❄️ Shoveling Snow as a Full-Body Workout (Without Back or Neck Pain)

Shoveling snow uses your legs, core, and upper body—good form makes all the difference

One of my patients wanted me to write a blog about how good form while shoveling snow can A) ensure a pain-free experience and B) can be a positive workout for the day. 

In fact, her form was so good, that I used her picture as the lead for this article!  Thanks M!!

And as we in the mid-Atlantic may be getting some more snow this weekend, this post cannot come too soon.

OK…here it goes:

I think we all can agree that shoveling snow is a full body workout...an extended full body workout.  The day after shoveling snow, you’re sore everywhere.  Good form or not, you’ll still be sore everywhere.  But sore and pain are not the same.  So, let’s aim for soreness by doing all the right stuff.

 

What kind of workout will your body get from shoveling snow? 

Squats:

Shoveling snow uses your legs, core, and upper body—good form makes all the difference

First and foremost, squatting is an absolute for snow shoveling.  It is a baseline exercise that you absolutely must be great at to have success with shoveling snow.  Let me be frank here: If you don’t like to squat, then shoveling snow is going to do your back in.  You’ll have no ability to properly use your legs & hips to help mitigate the load that you’re lifting.  Ever heard the phrase “lift with your legs”?  This should be your mantra when shoveling snow.

For the legs & hips, shoveling snow should be an exhausting series of squats. 

Core:

Shoveling snow uses your legs, core, and upper body—good form makes all the difference

Core 101:  Our core is made of muscles that encircle the torso; running from front to back.  (It’s also your pelvic floor & diaphragm– but that’s for another blog).  When you turn them on, you should feel them tighten all the way around, not just in the front.  This is where most people go wrong.  If you only feel the front of the belly tighten, you’re not doing it correctly and your back will not be supported. 

Basic core activation is a fundamental skill in order to save your back for typical activities in your day.  For shoveling snow?  It’s a non-negotiable necessity. 

No one likes to work on core activation.  It’s boring and absolutely not sexy.  Everyone wants to do core exercises to help their core, but most don’t actually know how to simply turn on those muscles.  

Much like your quads or glutes, the foundation is knowing how to turn the core muscles on without provocation.  Snow shoveling form is a neutral spine/torso.  There are no crunches or sit-ups happening here.  If you cannot properly stabilize in neutral AND you go out to shovel snow, you will quickly find yourself in back pain hell.   Additionally, you also must have the endurance to keep them on the entire time you’re out there shoveling. 

Snow shoveling should be a marathon for your core. 

Upper body:

Shoveling snow uses your legs, core, and upper body—good form makes all the difference

Obviously, there are so many muscles being used here…your pecs, lats and biceps mainly.  These are big mover muscles that will get their fair share of activity over the course of a snow shoveling extravaganza.  Everyone’s at the party! 

In a perfect world, the mid scapular muscles should also be working to maintain good posture with the shoulders in neutral.  (And if that’s actually happening by hour 2 and beyond, gold star 🌟 my friends!!!)

But if these muscles are weak, some other part of the body will take the strain and that’s where pain begins (most of the time, it’s the neck).

And that brings us to…

Spine & Neck:

Shoveling snow uses your legs, core, and upper body—good form makes all the difference

If any of the above aren’t working properly, your neck can take the brunt of the strain from snow shoveling.  Maintaining a straight line from the pelvis all the way up through the neck & head is imperative for the health of the entire spine including the cervical spine.  In other words, don’t allow your head to sit forward and down (i.e. how you look at your phone). 

Look, none of this is easy.  Especially when you’ve been shoveling snow for hours.  It’s exhausting.  Take your time, breathe and take breaks as necessary. 

I recently wrote another blog on the main stretches to perform to help mitigate back & neck pain after shoveling snow.  Honestly, it’s the aftercare your body is craving.  In my book, it’s also a non-negotiable. 

Man, you guys in apartments or who have snow blowers are living the life right now!!

Back or neck pain after shoveling isn’t “just part of winter.”

If soreness has crossed into pain, physical therapy at Union Yoga & Physical Therapy can help restore movement and prevent lingering injury.

👉 Schedule an appointment today