Did you know a 145lb. person can burn 400 calories during just one hour of shoveling? Shoveling can be an excellent workout, but also a quick route to injury if you are not careful and don’t use proper shoveling techniques.
Here are my tips to prevent injury and get the most out of shoveling:
- Warm-up and stretch! You wouldn't skip this step at the gym, so don't do it now!
- Equipment — Make sure your shovel is long enough so you don't have to bend over too much. It’s not a good idea to borrow a kid-size shovel if you aren't a kid! Curved or adjustable handles are great.
- Start off slow — Even after stretching and warming up, it is still a great idea to ease into your shoveling workout.
- Alternate pushing and lifting; think of them as "sets". Do a set of 5-10 using the...