Arlington Gardeners: Working Out Can Help You in the Garden

Amanda Hockley loves gardening in her backyard.

“I find it meditative, and I can leave all my worries behind me,”says Amanda, 59, an administrator in a law firm.

But a couple of years ago, painful arthritis began getting in the way of her favorite hobby –which requires stamina, flexibility and strength. Since exercise can relieve arthritis pain, Amanda joined a fitness studio for small group training sessions a year ago.

Now, not only is she strong and ready for gardening’s rigors, but she also enjoys nightly walks and occasional runs –and has dropped 70 pounds, a third of her weight.

Amanda learned what health professionals and countless gardeners have known for decades: Gardening is a good workout that also helps maintain joint function, relieve stiffness, and improve balance and endurance. It also fights depression, provides vitamin D, and provides an outlet that can be social and creative.

If you think gardening doesn’t qualify as exercise, think again. An hour can burn up to 300 calories. And it’s a full-body workout -- bending over to pick up pots, squatting to pull up weeds, pushing wheelbarrows, raking, and carrying items, some of them heavy. 

Come talk to us at Inner Strength about getting your strength, endurance and agility ready for gardening. You don’t want to injure yourself in the yard; lower back and knees are the most common sore spots. 

Call: 817-600-7684 for a FREE consultation. 

Visit us online at : www.innerstrengthfit.com