With lots of the country getting dumped on with snow, I thought it would be apropos to share a “how to” on Snow Shoveling. With a little forethought and a few easy tweaks, you can safely shovel snow and save your back too! Bonus: snow shoveling can be quite the workout offering cardio and strength training. Woohoo!
This may seem obvious but before heading out to shovel your driveway, consider your own health risks if any (i.e. back, knee or heart problems).
1. Warm it up– Treat snow shoveling as you would any other strenuous exercise and perform a short warm up and stretch before heading out.
2. Dress for the occasion– Wear appropriate shoes with traction, gloves and hat.
3. Plan it– Decide in advance where you will move the snow so that you only have to move it once.
4. Consider using an ergonomic shovel to put less strain on your back.
5. Choose wisely–Shovels with smaller blades obviously hold less snow thus requiring you to lift less weight. One shovel filled with snow can weigh 20 lbs.
6. Push it–If you can push the snow rather than lift it, it puts much less strain on your back.
7. Hands on–Place one hand closer to the handle and one hand closer to the blade for the most effective lifting position.
8. Drop it like a squat- Think about bending your knees, and hips while keeping your back straight similar to a squat. Lower and lift with your legs saving your back. Don’t twist your body to throw the snow rather step to the side.
9. Bottoms up– Keep hydrated and take rest breaks.
10. Stretch- Do a full body stretch afterwards as you would after any strenuous workout.
linking up with The Fitfoodie mama & Diatta
I wasnt, but I wish I knew these tips a year ago! Unfortunately I had to learn them when I had to keep shoveling the damn track at La Salle, it was not fun, but looking back it was a funny memory….so thats something right? Glad you were able to at least make it a little fun 🙂
It was fun bc we didn’t have too much!
Drop it like a squat…haha! Love the tips. Hope you’re surviving the snow!
We ended up not getting as much as we thought-much to my kids’ dismay
Great tips because people are NOT careful with lower backs when doing things like this! We got like .2 inches of snow yesterday!
Ha I know! My kids were hoping for more 🙂
I have heard so many people who have thrown out their backs shoveling snow. These tips are so needed!
I know so have I! We didn’t get as much as we expected but still missed some school so kids are happy
Love this! My hubby would appreciate it too- most of his patients this time of year are coming in because they hurt their back shoveling 😛
I know lots of people do apparently!
So timely. We were not hit that hard but shoveling some snow is always on the task list at some point during the winter for me. I kinda like it – all the neighbors out together and it can be a fun time. Tip Number 2 is so important if you have a lot of snow. You must have a plan! #wowlinkup
You know I kind of like it too! You are right all the neighbors kind of come out and unite. I don’t love it when they don’t treat the roads though. Thanks for stopping by!
drop it like a squat! funny! you are quite the stylish snow shoveler girlie! It’s a brisk 45 degrees here and I can honestly say I have not shoveled snow since I was a teen! Stay warm my friend!
We didn’t get as much as we were supposed to but still fun!
The snow missed us! I can’t say I was upset about that haha!
We barely got any but it was enough to cancel school of course!
haha love it!! Wish you had written it last year when Hotlanta went through the Snowpocalypse 🙂
oh yea I remember that! Who knows maybe you will get one this year too!
NOPE No snow here! I live on the Gulf Coast, so while yall are in snow we are having 65 degree weather. Ridiculous! LOL
so jealous!!
Thankfully we did not get pummeled with snow in Philadelphia! But these are great tips to make sure you shovel and don’t hurt yourself! #wowlinkup
Thanks! we missed the good stuff too much to my kids’ disappointment
My husband likes to shovel the snow, he get more FitBit points when he does it. Sometimes it can get as high as 1500 points after shoveling the snow.
LOL I guess that’s great motivation!
This post is awesome and terrifying at the same time 🙂 I HATEEEE snow. We only got a little dusting yesterday… thank goodness!
We only got a dusting as well unfortunately! If you are going to do it might as well make it good!
Oh man.. hope it wasn’t too bad! Thankfully I don’t need the tips in the South, but they sound like good ones. 🙂
yep jealous of your weather for sure!
Luckily we did not get as much snow as they were predicting. the only thing I have to shovel is the sidewalk in front of house. The driveway we share w the neighbors so by the time I get up and around to do it, she has it done. Great neighbor!
That is a great neighbor! My kids are old enough now that I make them do it
Girl what a workout!! I’ m hoping I don’t ever need these tips (living in NC) but will know where to look if I do! This looks like a crazy way to burn calories in the snow!
It does for sure! We didn’t get as much as my kids had hoped for
Great tips:) I was sure as I started reading you’d list “buy a snow blower” ha ha…
I do love a great snow shovel workout, even if we haven’t really had a chance here with our unusual lack of snow this year to do any shoveling:) But I will admit if time is short, or I am lazy I just break out the snow blower:)
Oh we have a snow blower too but didn’t think that would make such an intersting post LOL!
Great tips! We were hit but not as hard as expected. We got about 5 inches. Luckily I don’t have to shovel the snow as our condo association takes care of all the sidewalks and streets. 🙂
Well that is a nice perk!
I love this post! I grew up on a farm so I’ve been shoveling as long as I can remember, but weirdly I’m a left handed shoveler…it drove my dad crazy and he would always be like you’re doing it WRONG. haha, he never considered I might not be right handed at everything.
LOL funny! I am sure you got it covered them!
these tips are great – especially “plan it” – so smart. you are so dang cute in your snow gear and shoveling the measly amount of snow we got here, lol! i could go for one big snow before the end of winter 🙂
I know! I wrote this expecting lots of snow to shovel but alas none to really shovel. Next time maybe!
Boo! No snow or blizzard for us. 🙁
I am actually sad not to have snow during winter – born and raised in the Midwest it was such a big part of my winter life.
Enjoy! Don’t you love snuggling inside with hot cocoa after shoveling (or making a snowman)?
🙂
Yes I do! We didn’t really get much and we were so excited. We usually just get enough to be annoying. My daughter is headed to Indiana U this fall so we will learn quickly I think
Great post! I LOVE to shovel and have a good system down when it comes to shoveling and where to dump it. After last winter though, I am not in a big hurry to get out there anymore and welcome my husband to join me using the snow blower. My neighbor used to make comments like, “Why isn’t Dan helping you?” Or “Why are you doing the shoveling?” Um, because it’s a great workout and helps keep me in shape! LOL
Ha sounds a lot like what goes on over here! Now my son is old enough to put to work though
You’re a shoveling pro! I’ve never really thought about the right shoveling technique, but you’re right – after I shovel, my back always gets sore! Luckily, I’m in an apartment building so I don’t have to do any of the shoveling, but I’ll remember this for when I move out to the burbs!
Yes being in an apt building has its pluses right!? Wish we got a little more snow to make it worth it
we got about 3 feet of snow
we live in a townhouse so snow removal is done for us!
it’s the best!!!
Wow! How nice! The county is supposed to plow our street but they rarely do so even when we do the driveway to street is a sheet of ice.
I love these tips! People get hurt all the time snow shovelling. it’s just like lifting weights, treat it that way!
Totally agree!
It never snows where I am at but if it did, I’m betting I would get an awesome workout ot of shoveling! 🙂
It’s a great workout indeed! I kind of like it actually. Thanks for stopping by
I know soooo many people that need to be reading this right now! I’m so glad that last storm missed us and I hope to not have to use these tips at all for the rest of the winter. 🙂
I was kind of hoping for a little more than we got this time!
Great tips but I’ll forward this the hubby b/c I am not shoveling snow. He is out of town and the snow fell and I just let it fall. LOL.
ha ha! My kids are old enough now that they can do it!
Mother Nature has been treating us pretty well this year. But last year we got a ton of snow. I actually like to shovel. We do have a snow blower too.
I like to shovel too! Is that weird?
As a Wisconsin girl, I’ll give you a tip most people in Virginia don’t use: shovel while it’s still snowing. It’s a lot easier on your body to shovel smaller amounts twice than to deal with the huge dump of snow all at once. Plus it’s fun to be out there while the snow is coming down…
Good idea! You are right-people usually wait until it is done falling. I was kind of disappointed we didn’t get more. I kind of like shoveling!
Yes to the squat!!! Best way to protect the back. Engage the core 🙂 #wildworkoutwednesday
Yes for sure! Great workout
I’m jealous looking at all beautiful snow! I live in Atlanta and if we get an inch here we just stay inside until it melts!
LOL! We don’t do such a great job here in VA/DC of dealing with snow. It kind of paralyzes the city.
Great post! I recently read that heart attack rates increase by 20% after a snow storm! Warm up and pacing is SO important, especially for those who are pretty inactive to begin with.
I know scary huh?!
I LOVE this post! Great tips, and many people injure themselves while shoveling snow. When I worked at a physical therapy clinic, each winter we’d have patients come in for back injuries from snow-related things. Thanks!!
Thanks! I kept reading about injuries while shoveling but with a little forethought and prep you can avoid them.
So many people have terrible form and get injured from shoveling all of the time. Great tips. I do find it hilarious that you were trying to shovel and inch of snow however 😉
I know!! I wrote the post thinking we were going to get a big one and then well you know LOL
Great post idea! However, I will never be able to benefit from it unless I move somewhere chillier. Have a great day!
I could certainly go for a warmer place today!
Great tips! So often people don’t stop to consider how taxing shoveling snow can be on the body.
Yes for sure!
Great tips! I shoveled a lot of snow on Tuesday, thankfully I have no back pain from it!
I wish we had gotten a little more! I really like to shovel oddly.
Great tips! I live in Canada so we have invested in a massive snow blower (think heated handles etc). It’s actually a lot of work to push it through the snow that we get and a lot of these tips can apply to snow blowing too!
Ha yes the snow blowers are hard work too! We’ve missed most of the snow here but have had the icy rain ugh
Wow, I had no idea that a shovel filled with snow could weigh 20 lbs! That puts shoveling my parent’s driveway into a new perspective. They have quite a long driveway, as well as a half circle in front of their house. It takes nearly an hour just to shovel the driveway part with an average snowfall! I really appreciate these tips, and they will come in handy very soon!
Yes hopefully not too soon!
I’m glad that you advised to choose where you will move the snow before beginning your work. I’ve had plenty of times where I move the snow a short distance, only to move it again after a few minutes. Planning where to put the snow before hand and only having to move it once is a really smart idea. Thanks!
Yes prior planning certainly helps!