Do you enjoy gardening?
- Steph J
- May 9, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: May 10, 2024
This might seem like a strange topic for a fitness blog, but bear with me...
As the weather is hotting up and we enter Spring, it's the perfect time to get outside and do some gardening. And did you know that gardening is not only good for your plants, it's also good for your health and fitness!
The lifting, carrying, bending and stretching that gardening involves makes it a great way to improve your fitness by helping to increase strength and mobility, and can even offer heart health benefits when engaging in more vigorous activities such as moving the lawn or cutting back trees.
Gardening has also been shown to have mental health benefits, too! Not to mention the benefits of getting outside for fresh air and sunshine, absorbing vitamin D from sunlight and helping to regulate your circadian rhythm (sleep/wake cycle).
However, there can be downsides. Often I hear of backache following a day's labour in the garden. Pulled muscles or strained ligaments can come from lifting that heavy plant pot you were sure you'd be able to manage alone. Aching knees from the strain of squatting down planting this year's bedding plants and grumpy hips from the same.
So surely, it makes sense to engage in fitness that will help with exactly those things?
At SLIIK© our classes offer massive benefits to those who enjoy gardening...
Fun dance fitness boosts mental health and releases endorphins - the body's "happy chemicals". These can help to ease backache and regular mood-bosting activity can even help guard against the risk of developing future back pain
Strengthening exercises build strong muscles to reduce the risk of strains and sprains. This can make lifting heavy bags of compost feel that little bit easier, plus help to stabilise joints and guard against injury from over-reaching to those awkwards areas of the garden
Bodyweight and Pilates style exercises help to improve mobility. Healthy joints are less likely to ache and full range of movement at joints ensures that forces on the body are distributed evenly when lifting & carrying
Switching between standing and floor exercises trains the lower body to be strong and resilient. The ability to go from standing to being on the floor (and vice versa) has been shown to have strong links to longevity and overall health and is a directly transferable skill to gardening
So, if you're a fan of the outdoors and looking for a fitness class to complement your hobby - why not give SLIIK© a go. Head to our "Find A Class" page to discover your local class - or send us a request for a class in your area!
Want to find out more about the benefits of gardening? Check out the gardening episode of 'Just One Thing' podcast with Michael Mosley
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