GET IN THE BEST SHAPE OF YOUR LIFE!

It's official: Spring is here! It happened this past weekend while I was trying to catch up on sleep and try to get all the errands/projects done, some force came over me pulling me into the garden. Time to stop ignoring those weeds and leggy looking plants and give not only my garden some love but also get a nurturing full body workout!
This morning it was soon appearant what muscles I had been neglecting on with my weekly workouts. So here is the challenge that I am going to try, and I assume you other garden lovers can do this as well. We will try to mimic our workout with shovels, rakes and weeding in the gym. Full body exercise that utilize both our pushing and pulling muscles at the same time.

We generally are not sedentary while we get our garden beds ready for Spring and Summer: there is generally a lot of heavy lifting of soil and unloading/loading organic material out of the trailer and into the garden. Not to mention many, many squats!
Here is the first out of 5 exercises that we will be guiding you through this week. to help get you in tip top shape for the veggie season!
Exercise: Fully Body Squat with Integrated Dumbbell Curls
Step 1

Starting Position: Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width, facing outward or turned slightly outwards while holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides, with palms facing inwards. Depress and retract your scapulae (pull shoulders down and back).

Step 2

Downward Phase: Start the downward phase by first shifting your hips backwards then downwards to create a hinge-like movement at your knees. As you lower your hips the knees will then start to shift forward slowly, but try to control the amount of forward translation (movement) of the tibia (shinbone). While you are squatting down raise your forearms up towards your shoulders, keeping your palms facing one another performing a hammer curl. Attempt to keep your back flat.

Step 3

Continue to lower yourself until your thighs are parallel or almost parallel with the floor, or until your heels begin to lift off the floor, or until your torso begins to round or flex forward. Monitor your feet, ankles and knees, ensuring that the feet don't move, the ankles do not collapse in or out and the knees remain aligned over the second toe.


Step 4

Upward Phase: While maintaining your back, chest and head-up position, exhale and extend the hips and knees by pushing your feet into the floor through your heels. The hips and torso need to rise together while keeping the heels flat on the floor and knees aligned over the second toe. As you extend upward, slowly control your forearms through releasing your bicep muscle and bring your palms down toward your sides. Continue extending until you reach your starting position.

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