Yoga for Gardeners: Poses to Soothe Aching Muscles
Gardening is a beloved pastime that offers a wealth of physical and mental benefits. Digging into the earth, nurturing plants, and watching them grow can be incredibly rewarding. However, gardening also involves repetitive motions, bending, lifting, and prolonged periods of kneeling or squatting, which can lead to common aches and pains. Yoga, with its focus on stretching, strengthening, and mindful movement, can be an excellent way to counteract these issues and keep gardeners feeling their best.
Having had many clients recently who have come into the studio being achey and stiff after having done gardening, I thought it would be beneficial to write a blog post about how gardeners, whether you’re a hobby gardener or it’s your profession, can benefit from combining yoga into your gardening routine. Here are my tips and recommended poses.
Common Aches and Pains Experienced by Gardeners
Gardeners often experience discomfort in various parts of their bodies due to the physical demands of their hobby. Some of the most common complaints include:
Lower Back Pain: Bending over garden beds and lifting heavy pots can strain the lower back muscles.
Knee Pain: Prolonged kneeling and squatting can lead to discomfort or injury in the knees.
Shoulder and Neck Pain: Reaching and digging can cause tension and soreness in the shoulders and neck.
Wrist and Hand Pain: Repetitive tasks like weeding and pruning can strain the wrists and hands.
By incorporating a regular yoga practice into their routine, gardeners can alleviate these aches and pains, improve their flexibility, and build the strength needed to support their gardening activities.
Yoga Sequence to Relieve Tension and Build Strength
This yoga sequence is designed to target the areas most affected by gardening and can be done either before or after spending time in the garden.
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Benefits: Stretches the lower back, hips, and thighs; promotes relaxation.
How to Do It: Start on your hands and knees, then sit back onto your heels while stretching your arms forward. Rest your forehead on the ground and breathe deeply for 1-2 minutes.
Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
Benefits: Increases flexibility in the spine and neck; relieves tension in the back and shoulders.
How to Do It: From Child’s Pose, come onto your hands and knees. Inhale and arch your back (Cow Pose), then exhale and round your spine (Cat Pose). Repeat for 1-2 minutes.
Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Benefits: Stretches the hamstrings, calves, and shoulders; strengthens the arms and legs.
How to Do It: From hands and knees, lift your hips up and back, forming an inverted V-shape with your body. Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width apart. Hold for 1-2 minutes, pedaling your feet to stretch each leg.
Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)
Benefits: Stretches the hamstrings, calves, and lower back; promotes relaxation.
How to Do It: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hinge at your hips and fold forward, allowing your head to hang. Hold your elbows and sway gently for 1-2 minutes.
Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
Benefits: Stretches the hip flexors, quadriceps, and shoulders; strengthens the legs.
How to Do It: Step your right foot forward into a lunge position with your left knee on the ground. Reach your arms overhead and hold for 1 minute. Switch sides.
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
Benefits: Strengthens the back, glutes, and hamstrings; opens the chest and shoulders.
How to Do It: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Lift your hips towards the ceiling, interlacing your hands underneath your body. Hold for 1 minute.
Reclining Pigeon Pose (Supta Kapotasana)
Benefits: Stretches the hips, glutes, and lower back.
How to Do It: Lie on your back with your knees bent. Cross your right ankle over your left knee and pull your left thigh towards your chest. Hold for 1 minute. Switch sides.
Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)
Benefits: Stretches the hamstrings, lower back, and spine; calms the mind.
How to Do It: Sit with your legs extended in front of you. Hinge at your hips and reach for your feet, keeping your spine long. Hold for 1-2 minutes.
Supine Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)
Benefits: Releases tension in the spine and lower back; stretches the shoulders and chest.
How to Do It: Lie on your back with your arms out to the sides. Bring your right knee towards your chest, then let it drop to the left side. Hold for 1 minute. Switch sides.
Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Benefits: Promotes relaxation and stress relief.
How to Do It: Lie on your back with your legs extended and arms by your sides. Close your eyes and focus on your breath for 5-10 minutes.
Tips for Incorporating Yoga into Your Gardening Routine
Start with a Warm-Up: Before heading out to the garden, spend a few minutes warming up your muscles with gentle stretches or a few rounds of Sun Salutations, depending on where you are at in your yoga journey. This can help prevent injuries and prepare your body for the physical activity ahead.
Take Breaks: While gardening, take short breaks every 30-60 minutes to stretch and move. Simple stretches like reaching for the sky, touching your toes, or doing a gentle backbend can help prevent stiffness and soreness.
Stay Mindful of Your Posture: Pay attention to your body mechanics while gardening. Bend at your knees instead of your waist, use tools that minimise strain, and switch up tasks to avoid repetitive motions.
End with a Cool-Down: After gardening, spend a few minutes doing a gentle yoga sequence like the one outlined above. This can help release any tension that has built up in your muscles and promote relaxation.
Incorporate Breathwork: Deep, mindful breathing can help manage stress and enhance your yoga practice. Incorporate pranayama (breath control) techniques like deep belly breathing or alternate nostril breathing to stay calm and focused.
By integrating yoga into your gardening routine, you can enjoy the best of both worlds – a thriving garden and a healthy, pain-free body. Yoga offers a holistic approach to wellness that not only soothes aching muscles but also enhances your overall well-being, making your time in the garden even more enjoyable.
Happy gardening and namaste! Angie at Sussex Yoga x
