Health and Fitness: Practical Strength Building

There are a plethora of strength-building sites on this web, many of them from professionals, scientists, and steroid junkies, and to them I happily relegate all topics regarding pumping iron, reps, sets, and other weird terms. But, there are a number of areas these guys don't seem to address, some of them surprising oversights. One of them, an important one, is very simple: what does one do with all these muscles? And what does one do to build strength outside a gym?

For today, the topic with by simple digging. You think you're a tough cookie? Spend a day shovelling. I guess, in areas that snow, cleaning driveways and lawns would do the trick, to an extent, but for all people there is a much simpler one: making your own compost heap. Burying ones kitchen waste, mixing it up, watering it and letting it settle is not only prudent on an ecological scale, but also provides your garden with a supply of fertilizer which will help your rhubabr, plum trees or ornamental cosmos (it's a flower, seriously).

Okay, fine, but where does the strength come in? I'll tell you: dig a meter-cube hole, chuck waste and sand in equal layers, adding water, and repeat, and then tell me that garden work is not hard work. Take off your shirt and get a tan while doing it, even. Digging is an exercise that used muscles from thighs to shoulders, and if you stand in one place and use your hips to twist and toss the dirt, you'll activate side abdominals as well. Take it easy for the first few times though, as the constant bending will tax your lower back quite heavily. Make sure to stretch frequently. Carry a heavier shovel and take heavier loads for extra strength building.

What I'm saying, basically, is this: gyms frequently fail in giving fullrange of motion while exercising, especially in the weight training section. You can mix it up with some good ol' fashioned yard work, which not only will get you out in the open, but also give you the satisfaction at actually having accomplished something.