Use outdoor chores to get in shape for fall

So, your body never quite got ready for bathing suit season.

Be glad for second chances: Fall yardwork has arrived.

Lurking in every overstuffed gutter, stranglehold of weeds, mountain of leaves and unwinterized swimming pool may be the keys to a buffer bod.

Richard Johnson of Center Moriches, N.Y., knows something about this kind of seasonal shape-up. “I have a new home, so I’ve been working since spring, trying to get this place presentable on the outside,” he said.

But Johnson, 54, is not your average hose-heaving homeowner. He’s also a physical therapy professor. So he knows about pain – especially when it comes to yardwork.

“Like any workout, if you are going to get anything out of it, you have to do it regularly,” he said. “My concern is when people do spring and fall cleaning just for two days and no other regular exercise. … My suggestion, especially, is to find some physical activity each week.”

Just make sure you are in good cardiac health before you even think about starting to push, pull and lift.

That said, here are a few ways to turn over a new leaf by cleaning up a yard full of old ones – and without falling into physical disrepair yourself.

Raking. This works primarily the trunk muscles, shoulder muscles and lower leg muscles, Johnson said. “I think the biggest mistake here is that people rake too far away from the body. And people do too much raking in the beginning,” he said. His advice: Alternate which hand holds the rake – and be sure to rake and break.

“Rake a pile, pick up the leaves, put it in the bag and then carry it somewhere so you are doing all kinds of activity,” he said.

Shoveling. The focus here is on lower legs, knees, buttocks and quadriceps. “Keep the shovel close to the body; don’t overfill it,” he said. “I prefer to use a longer-handle shovel so I don’t bend over as much. The longer handle allows me to bend at the knees and keep my back fairly straight.”

As with the rake, switch hands. The most common mistake that leads to injury is using the muscles around the lower spine instead of the legs and quadriceps.

Cleaning leaders and gutters. “Going up the ladder is the best exercise,” said Johnson. Climbing activities use the big muscle groups, the buttocks and quadriceps. “The thing is, you have to move the ladder and go up and down. If you are sitting on the roof and moving along the roof, you don’t get the same workout.”

Splitting wood. OK, not everybody does this, particularly if it first means cutting down the tree. But for those who do it’s a possible inclusion in the autumn workout, making use of most of the major muscle groups, including the quadriceps, buttocks, shoulder deltoids – and it burns lot of calories. Keep a wide stance to maintain your balance, Johnson said.

“It’s a high-end activity, skilled and very explosive in that you are taking an ax and swinging it as hard as you can at a piece of wood,” Johnson said. “Most people complain of being sore, even if they aren’t injured. It’s the same as playing a sport after not playing it for a couple of years.”

Johnson suggests one final strategy for the yardwork workout: Regardless of the activity, pace yourself and don’t push too hard.

“If I dedicate a day to working in the yard, I might watch a ball game and every other inning go in and watch the scores,” he said. “Or drink a lot.”

Water, that is. Johnson recommends taking frequent water breaks. “Save the beer for when the job is done. It is more enjoyable, anyway, and you have a better chance of finishing the job.”