Project Snow Tip #4: Outdoor work does count as a great workout!
On Saturday, I was debating between a few exercise ideas:
1) Hit up gym
2) Hit up pavement for walk or run
3) Do yard work that desperately needed to be done!
I felt guilty because Eric was hard at work cleaning the gutters out…
So I didn’t really want to go somewhere else to workout when I could just stay and help him!
I was a bit skeptical that I wouldn’t really feel like I got in a good workout from raking leaves.
Was I ever wrong! Within a minute my arms were burning and my heart rate was up.
I had my green tea to keep me hydrated. It is important to stay hydrated even when it is cooler outside.
Then I decided to turn my raking into a mini outdoor bootcamp to tone my ENTIRE body!
I focused the bootcamp intervals on the LEGS since my arms were already getting a killer workout from raking!
60 Minute Mini Outdoor Fall Bootcamp
1) Minutes 1-10: Rake leaves for 10 minutes
2) Minutes 10-12: Do 20 lunges on each leg
3) Minutes 13-23: Rake leaves for 10 minutes
4) Minutes 24-26: Do 20 squats on each leg
5) Minutes 27-37: Rake leaves 10 minutes
6) Minutes 38-42: Stop and play with neighbourhood dogs ;) (aka BREAK TIME!)
He was VERY friendly. You don’t want to see what he did to the St. Bernard puppy that came by!
7) Minutes 43-45: Walking lunges up and down driveway for 2 minutes
8.) Minutes 46-51: Raking leaves for 5 minutes
9) Minutes 52-54: 3 sets of 50 calf raises performed off a step
10) Minutes 55-60: Cool-down: Bag up leaves or discard in woods/compost pile. Light walking. Stretch out legs and arms.
The hour FLEW by! It was fun too.
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This workout left me feeling super energized and so refreshed! Yard work is most definitely a great workout.
I think it is important to realize that things like raking, shoveling snow, and other household duties like cleaning DO add up and they can work the body in new ways. My arms were quite sore from raking so I know they got a great workout. My legs also got in some challenging exercises which I haven’t done in ages. On Sunday and even today, my legs are still sore from the resistance exercises!
It is all about changing it up for me lately, and I think my body is feeling really challenged and new muscles are forming.
My plan for this week:
- ABS: This week is going to focus on my abs again (i.e., side planks!!). I vow to get back to the ability level that I was at in the Summer Glow Boot Camp! Tight abs here we come!!!!!!!
- YOGA: Also because my back has been feeling tense lately from all the baking, I am going to focus on doing this easy back workout every day this week.
- CARDIO
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Will you be raking leaves this fall or shoveling snow in the winter?
I have MANY memories (good and bad) of shoveling snow.
In fact, I have done it so much in my life, I consider myself to be an Expert Snow Remover. lol. I grew up in the Maritimes and boy did we get a lot of snow. It wasn’t uncommon for us to have snow banks well over my dad’s head. My family used to take ‘shifts’ shoveling snow all day long. Such a great workout, but you have to be careful not to hurt your back and bend at the knees when shoveling!
This winter, I will definitely be channeling my PSS (Project Snow Strength) and getting out there to shovel snow and get in a great workout at the same time! Gone are the days when I thought that a workout had to consist of a piece of equipment. :)
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Time to work! Have a wonderful Moan-day ;)
If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything is ready, we shall never begin.
– Ivan Turgenev
I am always sore after raking leaves or gardening. It is such a good workout and so productive!
it just shows you…you can grab every opportunity presented to you to get in some exercise!!!! There are just no excuses
This IS a great way to get a workout! Loved how you turned it into a mini bootcamp!! :)
ooo puppies! I love puppies!!!
What a great idea. I need to do some yardwork. Actually with some music, it could turn into an awesome fun workout.
People think I’m mad, but I love shovelling snow – it really is a great workout! Unfortunately we bought an apartment and they already have someone taking care of that (though I do get it off our steps to make it safer), and we got a covered parking spot for our car, so no need to shovel that out :( Hmm . . maybe I’ll be the shovel fair on our street!! :)
That obviously should be FAIRY . . .
I already raked leaves on my lot. It’s covered by about 5 huge, mature Oak Trees. What a PITA they are too!
SO is cleaning the gutters this week. I’m afraid of ladders, so that job is all his.
I also shovel snow all winter too. Not a problem for me as I LOVE snow!
Oh baby…shoveling is a GREAT workout! My hubby works for UPS, so November-January I am a “UPS widow” and that means I have to shovel. The last thing I want him to have to do after hauling packages all day is come home and shovel. We moved into a house last year with a longer driveway and I look forward to the awesome workout I get!!
Great job on the yard work bootcamp…way to turn it into an awesome workout!
Courtney
Adventures in Tri-ing
I usually need to shake up my morning work out routine in order to motivate me sometimes, and this morning I especially did not just feel like getting on the treadmill and going – it wouldn’t have lasted long. So I did your elliptical workout from the other day and seriously it was Awesome!! I definitely got in a great 50 minutes of cardio and was sweating which on an elliptical I can tend not to do if I just work at an easy pace. Thanks for the motivational workout tips!!
Definitely a great workout! Love that you turned it into a full body workout, too.
That dog is SO cute.
Love that you turned yard work into a workout! I definitely need to do that more often.
Great tips Angela – all so true! I try and walk/take the stairs whenever I can, and I’m always so surprised how lazy other people are. They can’t walk half a milk?! If I had snow to shovel or leaves to rake I would!!
What a great idea! Like you, I am always super-busy, so multitasking like this is perfect — you get chores done, and get a workout in!
Such a positive spin on a chore that most people hate!
Another idea for bad backs (which I suffer from like crazy) is “rolling like a ball” — very popular in yoga and pilates alike. I do 5 rolls about 2 or 3 times a day and I really feel like it helps to massage out my spine…when I’m done sometimes I just lay and flat with my knees to the right or left and my hands extended. This also helps to get this loose and feeling good :)
http://www.videojug.com/film/pilates-rolling-like-a-ball
-Kerri from Enzymatic Therapy
I live in an apartment! So there’s really no need to do any of those things but I see that it is indeed a good workout! :)
Oh yeah, we’ve been raking. We both grew up in the Northeast US, but have lived in TX for the past 17 years before moving to NY. So it’s been a really long time since I’ve raked. We bagged up 23 bags of leaves last weekend, and I’m going to be raking the backyard again later today.
I’m sure I’ll be shoveling, too. It’s been even longer since I shoveled than raked! My husband bought a snow blower, but those things scare me, so I’m sure I’ll be shoveling. At least the front steps!
Shoveling snow is a great workout. But alas I can’t do it because of my back injury. But I do bring Hunni hot chocolate while he does it and runs the snow blower.
My best winter workout is walking the dogs. They have to go out anyway and so we bundle them up and go for a walk.
I shovel snow during the winter, but I’m not a huge fan. The first few times I enjoy it and I view it as a great workout, but then as winter wears on and I have to shovel at 6:30 in the morning before leaving for work, and then park in the street when I get home until I can shovel our driveway out…well..it loses its appeal
Way to turn yard work into a fun workout!
OH yes, raking and shoveling snow. haha This year, living in a city I haven’t had to do them, but I love your idea to mix up working the legs with the arm work that raking provides (plus the minute of lunges is prob a nice break for the arms!). You’re always thinkin’, Angela! :)
I raked leaves this weekend, too, and I love shoveling snow in the winter.
What an awesome idea! I would love to do this if I could. Unfortunently I live in L.A and well…no yard=) anywhere…or grass…but its ok. I grew up in PA and i used to hate it when my parents would make me shovel snow, but now I miss it! Funny how that happens. Keep on rockin!