176/365 Shovel and Flow

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Oh snow, get your shovels ready, it's about to go down!

Old Man Winter is coming to a town near you if he hasn't hit already. You can get a serious workout while you clear your driveway; you can also get very hurt if you shovel incorrectly. Here are some tips:

- Bend with your knees: Keep your back straight as you squat down. When you stand back up to dump your snow, power up through your legs
- Twist from the hips. As with throwing a punch, twist with your hips. If you only twist from your shoulders, you'll most likely wrench your lower back; it's all connected folks.
- Use gravity to dig your shovel into the snow. You're already doing a lot of work, you don't need to exert more. Plus, if you actively dig your shovel, you will probably lose your form of bending the knees to get your shovel down there.
- Dump the snow off your shovel by tossing it not by twisting your wrists. Snow is heavy and your supinators and pronators can only do so much. If you're not trained, you might hurt yourself.
- Don't forget to breathe and rehydrate. Remember your balaclava to protect your lungs from the harsh cold. Drink water!

Shoveling is a physical activity where correct form is key. Show Old Man Winter that he's got nothing on you.

In health,

Lauren