Fitness Requirements to Remain
Safe and Productive
The very nature of irrigation and landscaping work demands a certain level of physical fitness.
From lifting heavy equipment to digging trenches and planting trees and shrubs in various weather conditions, green industry professionals routinely engage in activities that require strength, stamina, and agility.
Triple Threat: Strength, Endurance, and Flexibility
The constant lifting of irrigation pipes, rocks, bags of soil, and plants places particular strain on the back and arms. Maintaining a high level of physical strength is essential to perform these duties safely and effectively.
Staying Fit Indoors
If inclement weather has kept you indoors this winter, several fitness options are still available, even if you’re stuck at home.
INDOOR POWER WALKING
Designate a walking path in your home or office that you can complete several times a day while engaged in other activities, such as talking on the phone or listening to a podcast. Track your steps with a pedometer, Fitbit, or free phone app.
EXERCISE “SNACKS”
Exercise snacks are 20-second activities performed every one to four hours. They can include jumping jacks, burpees, jogging in place, or climbing stairs. Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to move throughout the day.
SCREEN TIME ACTIVITY
Use a treadmill or stationary bike to remain active during screen time. Alternatively, try walking in place for one to five minutes every hour or two.
USE A STANDING DESK
Aside from lessening sitting time, a standing desk will allow you to perform quick leg curls, stretches, and other small movements while standing. For a more intense experience, place a treadmill or a pedal exerciser under your standing desk.
Source: Live & Learn
In addition, irrigation and landscaping work often involves long hours of physical labor, sometimes under scorching sun or in pouring rain. As a result, workers must be able to sustain their energy levels to complete their tasks efficiently.
They must also be agile and flexible in order to navigate uneven terrain, maneuver various tools and equipment, and easily bend and stretch to avoid injury.
Remaining “Fit” for Work
Physical fitness is a dynamic attribute that can be cultivated and improved over time. As a green industry professional, exercising regularly outside of work hours is essential to maintain your necessary fitness levels, further enhancing your job performance.
The following exercises will help:
Abdominal Bracing
This exercise will help you avoid back injury.
Lie on your back with knees and hips bent, feet flat. Place your hands at your sides, just above your pelvic bones. Draw your belly button toward your spine while tightening the abdominal muscles. Hold the contraction for 3-5 seconds and perform 10 repetitions.
Chair Squats
This exercise will increase thigh strength.
Stand in front of a chair with feet slightly wider than your shoulders. Slowly lower yourself into (or just over) the chair without using your hands, then slowly stand back up. Repeat until your thighs feel tired, 10-20 repetitions.
Once you’ve mastered these squats, you can advance to dead weights, using five-to-ten-pound dumbbells in each hand.
Golfer’s Lift
This exercise helps reduce back strain when performing repetitive or light lifting tasks from ground level. It mimics a golfer’s motion when reaching the ground for a tee or ball.
In a standing position, pivot your trunk forward from the hip of the weight-bearing leg. Raise the other leg behind you to the same degree that your body moves downward. Then, lower down and return to standing. Repeat 10-20 times and then switch sides.
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Farmer’s Carry
This exercise helps alleviate the awkward demand on the lower back and abdominal muscles caused by carrying heavy buckets on just one side of the body.
Hold in one hand a five-to-ten-pound dumbbell or a bucket filled partially with water or sand. Walk forward 10-20 steps, then turn around and switch hands, walking back to where you started. That’s one repetition. Repeat 5-10 times.
Wholehearted Effort
In addition to regular strength training, consistent aerobic exercise is critical to enhancing and maintaining cardiovascular health. Walking, running, cycling, and swimming are particularly beneficial if a component of your job is sedentary. Walking or running up and down stairs for 10-15 minutes can help release endorphins, improve circulation, and increase productivity.
The Big Picture
Irrigation and landscaping are physically demanding jobs requiring strength, endurance, and flexibility to avoid injury. Using proper techniques when lifting heavy objects or equipment and avoiding dehydration and fatigue will help.
But maintaining a well-conditioned body while off the clock further ensures you remain safe, productive, and ever “fit” for your job.
Sources:
Featured Image: Adobe, License Granted
Green Packs
Business Insider
Mountain Ridge Physical Therapy
Healthline
