Set down coffee. Tuck pajamas into pants, pants into boots. It’s time to shovel! Whether it’s heavy, wet slush or cold, fresh powder, shoveling is a necessary part of mountain living and probably one of the hardest winter activities we do. Like any workout, it requires proper technique to prevent injury.
“Shoveling is the best and most accessible form of functional training, as long as you do it properly,” said Missy Sandeman, a 24-year Tahoe resident, full-time trainer, and owner of Missy’s Body Garage in Homewood. Missy teaches a workout called “the snow shoveling exercise” that uses a TRX machine to perfect the lunging, twisting, throwing movements. She is literally training her clients to be better at shoveling.
Why? Because during a standard 20-minute shovel your heart rate can reach that of a brisk uphill hike, your muscles strain to re-oxygenate, your back becomes sore, and your breath is heavy — did you even remember to hydrate? Every year people have heart attacks, pass out, and injure themselves because they fail to recognize shoveling as a serious workout.
Missy’s Technique and Tips:
1. Engage your core, pull your navel to your spine.
2. Set your scapula, engage the shoulder blades because your upper arms will be doing a lot of work.
3. Stand with feet a little wider than shoulder width, sit back into an athletic stance, stick butt out, squat with your legs, keep your weight back on your heels, knees over ankles, and your spine neutral (straight up and down).
4. Use your legs, not your back, to lift.
5. When throwing or flinging snow, keep your feet facing forward. If you must throw snow to the side or behind you, it is OK as long as you keep your core engaged and your shoulders back. Do not throw by twisting your lower back.
6. To avoid what some might call shoveler’s elbow, keep elbows bent and use forearms, biceps, and shoulders to lift. Do not extend your arm or you will strain your tendons.
Functional training is not limited to shoveling snow. Last fall, when stacking firewood, were you badly hinged over at the hips? Were you twisting your back to throw wood into a pile? Or did you remember to pull your navel to your spine, squat with your legs, protect your back by keeping it straight up and down like you’re supposed to?
These proper movements can be practiced in the everyday chores we do. It takes a certain amount of strength to live in (or even visit) Tahoe. So why not use it? You can improve your skiing, mountain biking, running, and general health by training while shoveling and being thoughtful about the movements you already have to do. So start moving with intention no matter what your age or how practiced you are.
Using the Proper Shovel
While proper technique is important for efficiency and injury prevention, it is important to also remember that all shovels are not created equally. Long handled plastic shovels are efficient, light, and typically cheap to buy; you can choose the weight of your snow-load depending on how many reps you can or will do. Metal shovels are more durable, typically more expensive, but will cut through ice (when a cold plastic shovel breaks). I recommend keeping a small metal shovel in your car to cut through ice and frustrating berms, or if your car gets stuck. The plow-style shovels are fine for pushing snow but not good for lifting. If snow sticks to your shovel be sure to treat it with auto wax, silicon spray, glide wax, or even cooking spray if you have to. Sticky snow is not only insanely frustrating, but you’re likely going to throw out your back and ruin your joints or tendons when unexpected weight pulls you to the side instead of flings where it’s supposed to.
Regardless of what shovel you choose, use it properly. If you’re like me and want to be a better skier, you should be strengthening and engaging your core anyhow. I should be doing squats and pulling my shoulders back on a daily basis. But on the days I don’t have time to go to the gym because I’m busy shoveling this damn driveway, I find relief and relaxation in the fact that I’m killing two birds with every shovel full of snow. This is called problem solving, and I invite you to join me.
If you’re too busy racing to the mountains to properly deal with last night’s dump of beautiful untracked powder, then you’re giving up on an opportunity to become a better athlete. Don’t wait till it stops snowing; get out there and start your free functional training!
