Trim Up With Mowing
Turn a must-do task into a beneficial workout with this expert advice.
By Ellen Ruoff Riley
   
  Once the only option, new reel mowers are quieter, ecologically cleaner, and more lightweight than their old-fashioned counterparts. If you have a small yard, give this method a try. Besides, you’ll burn a few extra calories.
   

The sweet earthiness of freshly cut grass has to be one of the season’s most memorable scents. It’s a pity mowing the lawn is viewed as the bane of home ownership. With an attitude adjustment, the task becomes a full-body workout. “We’ve engineered physical activity out of our lives. Technology has been a curse for the body,” says Ruth Ann Carpenter, director of dissemination and advocacy at The Cooper Institute in Dallas.

Be Wise
Choose the correct mower for your yard. “Take into account your size, strength, and terrain when selecting equipment,” Ruth Ann advises.
While a push mower gives the best workout, a self-propelled model makes sense in some cases. “It’s difficult to push a heavy mower uphill, and you can end up straining yourself,” Ruth Ann says. The most versatile machine allows you to engage the propelling feature only when you need it.
“Use the power drive going uphill. Then disengage it on flat surfaces for more resistance,” she suggests.

Benefits to the Max
To get the best workout, follow Ruth Ann’s tips.
• Posture: Stand up straight, with your hips tucked in. Use your entire body to push the mower.
• Bend: Gently bend your elbows and knees.
• Flex: Push the mower away from you and then pull it back in a bench-pressing motion to increase the workout’s value.
• Steady: On flat terrain, walk at a consistent pace.

It’s a Win-win Deal
When you keep an eye toward exercise, your entire body benefits. “Your legs obviously get a workout,” Ruth Ann says. “Your pectoral muscles do also, especially when you do the extra pushes and pulls.”

To address the ever-important calorie question, Ruth Ann offers these numbers: “If you weigh 130 pounds, mowing for one hour using a power push mower eats up 340 calories.”

One last benefit takes a more ethereal turn. Outdoor activity gives the mind a chance to relax. “I love to mow the grass,” Ruth Ann explains. “I can let the day go and actually see what I’ve accomplished.”

Keep your grass within the suggested range to make mowing easy. During drought, longer is better, so maintain it at the longest height listed.
• Zoysia: 1"-2"
• St. Augustine: 2½"-4"
• Centipede: 1½"–2"
• Hybrid Bermuda: ½"–1½"



"Trim Up With Mowing" is from the May 2008 issue of Southern Living.




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