Ridgeland Senior Adult Programs is hosting a Gardener’s Gym Workout Program throughout the month of March to focus on the importance of safety while doing yard work, show safe body mechanics, promote balance outdoors and utilize garden tools properly.
Certified Instructor Lisa Newman has been working with the Ridgeland Senior Adult Programs since 2000 and will be hosting the classes Wednesdays March 9-30 from 2:30 to 3:30 at the Ridgeland Recreational Center to teach movements to do before gardening activities to warm up. Newman said gardening can help lower blood pressure, cholesterol, prevent diabetes, heart disease, depression and osteoporosis when done on a regular basis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gardening qualifies as exercise and getting out in the yard for 30 to 45 minutes can burn up to 150 to 300 calories. It is a total body fitness workout.
Each class will build off of one another as a four week program. Newman said she will be focusing on four different areas for each class: foundation, dynamic stretching, strength, and an overview putting the three together.
“The first session I will be talking about the importance of the foundation (such as soil with gardening),” Newman said. “We will be talking about the structure of the body and the importance of that structure. With that structure, I’m going to talk about core and give core exercises because that is the center of our structure. A lot of times when people work in the yard, they bend from the center so having that structure helps with balance and having a strong core helps protect the lower back.”
The second class is focused on dynamic stretching, including yoga which helps slow down the movements.
“The importance of the movement and stretching of the body is to get ready to do other fun things and more strenuous things in the yard,” Newman said. “I’ll talk about stretching because a lot of times people are strong enough and they go work in the yard, but they tend to overdo it and not stretch and wonder why they can’t move for a week. I’ll also talk about the relaxed gardener and how important it is after working in the garden to stretch and maybe do relaxing breathing techniques.”
The third category is strength, which will open the conversation to the different movements done in the garden or yard.
“I’ll give a strengthening routine entailing different exercises for that class that you’ll do to build the body, to strengthen the body, and to do things outdoors like yard work and gardening,” Newman said. “The last class will probably be an overview of everything. I’ll incorporate a full routine that will start off focusing on the foundation and core, then the stretching with yoga and then strengthening. That will be the full overview of a gardener’s gym workout routine.”
Newman said the benefits of learning to move the body structure for outdoor yard activity will give attendees a better sense of balance, bending and moving joints, and range of motion that will help the body move in all directions with ease.
“Movement and dynamic stretches with working in a garden would also be releasing tension and toxins because you are doing something that you enjoy,” Newman said. Stretching the muscles helps us to relax and breathe better.”
Additionally, Newman said dynamic stretches can provide energy.
“I have a metaphor that when you think of a garden hose that is kinked up or twisted, oxygen doesn’t flow well,” Newman said. “You are trying to unkink or release tension in the body, so you’ll have more energy to help with breathing, a better energy flow and it aids with fat burning.”
To sign up, call 601-856-6876 or email neeley.jones@ridgelandms.org. Each class is $10, but you can sign up for all four at the same time for $40. Newman encourages participants to sign up for all four classes to get the full benefits.
