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    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

    Exercise Resources

    Fact Sheets

    IDTitleSummaryLink
    9372A 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

    9369A Health and Safety Solution: Using Office Areas

    Tips for computer usage in office areas.

    12761AgriSafe Yoga

    Yoga for strengthening and flexibility – examples given in farm settings.
    English Title: Yoga Poster

    8937Back 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

    11466Back Pain Can Be Attributed to Whole-Body Vibration

    An article from Successful Farming

    12345Concerns for Older Adults Working in Agriculture

    episode of Talking Total Farmer Health

    18960Heart Health and Farmers

    episode of Talking Total Farmer Health

    17898How Ergonomic Technology Can Improve Farm Safety

    episode of Talking Total Farmer Health

    9366Listos para trabajar

    Poses to improve muscle strength and flexibility – examples given in farm settings.
    English Title: Ready to Farm

    12758Pilates AgriSafe

    Pilates for strengthening and flexibility – examples given in farm settings.
    English Title: Pilates Poster

    8939Pilates Poster

    Pilates for strengthening and flexibility – examples given in farm settings.
    Spanish Title: Pilates AgriSafe

    8222Prevention 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.

    9364Ready to Farm Poster

    Poses to improve muscle strength and flexibility – examples given in farm settings.
    Spanish Title: Listos para trabajar

    12771Recomendaciones 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

    16059Rural Telehealth – Part 1 of 2

    episode of Talking Total Farmer Health

    16060Rural Telehealth – Part 2 of 2

    episode of Talking Total Farmer Health

    9370Simple 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

    9375Soluciones 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

    13305The National AgrAbility Project

    episode of Talking Total Farmer Health

    9373Una 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

    9371Whole Body Vibration Handout

    Resource focusing on whole body vibration – GPCAH

    9902Working 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!

    9362Yoga Poster

    Yoga for strengthening and flexibility – examples given in farm settings.
    Spanish Title: AgriSafe Yoga

    10347Yoga 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.

    10346Yoga 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.

    10345Yoga 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.

    Page updated: August 2022