Page 97 - South Mississippi Living - March, 2026

you’re doing a bodyweight squat. Do that repeatedly to get everything planted and your legs will fifile a formal complaint. Add in the balance work required when your feet sink into the sandy soil many of our yards have, and suddenly your core is clocking overtime, too.
Then there’s mulching—gardening’s version of strength training. Those 40-pound bags of pine bark or compost aren’t light just because they’re labeled “garden.” Hauling them from driveway to flflower bed is a deadlift. Spreading them is shoulder work. And carrying them across the yard in our heat and humidity? That’s cardio with a heavy side of emotional character development.
Weeding and pruning look harmless until you realize you’ve been holding a squat
for fifive minutes straight while arguing with a stubborn root system. Your thighs are burning, your grip is tested and your
shoulders have been raised so long they’ve practically moved in with your ears. It’s endurance training, pure and simple.
Raking and sweeping are your surprise cardio sessions. Clearing pine needles after a windy night or sweeping offff a porch can get your heart rate up fast. You’re twisting, stepping, pulling and pushing—all the movements fifitness trainers love to charge money for.
Even watering counts. Dragging hoses across the yard, lifting watering cans, reaching up to hit hanging baskets, it’s low-impact conditioning. Not glamorous, but effffective. And let’s be honest: if sweaty hair and clothes were considered high- fashion, gardening would be the trend of the season.
The beauty of it all is that gardening doesn’t feel like exercise. You’re not counting reps. You’re not staring at a clock. You’re just trying to keep your azaleas alive
and your tomatoes from collapsing. But your body knows what’s happening. It’s moving. It’s working. It’s getting stronger.
And there’s a mental side too. Being outside has a way of calming the mind. You’re focused on what’s in front of you. No notififications. No meetings. Just you, your plants, and a very personal battle with weeds.
So this spring, when you head outside to clean up beds, plant flflowers or just do a little yard work, remember: you’re not slacking on fifitness: you’re redefifining it. You’re squatting with purpose. You’re lifting with intention. You’re sweating for beauty, tomatoes and curb appeal.
And when you fifinish, sore and sun-kissed, standing back to admire your work, go ahead and call it what it is. You didn’t just garden. You trained.
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
March 2026 | 97