YOUR SPRING GARDEN SHAPE-UP

‘Regular gardening can transform your physical shape,’ says Jemma. With these outdoor tasks you’ll burn calories, build muscle and improve bone and joint strength… Raking and sweeping

Spend half an hour getting rid of garden debris to strengthen chest, arm and shoulder muscles. Squat, rather than bend, when picking up grass cuttings or leaves to work the thighs and bum.

TIP: ‘Keep your back straight and feet shoulder-width apart when raking, and alternate sides to work the muscles on each side of the body equally,’ says Jemma.

Digging

Ready to work up a sweat? Digging is one of the highest-intensity gardening tasks you can do. You’ll get a full-body workout that also helps to maintain healthy bones.

TIP: ‘Digging is a repetitive action, so if you’re feeling the strain, switch to another task and come back to it later to prevent injury,’ says Jemma.

Mowing

The push, pull and turn action of cutting grass while walking up and down with the mower provides a great cardiovascular workout and strengthens back and shoulder muscles, and biceps.

TIP: Watch your posture. ‘Stand tall and keep the core muscles engaged while using your leg strength to power across the lawn,’ says Jemma.

Weeding and planting

A great way to exercise your arms and keep shoulder joints mobile is by weeding. ‘If you weed or plant from a squat position, you’ll work your legs, hips and bum as you inch your way along the garden border,’ says Jemma. TIP: ‘Keep your waste bin at the opposite end of the garden – you’ll increase your step count as you go back and forth,’ adds Jemma.