My yard equipment has decided to kill me.

NatiaGonitellie
NatiaGonitellie Posts: 355 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Well it seems that my lawnmower, hedge trimmer and weed whacker have either taken on the role of my personal trainers, OR they want me dead.
For 2 days now I have been trying to get these things started, in doing so I found out I am doing an exercise dubbed "Lawnmower Pull" 30 minutes yesterday and now 10 minutes today. (actually the lawnmower just joined in the conspiracy today)
This has given me no choice but to use the dreaded hand tools. I know, I know, hand tools will give me a better work out. BUT, I am seriously out of shape here, this could end up going very badly.

Who else looks at the yard work as a free gym membership?

And who's yard equipment has turned against them like mine? If so how do you imaging taking vengeance on such evil pieces of gas powered aggravation.

Replies

  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,746 Member
    Funny post! Sorry for your evil machines, though!

    My husband views yard work as a workout because we have lots of super thick grass and he uses a non-propelled mower. I couldn't do it if my life depended on it so yeah, I'd say the lawnmower would probably cause me to be a goner if I had to use it.
  • NatiaGonitellie
    NatiaGonitellie Posts: 355 Member
    edited April 2016
    I swear I herd those horrid monsters laughing at me as I walked away in disgust, carrying the hedge shears in one hand and the machete in the other. I can't even look at my push mower, this yard is to big for me to use it.
    My arms and shoulder are so sore now, from trying to start them and then having to use hand tools to get only a tiny portion of the work done that could have been finished by now.
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    I have a friend who is a personal trainer. Her husband is always trying to talk her into getting her clients to do yard work for them as workouts :)

    Our bi-annual Great Yard Cleanup is also occurring about now. Every weekend I think I'm going to die from the yard work, I'm so sore. I walk every day and jog 5 days a week, but holding a weed whacker is apparently past my muscular abilities! It inspired me that I need to clean up my weight room so I can start lifting weights again. Apparently all my muscles have atrophied.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    Didn't put Sta-bil in your gas before winter storage, eh? Drain your gas tanks in the machines, dump in some straight Techron, prime, prime prime, prime (or pull, pull, pull, pull) to pull the Techron into the carbs, let sit overnight, and put some FRESH gas in the machines (if the gas in your gas cans is from last year, dump it into your car's tank and go get some fresh stuff). Hopefully should be able to get things started enough that the Techron will clear out the rest of the gum over time...if not, you'll have the joy of pulling the carbs and soaking them in carb cleaner. Next year put some Sta-bil in your gas tanks and run for a bit before shutting down for the winter. Unless you just enjoy having an overdeveloped pulling arm :smiley:
  • SIMAKRA
    SIMAKRA Posts: 97 Member
    First thing to do: stare them down. They can sense fear!

    Second: never ever puff or breath heavily, that spurs them on.

    Third: Call out to your husband:Oh. I am enjoing myself so much. That demotivates them.

    Once back in the house, close the door and carefully collaps on the floor.
  • ShodanPrime
    ShodanPrime Posts: 226 Member
    I know how that go. Missing half a toe due to a lawnmower accident. :)
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    Hubs has an electric lawn mower and loves it!!


    Also, love your post, haha :D
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    30 minutes of pulling to start stuff? great tricep exercise :D

    btw, yard work and gardening are listed as cardio in the MFP database.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    hill8570 wrote: »
    Didn't put Sta-bil in your gas before winter storage, eh? Drain your gas tanks in the machines, dump in some straight Techron, prime, prime prime, prime (or pull, pull, pull, pull) to pull the Techron into the carbs, let sit overnight, and put some FRESH gas in the machines (if the gas in your gas cans is from last year, dump it into your car's tank and go get some fresh stuff). Hopefully should be able to get things started enough that the Techron will clear out the rest of the gum over time...if not, you'll have the joy of pulling the carbs and soaking them in carb cleaner. Next year put some Sta-bil in your gas tanks and run for a bit before shutting down for the winter. Unless you just enjoy having an overdeveloped pulling arm :smiley:

    Yup. Properly winterize your engines, people!

    Also, I never use fuel with ethanol added in my small engines. They just don't run well, and even with fuel stabilizers the fuel seems to go bad faster. My lawnmower gets better fuel than my car.
  • leahkathleen13
    leahkathleen13 Posts: 272 Member
    Oh yes. We have a Gravely. I want to get a shirt printed that says..."When it goes it doesn't stop. When it stops it doesn't go." It's the worst when multiple machines won't start. It's always an uphill battle to keep the mowing somewhat under control! And yes, it's definitely a workout. In fact, my grandmother is 92, and has maintained and mowed yards all her life. I think it's the caused her longevity! Fighting with the mowers has made her damn tough.
  • NatiaGonitellie
    NatiaGonitellie Posts: 355 Member
    I WIN!!!!!! I WIN!!!! I WIN!!!!!!! Got that stubborn lawn mower started today!!!!!. The weed wacker and hedge trimmer are still silently mocking me, but I will have my day.
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