How Yoga Helps Gardeners
Although yoga is an ancient tradition, the practice of the poses is ideally suited for today’s garden preparation. Unlike regular exercise, each yoga pose addresses full body needs, whether it be strengthening, flexibility, alignment, or stress in the body or mind.
Introducing Yoga for Gardeners Swatchbooks™
by Jill Johnson and Diana Shannon
Developed at AHA Yoga Studio, Yoga for Gardening Swatchbooks™ are now available for gardeners of all types and yoga ability levels. The swatchbooks provide students with a practice targeted at their gardening-related needs. If practiced regularly, it will help prevent injuries and soreness from gardening. Just like we take care of our gardening tools, it is also important to take care of our gardening bodies.
The importance of preparing
the body for gardening
As we age, it’s important to prepare the body for tasks that we previously took for granted. Preparation for gardening requires attention to our back, shoulders, wrists, knees, and legs.
It has been our experience, as we work with injured gardeners, that the body needs to be warmed up for heavy work. Thus, strengthening poses should be an ongoing part of our daily routine.
It takes much less time to do a regular routine than it does to recover from an injury. Think of your practice as giving you an extended warranty for lifelong gardening pleasure.
Learn a safe, balanced, and effective
sequence of poses based on your ability
Each swatchbook contains 24 – 26 poses arranged in a balanced, progressive sequence. You will find full instructions and illustrations for setting up, performing, and coming safely out of any pose. The entire sequence can be done in 20 – 30 minutes. If you have less time, you could focus on the poses that target the areas that are important for you that day, finishing up with more restorative poses after gardening.
The intermediate level version addresses the needs of those with at least one year of yoga experience, and the beginner level version is available for those new to yoga. While prior yoga experience is not necessary, prior gardening experience is definitely recommended!
Learn more how yoga can help you
Consider the following.
- Do you experience soreness, stiffness, and/or a tendency toward injury around gardening activities?
- Perhaps you’ve been gardening for years. Nonetheless, has your endurance diminished?
- Do you find yourself becoming fatigued sooner, unable to complete everyday gardening tasks?
- Are you losing enthusiasm toward gardening?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, explore how yoga can help. In addition to the Yoga for Gardeners Swatchbooks™, AHA Yoga studio provides ongoing yoga classes and therapeutic classes, along with therapeutic privates for those with special needs or injuries.
How to order
Yoga for Gardening Swatchbooks™ are available for purchase through our online store:
They are also available for purchase at the studio in Lebanon, NH as well as the following locations:
- Dan & Whit’s, Norwich VT
- Longacres, Lebanon, NH
- Quechee Country Store, Quechee VT
- The Norwich Bookstore, Norwich VT
- That Little Spot of Red, Hanover, NH
- Upper Valley Food Co-op, White River Jct. VT
- West Lebanon Supply, West Lebanon, NH
- Yankee Bookstore, Woodstock, VT
The suggested retail price is $15 each. For more information or to find out how you can sell the swatchbooks in your store or yoga studio, email us.
