How to start your own garden and reap the benefits
Do you want to get more exercise without ever hitting the gym? Does the idea of eating better food and getting plenty of vitamin D appeal to you? Pull on some gloves, grab your straw hat and take out your shovel. It’s time for some gardening therapy.
“Not that long ago, very few people went to a gym to work out unless they were in the military or training as an athlete. Most everyone else didn’t experience the idea of a regimented workout until sometime in the 1970s. And even then, a lot of people still got their physical activity from their jobs or everyday activities,” says Cindy Martin, an exercise physiologist with OhioHealth McConnell Heart Health Center.
“While workouts are great for improving specific areas of fitness, they are by no means the only way to stay fit,” adds Cindy. “There are all kinds of ways for us to get our physical activity. There are many other things besides a trip to the gym that add to our strengthening and the minutes of movement we need. Gardening is a great one.”
According to Cindy, gardening brings many health benefits. It:
- Builds strength
- Improves balance
- Increases stamina
- Enhances flexibility
- Strengthens core muscles
- Develops grip strength
- Creates social connections
Sowing the seeds of success
Although it’s tempting to buy one of everything you see at the gardening center and dig right in, it’s best to start small while you master the gardening basics. And doing a little advance prep doesn’t hurt, according to Cindy.
“You can use your gardening as exercise. But you need to be in shape enough to do the volume of gardening you want to do and not get yourself into trouble,” she says.
“Two to six weeks before you start up the tiller, start getting yourself into shape. It can be something you do at home or at a gym. The important thing is to get moving,” says Cindy. “When you start planning your garden, you better also be thinking, ‘Am I getting myself into shape for the digging I need to do?’ because a lot of times, digging will be early in the season. And that’s one of the hardest things to do.”
Cindy recommends strength training two or three times a week. Concentrate on improving your balance, cardio, full body strength and core strength and work to build stamina and flexibility. These exercises can help.
Structure your time
Think about shaping your time in the garden the same way you would when working out in the gym.
“I think of a warmup and cool down for gardening like a stick shift car. You can’t start out in fifth gear. It doesn’t work. Don’t ask your body to do that either,” says Cindy. “Make sure you ease into your gardening session in some way. Sometimes that happens naturally – you’re gathering your tools and taking stuff here and there – so you may have enough of a warmup. You don’t want to jump into the most strenuous thing right off the bat. Don’t begin by grabbing a wheelbarrow full of dirt,” she warns.
Do a few stretches before and after you pick up a shovel or start to weed to avoid the sore muscles and aching back a day in the garden can bring if you’re not careful. Take advantage of special equipment and clothing that makes gardening easier on your body, like a bench seat or knee pads. Once you’re done for the day, Cindy recommends a brief cool-down period that uses slow repetition and gentle stretches.
Thinking ahead and having a plan is vital to getting the full health benefits of gardening while maintaining your safety.
“Having a cell phone with you while you’re in the garden is a good first step. But also think about what you need to get up from the ground. Do you need a solid chair? Or do you need to consider where you can scoot yourself until you get to something that can allow you to get up? Do you need to practice getting down to the ground and back up? Think about your worst-case scenarios and figure out what to do if they happen,” she says.
It doesn’t really matter whether your garden takes up your entire backyard or is just a few containers on the patio, according to Cindy. “The main thing is to get outside, get moving and get your hands dirty,” she says. “Nature is extremely restorative. Being outside, touching the grass and soil, is therapeutic. And it does something for us that even going for a walk outside can’t do.”
