, especially daily gardening, in the hope of reducing the incidence of dementia in future years,” according to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
‘It’s Very Therapeutic’
Carol enjoys tending her garden in her off-time. “It is a mind-body connection – so you’re in touch with the soil, you’re in touch with nature. It’s very therapeutic.”
Carol’s garden is in the ground but knows that using raised garden beds can reduce bending and crouching, thus preventing back injuries. Enjoy your hobby in the early morning or early evening. Use sunscreen and a hat. Wear good shoes.
And come see me.
Regular physical exercise – and a focus on “functional fitness” – keeps you able to perform your favorite activities late in life, and gardening is no different than, say golf, pickle ball, or lawn bowling.
Squats, pushups, planks and other common movements will work your legs, core, back and arms -- for gardening or for everyday tasks.
“I look forward to my workouts because I see the benefit,” Carol says. “It gives me energy all day. It’s investing in myself.”
Like tending a garden, you might say.