Shoveling snow
jen_092
Posts: 254 Member
Shoveling is so much easier when you're in better shape! Yesterday I shoveled a lot of heavy snow for a long time. Today my upper back hurts. I don't think I pulled anything, but it's sore. Should I have been bending my knees more to avoid this? Today I have workout A for Stronglifts and I fear my rows will suffer! I hope more of my roommates actually help me shovel next time...
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I've got a nice case of DOMS from shoveling yesterday myself lol, and I'm in pretty decent shape.
The rules of lifting any heavy weight apply to snow shoveling as well. Lift with your legs as much as possible, and just move what is manageable. It's better shoveling to take smaller shovel fulls and spend a bit more time resting than trying to move a mountain with each throw.
On the plus side, it's a heck of a calorie burn lol.2 -
I love shoveling snow...it forces me to exercise! LOL1
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Definitely lift with your legs, keep your arms as close to your body as you can as well.1
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Tacklewasher wrote: »
I'm sick of the frikken snow.
LOL! Think of the calories burned!!
I know - just looking for silver linings
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More snow, please!1
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I refuse to be snow's slave anymore, so I just drive over it.
We haven't gotten much snow this year, but I used to shovel quite a bit more in the past. They actually make these ergonomically shaped shovels with curved handles that seem to make it easier. Regardless, that heavy, wet snow is a beast, but I love the workout when I can get it.1 -
My beast is more beast.Stella3838 wrote: »I refuse to be snow's slave anymore, so I just drive over it.
We haven't gotten much snow this year, but I used to shovel quite a bit more in the past. They actually make these ergonomically shaped shovels with curved handles that seem to make it easier. Regardless, that heavy, wet snow is a beast, but I love the workout when I can get it. Yeah, my back doesn't handle the wet stuff that well any more.
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I have a snow blower too, but I found myself still shoveling as an excuse to get my workout in. LOL0
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Stella3838 wrote: »I have a snow blower too, but I found myself still shoveling as an excuse to get my workout in. LOL
Even with the snow blower there's lots of shoveling to be done. In all honesty I used to hate it, and while I can't say I love it now, I do kind of enjoy it, in a masochistic kind of way
All that work just opens the door wide for a great dinner that night. 2 -
Just got 18 inches (of snow) here yesterday. I'm very sore as well...I just pushed through my cardio today- you probably used muscles you havent worked on in awhile. It's freaking hard work!!!0
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Just got 18 inches (of snow) here yesterday. I'm very sore as well...I just pushed through my cardio today- you probably used muscles you havent worked on in awhile. It's freaking hard work!!!
Our forecast is all over the place right now, the only thing that looks somewhat certain is that we will get some more. How much or when?? Who knows lol. My big question is will my back be ready for it lol.0 -
Your form was probably good. Get a nice motion going with your legs and hips kinda like making a C shape with the shovel. If it's DEEP snow don't try and shovel all of it at once take your time and remember your back will thank you later.
I used to work in the snow removal industry and this is the technique that was taught to me.
The upper back soreness is natural if there was a lot of snow to remove, think of it as a sign that you had a really good work out. Maybe have some protein after you shovel (depending on how much snow).1 -
CANADIAN TIRED!, HILARIOUS!, where I live in Canada, we shovel all day every day the whole winter!, I just shoveled 60 minutes, then snowshoed 60 minutes! I like the high of a good workout.i feel great!2
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Due to snow the freezing rain, we have several inches of ice covering the driveway and walkway. This morning, I practically skated up the driveway with the trash and recycling bins.Stella3838 wrote: »I have a snow blower too, but I found myself still shoveling as an excuse to get my workout in. LOL
Ha! I've never used the snowblower, ever. I like the torture of snow shovelling. Two driveways and a walkway.
I'm guessing snow is not your supervisor?
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Shoveling is a great workout: Some of my best calorie totals ever have come from shoveling snow for 2-4 hours at a time (yes, my driveway is that long, but only if I do the whole U shape).
+1 to using legs and core. I think of it as sort of like a squat (get the snow, lift it), followed by a hip thrust (throw it), possibly with a twist overlapping the hip thrust, based on where the snow needs to go. Depending on the type of shovel and snow you have, spraying the shovel with PAM can be helpful (the sprays with lecithin seem best, not the all-oil ones). 1 -
Bent over rows are good practice for shoveling. Shovel the same way, bend at the hips, keep your back straight, brace your abs and glutes and go. You'll get a great core workout as well as upper back.0
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We moved to the midwest from the west coast. My mailman stopped his cart one day and gave me snow shoveling lessons. Thank God! It is hard and invigorating. He instructed me to push and jerk the snow off the shovel...
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My snowblower died. I think it needs a carb rebuild. But it is a small, single stage thrower so I may upgrade before next winter.
I'm still sick of the snow.1 -
no snow shovel. cuz it never snows here. and when it does . . . it doesn't. not really.
except that this winter it did, and nobody took the first dose of it seriously. me least of all, so i ended up with an inch of packed ice over all the sidewalks. i got out a dustpan and a ten-pound plate, mcgyver style. one-legged deficit deadlifts [with plate-drop from arm's height] to break it up, and then third-world squats with the 'chest-opening' fling move to clear the rubble. with subsequent dumps, i was more on the ball and just did the squat-with-dustpan-fling thing before it froze up.
i know perfectly well how weird it all looked. but the truth is, i kind of had a mcgyverish blast. would have been doing that stuff in the gym anyway. it was nice how all that blether about weightlifting being 'functional' movement turned out to be true, for a change.2 -
canadianlbs wrote: »no snow shovel. cuz it never snows here. and when it does . . . it doesn't. not really.
except that this winter it did, and nobody took the first dose of it seriously. me least of all, so i ended up with an inch of packed ice over all the sidewalks. i got out a dustpan and a ten-pound plate, mcgyver style. one-legged deficit deadlifts [with plate-drop from arm's height] to break it up, and then third-world squats with the 'chest-opening' fling move to clear the rubble. with subsequent dumps, i was more on the ball and just did the squat-with-dustpan-fling thing before it froze up.
i know perfectly well how weird it all looked. but the truth is, i kind of had a mcgyverish blast. would have been doing that stuff in the gym anyway. it was nice how all that blether about weightlifting being 'functional' movement turned out to be true, for a change.
I laughed! And my first response disappeared??1 -
I had to go to physical therapy every spring for years for rhomboid issues related to shoveling, because I lived with a roommate who got really angry anytime the footpath wasn't perfectly shoveled all the way to the concrete. If she fell on ice it was everyone else's fault for not shoveling well enough. Even when we went in shifts, it was still very taxing, because the snow got so high we had to lift it up almost over our heads to remove it. My partner eventually just got a snowblower and ended that misery. Now, at our new place we have a porch and a deck that we can't snowblow, so I go out there and shovel when I feel like it and let my shoulder rest when it starts getting uncomfortable. I haven't had nearly as many problems as I used to. Take it easy out there, folks!0
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jenxbowers wrote: »Shoveling is so much easier when you're in better shape! Yesterday I shoveled a lot of heavy snow for a long time. Today my upper back hurts. I don't think I pulled anything, but it's sore. Should I have been bending my knees more to avoid this? Today I have workout A for Stronglifts and I fear my rows will suffer! I hope more of my roommates actually help me shovel next time...
I lift weights religiously, and I still get some low back pain while shoveling! It's not fun for anyone lol. But the best thing you can do is think about optimal ergonomics. You should buy a shovel that enables you to grip and shovel optimally. Ex: not a flatter one. Those can hardly contain snow!!! Also get if you can to bend your knees slightly versus excessively leaning forward/downward. A neutral spine is the safest when doing any form of lifting! Also it can help to stand with a wider base of support, like say hip width apart.
But yeah, shoveling snow definitely is a very demanding task, requiring both strength and endurance (cardiac and muscular). So don't be afraid to take breaks if you need them! Being safe and knowing when you need to rest your body is key!!1 -
I shovel for time!1
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More snow incoming lol. Looking forward to the burn1
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jenxbowers wrote: »
LoL, based on your OP I think your first order of business should be waking your roommates up with buckets of snow and ice and make them shovel.
Take video when you do it please!
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More snow tomorrow! I find shoveling is a great workout and somewhat therapeutic. My spouse laughs at me because I am very deliberate when I shovel and want to get every last bit off the driveway. Driveway is a hill though so wondering if it is sometimes just better to leave some of it there. It can turn into a sledding hill and I can get the exercise running up the hill and sliding down a few times.
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Anabirgite wrote: »We moved to the midwest from the west coast...
How do you cope? I would die. (Southern California native.)
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jenxbowers wrote: »...I hope more of my roommates actually help me shovel next time...
LOL, good luck with that! 0
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