Exercise

Last updated on July 12th, 2024 at 11:17 am

Regular physical activity improves health, fitness, and quality of life for adults and children. The physicality of work requirements on farms and ranches takes a toll on overall body conditioning and wellness. By engaging in regular aerobic and muscle strengthening activities, individuals can maintain a healthy weight, improve heart health, strengthen bones and muscles, improve sleep quality, maintain normal blood pressure, and reduce stress.

Stretching regularly increases flexibility and is an important factor of fitness. It also improves posture, reduces stress, and relieves/lessens body aches. With help from Yoga and Pilates certified instructors, AgriSafe has developed a Ready to Farm campaign of posters and videos to develop strength, flexibility, balance, and conditioning of commonly used muscles in farm and ranch work.

Adults should aim for 2 ½ hours per week or about 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week of moderate-intensity to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. Brisk walking, pushing a lawn mower, and riding a bike are moderate-intensity activities. Moderate-intensity activity means you are working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat; you should be able to talk but not sing. Vigorous-intensity aerobic activity includes jogging or running for 75 minutes, swimming laps, riding a bike fast and playing basketball. In vigorous level activities you will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.

A mix of moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity is acceptable. If you have not been active lately, increase your physical activity level slowly. If you have a history of chronic disease, check with your doctor before engaging in vigorous-intensity activity.

Muscle-strengthening activities including lifting weights, using your body weight for resistance such as sit-ups, push-ups, working with resistance bands, heavy gardening and some forms of yoga. In addition to aerobic exercises, you should practice muscle-strengthening activities at least 2 days a week. Muscle-strengthening activities work all major muscle groups including legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms. To improve health-aerobic activity and muscle strengthening do two types of physical activity each week. Finding a balance that works for you is key. Spreading out your activity in smaller chunks of time during the week is beneficial and may be more suitable to your schedule.

Long-term benefits of exercise include:

• Brain Health – it reduces risks of developing dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) and reduces risk of depression
• Heart Health – it lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes
• Cancer Prevention – it lowers risk of eight cancers: bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, lung, and stomach
• Healthy Weight – it reduces risk of weight gain
• Bone Strength – it improves bone health
• Balance and Coordination – it reduces risks of falls

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Exercise Resources

Fact Sheets

ID	Title	Summary	Link
9372	A Guide to Selecting Non-Powered Hand Tools	CDC resource guide on non-powered hand tools. Spanish Title: Una Guía para la Selección de Herramientas de Mano No-Energizadas	View
12761	AgriSafe Yoga	Yoga for strengthening and flexibility – examples given in farm settings. English Title: Yoga Poster	View
8937	Back Injury Prevention Tips	This is a guide produced by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) on back injury prevention tips for workers in agriculture. Spanish Title: Recomendaciones para prevenir lesiones en la espalda	View
11466	Back Pain Can Be Attributed to Whole-Body Vibration	An article from Successful Farming	View
12345	Concerns for Older Adults Working in Agriculture	episode of Talking Total Farmer Health	View
18960	Heart Health and Farmers	episode of Talking Total Farmer Health	View
17898	How Ergonomic Technology Can Improve Farm Safety	episode of Talking Total Farmer Health	View
9366	Listos para trabajar	Poses to improve muscle strength and flexibility – examples given in farm settings. English Title: Ready to Farm	View
12758	Pilates AgriSafe	Pilates for strengthening and flexibility – examples given in farm settings. English Title: Pilates Poster	View
8939	Pilates Poster	Pilates for strengthening and flexibility – examples given in farm settings. Spanish Title: Pilates AgriSafe	View
8222	Prevention of Falls in the Transport of Livestock	The information in this guide has been written specifically for the livestock industry to prevent falls when transporting livestock.	View
9364	Ready to Farm Poster	Poses to improve muscle strength and flexibility – examples given in farm settings. Spanish Title: Listos para trabajar	View
12771	Recomendaciones para prevenir lesiones en la espalda	This is a Spanish language guide produced by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) on back injury prevention tips for workers in agriculture. English Title: Back Injury Prevention Tips	View
16059	Rural Telehealth – Part 1 of 2	episode of Talking Total Farmer Health	View
16060	Rural Telehealth – Part 2 of 2	episode of Talking Total Farmer Health	View
9370	Simple Solutions: Ergonomics for Farm Workers	This guide shows simple changes agricultural workers can make to improve ergonomics. Spanish Title: Soluciones Simples: Ergonomía Para Trabajadores Agrícolas	View
9375	Soluciones Simples: Ergonomía Para Trabajadores Agrícolas	This Spanish language guide shows simple changes agricultural workers can make to improve ergonomics. English Title: Simple Solutions: Ergonomics for Farm Workers	View
13305	The National AgrAbility Project	episode of Talking Total Farmer Health	View
9373	Una Guía para la Selección de Herramientas de Mano No-Energizadas	CDC resource guide in Spanish on non-powered hand tools. English Title: A Guide to Selecting Non-Powered Hand Tools	View
9371	Whole Body Vibration Handout	Resource focusing on whole body vibration – GPCAH	View
9902	Working in Agriculture in Snow: Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls	Listen to these tips from AgriSafe staff member Linda Emanuel as she discusses a few tips for staying safe while working on the farm in the snow!	View
9362	Yoga Poster	Yoga for strengthening and flexibility – examples given in farm settings. Spanish Title: AgriSafe Yoga	View
10347	Yoga the AgriSafe Way: Grain Bin Edition	Yoga exercises specifically designed for farmers and ranchers. Your body is a tool be sure to take care of it properly! Check out these yoga moves using a grain bin.	View
10346	Yoga the AgriSafe Way: Truck Edition	Yoga exercises specifically designed for farmers and ranchers. Your body is a tool, be sure to take care of it properly! Check out these yoga moves incorporating a farm truck.	View
10345	Yoga the AgriSafe Way: Wall Edition	Yoga exercises specifically designed for farmers and ranchers. Your body is a tool be sure to maintain it! Check out how a wall can be used to stretch and strengthen your body.	View

Page updated: August 2022