Your Shoveling Snow Fitness Plan!

We had our first snow last weekend and like every year after the first snow I heard lots of clients talking about their achy backs from shoveling. As winter settles in here in Iowa I’d like to challenge you to start thinking of your shoveling duties as part of your movement and fitness routine. After all, walking for 20 minutes or more while you use a shovel to pick up and throw heavy wet snow is work and can be a great way to get some exercise! Like any exercise program though you’ll want to make sure you are doing it properly so that you get the maximum benefits without getting hurt!

Here’s my top tips for your winter Shoveling practice!!

  1. Warm up your body a little before heading out. Try a little standing warm up that moves the body in each plane (gentle twists, side bends gentle roll down, gentle standing swan) so that your body feels ready to move.
  2. Check in with your shoveling form. How’s your posture as you pushing that snow? Are you tensing your shoulders and neck unnecessarily? Are you rounding your shoulder and back?
  3. Bend your knees when you pick up the snow to throw it.  That moment where you pick the snow up and throw it is an important one. Make sure you end your knees, engage your abdominal muscles and keep your back lengthened!!
  4. Engage  your core!! I know I mentioned this before but it’s so important and could save you a backache!!  Pulling your abdominal muscles up and in and engaging them will keep your back supported and safe while you are pushing and shoveling.
  5. Take swan breaks! Even when we are paying attention to our posture we are likely to end up spending some time rounded forward pushing snow. So every once in awhile stop and do a few standing swan to counter the stiffness and tightness that start to happen in our neck and back muscles.

Relieve neck tension by being Mindful!!

If you haven’t noticed it has turned COLD this past week or so here in Iowa.  I don’t know about you, but it usually takes me a little while to adjust to the colder temperatures and all of the layering up you end up doing in the winter season.  One of my clients mentioned this week that she noticed her neck muscles being tighter this week and thought maybe it had to do with the cold weather as she hadn’t gotten her scarves out yet.  As soon as she said that I had a big aha moment for myself.  I am completely guilty of not dressing warm enough and then doing things like scrunching my shoulders up and trying to use my body position to keep me warmer!

So since then I have just been trying to make an effort to be more aware and more mindful of my shoulder scrunching, especially when I go out into the cold or when I’m driving in a chilly car.  It’s amazing how many times I catch myself scrunching, although it’s getting much better now that I’m aware of it!

I’ve also been trying to add some gentle stretches ad movements into my workouts and into my daily routine the relax and stretch those tight neck and upper trapezius muscles.  Check them out in the video below!