Why Gardening Is Excellent Heart Exercise

By Edwin Bayse

Immortalis Prime Law Lens

In the Immortalis framework, all value must emerge through voluntary, self-led action — never through force, fraud, or coercion. Gardening exemplifies this principle perfectly: a freely chosen practice that transforms personal responsibility into real, life-enhancing value. It strengthens health, clarity, and well-being through sovereign action, not external prescription.

This article highlights a core truth of Prime Law Capitalism: value creation flourishes only when individuals choose their own path. No imposition — only self-directed growth, naturally aligned with freedom.

Gardening naturally includes all three pillars of heart-healthy movement:

1. Aerobic Activity

• Raking

• Weeding

• Planting

• Walking around the yard

Most gardening keeps your heart rate in the light-to-moderate aerobic zone - ideal for lowering resting HR and improving rhythm stability.

2. Strength Training

• Turning over soil

• Lifting pots or soil bags

• Digging

• Pulling weeds

These are functional strength movements that build core, legs, grip, and back muscles.

3. Flexibility & Mobility

• Squatting

• Reaching

• Gentle twisting

• Getting up and down

This improves circulation, joint health, and vagal tone.

Cardiovascular Benefits of Gardening

Research shows gardening can:

• Reduce resting heart rate

• Lower systolic blood pressure

• Reduce AFib (Atrial fibrillation) and arrhythmia triggers (through stress reduction)

• Reduce inflammation

• Improve sleep quality

• Burn visceral fat (through moderate sustained movement)

• Improve HRV (heart rate variability)

It is essentially exercise disguised as a hobby — and one of the best for longevity.

How Gardening Fits Into a Weekly Heart-Healthy Schedule

Here's a simple way to integrate it with a current walking + strength program.

Option A - Gardening as a

Substitute for Aerobic Days

Option A - Gardening as a Substitute for Aerobic Days

If gardening lasts 30-60

minutes, it can replace your daily walk:

Example:

• Mon: Walk

• Tue: Gardening (45-60 min)

• Wed: Walk

• Thu: Gardening

• Fri: Strength training

• Sat: Nature walk

• Sun: Rest/stretching

  Option B - Gardening as Additional Light Movement

If your gardening is 20-30 minutes, it pairs well with a shorter walk.

Example:

• 20-25 min walk

• 20-30 min gardening

This combination produces excellent heart benefits.

• Option C - Gardening as Functional Strength Training

Option C - Gardening as Functional Strength Training

If you're doing heavy tasks like:

• Turning compost

• Digging new beds

• Moving soil

• Lifting mulch bags

These count as strength workouts.

You could replace a gym/indoor strength day with a "garden workout."

How Much Gardening Counts as Meaningful Cardio?

Light gardening (pruning, deadheading):

10-20 minutes = warm-up or

light cardio

Moderate gardening (raking, weeding, planting):

30 minutes = equivalent to brisk walking

Heavy gardening (digging, lifting soil, turning beds):

20-30 minutes = equivalent to a

strength session + light cardio

Safety Guidelines for Gardening With Arrhythmia

Avoid holding your breath when lifting (prevents vagal swings).

• Keep movements smooth - avoid sudden twisting/straining.

• Stay hydrated

• Take breaks every 15-20 minutes.

• Stop if: dizziness, chest pressure, pounding heartbeat, or unusual shortness of breath.

Gardening is usually very safe and often calming for the heart.

Bottom Line

Gardening is not just compatible with a heart-healthy exercise plan — it can be a central part of it.

Replaces walking on some days

Replaces strength training on heavier days

Adds flexibility and mobility

Lowers stress (major arrhythmia trigger)

Burns calories and reduces visceral fat

Improves endurance

It is one of the best natural cross-training activities for heart health in older adults.

The Big Nutrient Bonus:

Produce from your garden, especially when grown organically, will provide heart-healthy additions to meals and provide an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients usually superior to store-bought food, with unmatched freshness. The variety of fruits and vegetables which can be grown in a home garden far exceeds what is available in supermarkets.