The Muscle-Boosting Gardening Tip You Didn’t Know You Needed

Gardening isn’t just about tending to plants—anyone who gets their hands dirty knows it’s a full-body workout that requires strength, flexibility, and endurance. Hours spent bending, lifting, and digging can sometimes take a toll, leading to tightness in the back, hips, and shoulders. Add a precarious flight of cinder block stairs (the current situation leading into my personal garden space) and even the most mundane activities turn into a muscle-boosting—or maybe in my case, muscle aching—event. 

But what if there were a way to increase your strength and stamina, making gardening even more enjoyable? Enter Pvolve, the clinically proven functional fitness system designed to enhance mobility, stability, and flexibility. I’ve been trying it out for the past several weeks and can happily say it’s an easy-to-adopt system that can aid gardeners to move better, feel stronger, and see a reduction in pain and injury. Whether you’re looking to prevent stiffness after a long day in the dirt or integrate a full-body wellness routine into your outdoor time, these methods offer a game-changing approach to sustainable strength. I reached out to Madigan Mayberry, Lead Trainer at Pvolve’s West Hollywood studio, who shared how these fitness programs can ease gardening-related aches while improving posture and balance.

Thomas J. Story

Gardening Meets Fitness

According to Mayberry, the key to sustaining a healthy, pain-free gardening routine is functional movement training. “What makes our method so special is that we train functionally instead of focusing solely on pushing our bodies to the max,” she explains. “So within a class, in addition to strengthening your muscles, you’re also incorporating stretching and mobility into our moves.” 

This approach not only builds strength but also reinforces everyday movement patterns, making physical tasks—like squatting to plant or reaching to prune—a more natural, supported motion. “Our clients have lightbulb moments of ‘Oh! My muscles have done this before!’” says Mayberry. Pvolve’s Progressive Weight Training library features squat variations that mimic the motion of getting up and down from the ground, while rows (both bent-over and upright) help prepare the back for lifting heavy bags of soil or potted plants.

Pvolve

Weight-Bearing Fitness for Gardeners

Gardening often involves repetitive, weight-bearing movements—whether it’s digging, pruning, or hauling bags of soil. Incorporating Pvolve’s resistance-based equipment into a fitness routine can help, like the P.band, which is a powerful tool for enhancing upper body strength. “It strengthens every single muscle in the upper body—big and small,” explains Mayberry. “The P.band is perfect for longer upper-body endurance pushes with resistance, which translates perfectly to using gardening tools for long periods without the muscles burning out.”

Pvolve

For lower-body strength, Mayberry recommends the Heavy Ankle Band and Light Ankle Band, which help target the glutes and hamstrings—key muscle groups for movements like bending, lifting, and squatting. “Having strong glutes in the garden will ensure that when you are bending over to dig, or hauling heavy bags of soil, you are properly putting the work in your legs and not your back,” she notes. By integrating these targeted exercises into their routines, gardeners can improve stamina, prevent strain, and move more efficiently in their outdoor spaces.

Pvolve

Pre- and Post-Gardening Routines

Just like any physical activity, gardening benefits from a proper warm-up and cool-down routine to prevent strain and improve mobility. According to Mayberry, warming up before heading into the garden is key. “Wrist circles and stretches are a must to prepare for holding tools,” she advises. “Additionally, any rotations for the thoracic spine will get you ready to turn around without tweaking your back.” She also recommends good mornings to activate the posterior chain—hamstrings, glutes, and lower back—helping to prevent injury while lifting heavy objects.

After a long day of planting and pruning, Mayberry suggests focusing on restorative movements to release tension. “Child’s pose feels great after a long day of gardening to release tension in the low back and hips after all of the bending and reaching,” she notes. Shoulder stretches help alleviate soreness from carrying heavy soil or tools, while wrist stretches and circles keep joints mobile and reduce stiffness.

Thomas J. Story

Boosting Flexibility and Mobility

Gardening can sometimes cause tightness, especially in the back, hips, and shoulders. Repetitive movements of gardening—bending, digging, and reaching—can lead to tightness in the back, hips, and shoulders. “The magic of Pvolve is that we move through all ranges of motion, not just forward and back,” says Mayberry. “We open the hips and rotate the spine, relieving tightness in the back, hips, and shoulders.” Unlike high-intensity workouts that leave muscles feeling fatigued, Pvolve’s method helps gardeners feel open, stretched, and energized—making it the perfect cross-training for those who spend hours in the soil.

Thomas J. Story

Motivation and Community

Incorporating fitness into your gardening routine doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. As Mayberry suggests, “Start small! We have videos as short as 15 minutes to break up your day in the garden or get in a workout before you head outside.” Even simple movements—like holding a plank or taking a quick walk—can build strength and mobility over time, making gardening tasks easier and more enjoyable. By blending the joy of gardening with functional movement, you’re not just tending to your plants—you’re cultivating a body that will support you through every season of life.

We only recommend things we love. If you buy something through our site, we might earn a commission.