With warmer weather, you may be tempted to start working full throttle on those outdoor activities like gardening, landscaping, and home improvement projects. And while it’s best to stay active year round, you may just be coming out of winter hibernation. A sudden increase in activity may not be your best move.
“Being a ‘weekend warrior’ following a period of being sedentary may lead to injury,” said Emily Fix, an Athletic Trainer with Lakeland Outpatient Therapy Services in St. Joseph. “It’s like taking an old car that hasn’t had an oil change or tune up in years and expecting it to go 120 miles per hour. It may work for a little while, but sooner or later, something will give.” 
Besides reducing your risk of injury, regular exercise offers many other benefits, including decreasing your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of aerobic activity at least five to seven days a week. Need some help getting started before tackling springtime tasks?
Follow Emily’s advice for getting your body revved up and ready to go. (If you experience pain at any time during exercise, cease the activity immediately and consult with your medical provider.)
Warm Up Your Muscles
Spend about five to 10 minutes warming up your muscles. Activities could include:
- Walking around the block, up and down the driveway, or circling your yard
- Walking in place
- Using stationary equipment such as an exercise bike or treadmill
- Doing ceiling reaches: lift arms up and stretch toward ceiling. Hold for three seconds and let arms down. Repeat five to 10 times.
“Warming up helps muscles to ‘wake up’,” Emily said. “This increases blood flow to the muscles and may help decrease the risk of injury.” Gentle stretches after warming up are beneficial, too.
Moves for Building Strength
Emily recommends the following exercises to build up strength in your major muscle groups, including your legs, arms, and core area (back and abdomen). Remember you can build up to the recommended number of repetitions, and be sure to drink water before, during, and after your activity. Make sure you spend about five to 10 minutes warming up your muscles before doing these activities.
Shoulder Strengthening
- How to: Lean over or kneel on the edge of a bench or bed, and let one arm hang down toward the ground. Start by bending your elbow at your side until your hand gets near chest level. As you bring your arm up, squeeze your shoulder blade back toward your spine. Relax and slowly lower your arm back down to your starting position. Do two to three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions. To increase the difficulty, hold a weighted object like a can of soup, jug of water, dumbbell, etc. Start with a small weight and increase slowly.
Side Planks
- How to: Start by lying on your side, with your upper body propped up by your forearm and legs straight. Lift your hips up so your torso and hips are in a straight line with your weight resting on your forearms and feet (instead of knees in the low level). Try to keep a straights line from your head to your feet. Hold for 15 to 45 seconds. Repeat two to four times on each side.
Squats
- How to: Place your feet evenly about two feet away from the wall with your head, back, and buttocks leaning against the wall. Slide your body down the wall, but make sure your knees don’t jut out past your ankles or knock into each other. Do not go deeper than 90 degrees. You may also use a Swiss ball behind your back to make going up and down the wall smoother. Do two to three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.
The certified staff of the Lakeland Medical Fitness Program designs safe and medically supervised fitness regimens to help individuals achieve optimal health. The program is open to anyone interested in responsible fitness, but is geared primarily for those who have medical risk factors due to injury, illness, disease, disability, or age. A medical release or prescription from a physician is required prior to the first visit. For more information or to make an appointment, call (269) 556-7150.