yard work out: Dig with a trowel

Dig with a trowel

 

 Calories burned in 10 minutes: 50

You're down on your knees, prepping the soil for your tomato plants; you're also indulging in one of the best ways to get everything above the waist strong and lean. Digging with a trowel is as good as playing table tennis or paddling a canoe.

What it works
Your wrists, shoulders, arms and back

How to do it
Kneel on a garden pad to avoid hurting your knees and lower back. Make sure you don't overexert your wrists when digging. Stay close to your work to avoid injury by overreaching.

TIP
Reposition yourself frequently to distribute the workload to different muscles. Stand up and stretch every 10 to 15 minutes.