Tina Vindum
For Tina Vindum, lawn and garden jobs are more than just chores, and outdoor fitness is more than just push-ups on a bench. For the past 15 years, Tina, a former pro skier, world champion mountain biker and faculty member of both the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the Aerobics and Fitness Association of American (AFAA), has been busy leading the nation's only accredited outdoor exercise training program.
Tina was recently named the Bay Area's Top Trainer for 2007 by the San Francisco Chronicle and she is host of the "Outdoor Fitness" show on Sirius Satellite Radio. The weekly program promotes healthy lifestyles with expert interviews (guests have included Joe Montana and Jack LaLanne), listener interaction and Tina's personal commentary. An American Council on Exercise (ACE) Faculty member, Tina delivers frequent lectures at international fitness conferences about the scientifically proven benefits of outdoor fitness techniques.
Tina uses the latest research on the body-mind connection and the proven benefits of outdoor exposure to help anyone with a lawn or garden learn simple tips, reduce stress and get the most out of the time outdoors.
How To Make Yard Work A Super Fitness Workout
By Tina Vindum
President, Outdoor Fitness Inc.
With the many demands and deadlines that everyone faces, sometimes getting outside and active can be a challenge. To help you get motivated, Husqvarna has identified "Outdoor Authorities" who will be providing their insights and inspiration.
Homeowners can improve their health every time they step outside to work in their lawns or gardens. By keeping a few tips in mind, you can turn your "chores" into an opportunity to exercise, tone body and mind and reduce stress.
Getting out in your backyard is one of the easiest ways to feel good and get fit. Here are tools you can use to beautify your yard and shape up in the process:
- Walk-behind push mowers are great for shaping your legs and burning calories. You can burn up to 360 calories per hour.
- Trim your waist while your trim your weeds. The rotational movement engages your core muscles to strengthen and tone your midsection.
- Get better balance blowing leaves. Balance is the most overlooked component in fitness, and using a blower properly can hone balance and coordination skills—moving forward, backward, sideways, and diagonally.
In addition, go for the good stuff: lawn and garden projects are always more fun with quality hand tools that are ergonomically designed for comfort to help prevent joint stress and injury.
Also, look for products that look out for the environment by featuring low emissions and exhaust.
In addition to the health benefits, getting your exercise outdoors improves mental focus, emotional power, and your connection to the environment. People don’t realize you can burn up to 360 calories in an hour by pushing a power mower and up to 480 calories an hour by doing some gardening with your power tools. It’s a natural way to stay in shape, and by remembering these simple tips, you can maximize the benefits each time you tackle a project in your lawn or garden.
And always remember, whenever you use outdoor power equipment, think safety first. Read and understand the operator’s manual and safety instructions and always wear the proper clothing and protective gear.
www.tinavindum.com