Movement for Life

by Lauren Walker

The joys of better weather means more outdoor work, a great way to change up your routine! Let’s look at some pretty easy ways to be active outdoors.

Cut the Grass

I personally love the meditative quality of cutting the grass. I turn on my music and away I go. A great way to add steps to your day, cutting the grass is also great cardiovascular exercise.

Weed Trimming

I have the pleasure of weed trimming our ditch at home. While it is very upper body dominant, it’s once again important to start in small doses.

Raking

It’s inevitable, cleaning the garden beds means doing some raking. Talk about a core exercise. This activity engages your abdominal wall and back flexor and extensor muscles.

Gardening

Well, for those who say gardening isn’t exercise I’ve got news for you. Lifting and bending to pick up those bags of dirt is, once again, a fantastic core workout.

Chopping Wood

Depending on where you live and how your home is heated, chopping wood may be a necessity. Even trimming trees is excellent core work, as it requires you to brace your abdominals.

Hauling Stone

If you live on the water, like me, you may have to fix the shoreline after the winter. Even moving patio stones requires a lot of physical strength.

It’s important to understand your limitations. Start slowly and gradually work up your conditioning. If you’re not accustomed to moving heavy objects, then common sense is key.

What you do in the gym should help you at home. A great way to start conditioning yourself is investing in a quality exercise program. Enjoy the great weather and keep yourself healthy and happy!

All Fit All Ages Gym is in the Port Perry Food Basics plaza. Call 289-356-2140 for your free assessment.