What you'll need:

  • Timer
  • Water
  • Kneeling pad or towel

Tips:

Set a timer -- Every 20 minutes:

  • Take three to five sips of water to avoid dehydration
  • Do one of the stretches outlined or at least get up and move around - to avoid sustained awkward posture

Stretching:

  • Aim for "ah" instead of an "ow"
  • "reverse posture" - do the opposite of the position you've been in while planting - every 20-minute break
  • Scenario #1 - When you've been squatting - stand
  • Scenario #2 - If you've been bent over forward - lean back
  • Scenario #3 - If you've been reaching forward working - open up the chest and reach your arms back

Home Conditioning for the gardening season:

These titles might be too geeky!

Strengthening:

1. Planter's Squats

  • Start - standing beside a chair with one hand on chair back
  • Action - squat down and up, sitting back over heels
  • Focus - weight on heels throughout the whole range of motion to help recruit glutes

2. Horticulture Hinges

  • Start - standing beside a chair with on hand on chair back - stand and balance on the outside leg
  • Action - keeping torso long and chest out, head upright at 12:00 position; hinge from the hip dropping the upper body equal and opposite to the back leg lifting (only to a 25-45% angle) - head to about a 1-2:00 position; keeping torso long and strong, lift back up to 12:00 position
  • Focus - weight anchored on the heel throughout the range and particularly as you lift back up (to help recruit and use glutes as opposed to the back)

Change sides

3. Weeding Rows

  • Start - standing beside a chair bent over to about 2-3:00 position with one hand on the seat for balance - one foot forward, one foot back holding a weight, can, book or laundry bottle
  • Action - row up and down
  • Focus - think about squeezing through the shoulder blades first

Change sides

4. Raking Rotations

  • Start - standing with feet hip distance with hands directly out in front of chest holding one weight, can, book or laundry bottle
  • Action - rotate side to side in a controlled motion
  • Focus - keep arms out straight so that you move through the core instead of the arms

General facts:

  • Doing basic gardening tasks such as weeding, trimming and raking can burn up to 300 calories per hour.
  • A kneeling pad is great to protect the knees. To make your own kneeling pad, fill a plastic bag (from a loaf of bread, for instance) with carpet padding or carpet scraps.
  • Use gloves with rubber palms. They allow your arms and shoulders to work with less strain because they provide a firm grip. Rubber kitchen gloves will also work, but because these gloves are made entirely of rubber, they cause hands to sweat and prevent air from getting inside.
  • Balance before you begin. Stretch first to open up and increase awareness of your posture before you start. Do some simple streches to lengthen the muscles from head to toe.
  • Visual reminders - Set out a resin chair in the area in which you will be working. Take five-minute breaks every now and again by sitting down in the chair. Walk away from the task every 15-20 minutes once you begin to tire.
  • Visual reminders - Take a kitchen time outside and set it for 15-20 minute intervals. Once the timer goes off, take a break and do some stretches or a separate task that uses a different set of muscles. Eventually this will become habit, allowing for the removal of the timer and the visual chair reminder.
  • Always bend from the hip joint, not directly from the waist. It is located approximately 10 inches below the waist. Bending from the waist can cause back strain.
  • Line it up! When digging, make sure that your neck and back are aligned, allowing the power of the legs to be fully utilized. Don't hunch, and when you move to the side, take a step in that direction--don't just twist your body to reach.
  • Stay long! When squatting, do not hunch over. If you must reach for something, move onto all fours so that your reach is well supported.
  • Master the "hinge" - When lifting, do not hunch. Use your back as a whole, "hinging" at the hip joint. Tilt your head away from the object so that your neck is not strained. Remember that the farther you need to reach, the wider your stance should be.
  • Use your legs to their full power potential. Push off when mowing the lawn, without hunching, and extend the legs.
  • These techniques can also be used while doing other tasks such as vacuuming or doing the dishes.