Is Shoveling Snow Good Exercise?
It is so cold outside. You do not feel like doing anything.
All you really want to do is lie in bed (or on the couch) and do literally nothing.
For that reason, you are seeking reasons, or excuses, to not exercise. That thinking is completely valid.
It is a great question for today’s blog. Before we get started, let us see what exercise is and how much we really need.
Summary
What Is Exercise?
Well, before we talk about exercise, what does it mean to move? I mean, you have to do it every day, either to move the mouse on your computer, to sit up, or even to move around your house.
To move, or do a physical activity, is “bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscles that results in a substantial increase in caloric requirements over resting energy expenditure.”
Is shoveling snow good exercise? Regardless, you can always start building healthy habits with this Habit Forming Checklist!
!!Simply, anytime you move your body voluntarily, it is a type of physical activity. As long as you are not lying down, you are doing physical activity. Using this definition, you can see that exercise is just a type of physical activity.
According to the American College of Sports and Medicine (ACSM), exercise is “planned, structured, and repetitive physical activity done to improve and/or maintain” one’s health.
To summarize this section, exercise is planned physical activity while physical activity is any type of bodily movement.
Related post: How to Start Exercising
How Much Exercise Do You Need?
Now that you understand the basic definition of exercise. You can now ask the important question: “How much exercise do you really need in a week?”
Also from the ACSM, the average person needs around 150 minutes or 2 hours 30 minutes of exercise. The intensity of exercise should range from moderate to vigorous, meaning that your heart rate has to be elevated to a certain level and you might sweat.
For the different types of exercise there are, you can check out my blog:
Wondering how your exercise routine should be, take this quiz to receive a detailed routine that you can use (^人^)
Is Shoveling Snow Good Exercise?
Let us go over what shoveling snow involves us to do.
Do you move your body? Yes. You are no longer inside.
Do you raise your heart rate doing it? Yes. The activity raises your heart rate as you go through the process because of your movement and to warm yourself.
Is shoveling snow a planned movement? Yes. Of course, there are certain movements of shoveling snow that are unique and you would not do it for any other activity.
Shoveling snow is a type of digging exercise you can do. However, is it a good exercise? It depends. Shoveling snow is a good cardio exercise (why? read here). It can help you improve your heart health but there is a risk of injuries and sickness from the cold (because it can be a vigorous exercise.
For shoveling snow to be a good exercise, you have to actually shovel snow around 3 times a week, or as a part of your exercise routine. If the place where you live rarely snows, and it cannot be added to your exercise routine, then shoveling snow would not be great for you.
Related post: How to Lose Weight Fast Without Exercise?
How You Should Think Instead?
Exercise is much simpler than you think it is. A lot of everyday activities fitness is you taking care of what you have. Think outside of the box.
Snow shoveling is one of the most popular winter activities, but is it really good exercise? The answer is yes! Shoveling snow can definitely help you stay in shape during the winter.
Life has more options. You do not have to exercise just by doing the stereotypical movements of exercise. There is more that you can do.
You can go running, biking, swimming, or dancing to TikTok videos. You do not have to shovel snow. You do not have to go to the gym.
If you think you need a refresh in your exercise routine, check out the VIP Session Experience: Tailor Fit, to get a new breeze to your routine.
