Gardening Burns as Many Calories as a Gym Workout—If Done Right
Gardening Burns as Many Calories as a Gym Workout—If Done Right
Gardening Burns as Many Calories as a Gym Workout—If Done Right
Gardening could be a healthy alternative to traditional sports, according to health official Alexey Nikonov. Many common tasks—like planting, weeding, and digging—burn as many calories as a gym workout. But proper technique is key to avoiding strain or injury.
Different gardening activities offer varying levels of exercise. Planting seedlings burns between 120 and 200 calories per hour. Weeding garden beds can use up 250 to 400 calories in the same time. Digging is even more intense, burning 330 to 400 calories hourly. Chopping and carrying firewood tops the list, with 350 to 450 calories burned each hour.
Before starting, Nikonov recommends a five-minute warm-up to prepare muscles. Prolonged bending should be avoided—taking a short stretch break every 20 to 30 minutes helps prevent stiffness. When lifting heavy objects, squatting with a straight back and using leg strength reduces the risk of injury.
Gardening provides a practical way to stay active without structured workouts. By following simple safety tips, people can turn yard work into effective exercise. The calorie burn from tasks like weeding or chopping wood matches many sports activities.