Shoveling Snow is "Active Recovery"

[JT]

Due the snow the midwest is finally receiving, my week off from STS has been shoveling.
Not fun.
Thought I would vent a little. It's better than massive cleaning at my house for "active recovery."

 

[kathryn]

I'm not sure how much of a 'recovery' workout snow-shoveling is: it can be a tough total-body activity. (And every year, someone dies of a heart attack doing it). If you live in Minnesota (where I was born and raised) or Wisconsin, it can definitely be a workout!

I agree about the 'massive cleaning'. I've taken to doing my cleaning in spurts (like some say that you can exercise in increments of 10 minutes or so and accumulate enough activity for fitness over the course of the day): 15-30 minutes at a time, concentrating on one area, then I'm ready to quit!

 

[jgoycoolea]

I've shoveled a ton of heavy deep snow this year and was pleasantly surprised how my back and legs could handle the workout. I felt like I was doing all-the-way-to-the-ground deadlifts the whole time. I never go so low in traditional workouts. My hamstrings don't usually touch my calves! I totally thought this kind of shoveling could replace a workout.

But what was burning and sore were my forearms. Holding the shovel steady at a 90 degree angle with heavy snow and then carrying it to a good place to put that snow was tough. All of the static bicep holds I've done in the past 20 years did not prepare me for that much load! Perhaps I should be going heavier on biceps!

 

[JT]

Because of Cathe, especially STS, shoveling has been easier. The heavy wet snow is more difficult. Michigan, where I live, is finallly getting dumped with it.
it does help to have the ergonomically shaped shovel as well.

 

[MidgetDogg]

Shovelling snow is the WORST! Which is why I hired a guy with a plow on his truck last year. Best $175 I've spent.

 

[DirtDiva]

I have to get out there and shovel the last couple of inches that fell yesterday and today, its more of a nuisance now because its silly to fire up the snowblower, but dang its getting harder and harder to pick the shovel up high enough to get it over the snow piles.

 

[JT]

More snow is coming....then on to the East Coast.