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Digging and planting will count towards fitness target for 2012
Matthew Beard, Sports News Correspondent3 Apr 2009
GARDENING will rank alongside sport to meet a government target to make Britons more active ahead of the Olympics.
Mowing the lawn, building a dry stone wall or constructing a teepee will be recorded in a nationwide survey starting this month.
The poll will measure progress towards getting two million more people off the couch in the next three years.
It was originally limited to sport, but after a U-turn at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the target will be split equally with other forms of physical activity, including dance.
Ministers were accused by the Liberal Democrats - who discovered the reclassification had taken place - of a "desperate" attempt to hit targets and justify the £9.3billion cost of the Games.
In an answer to a Parliamentary Question, Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe revealed that gardening, active conservation and dance would count in the 2008-2009 Active People Survey.
The research is being conducted via a phone poll of 180,000 Britons.
To register as active, adults will have to be engaged in three half-hour sessions of "moderate intensity".
Gardeners will count towards the Olympic tally for their efforts at home or on an allotment, but not if they are doing paid work. Active conservation could involve building dry stone walls, or making a teepee out of wooden branches.
The Department for Health is responsible for half of the two million target, while the DCMS looks after the other half, boosting participation via its agency Sport England.
If the Government delivers on its pledge it will have succeeded where most Olympic hosts have failed.
Since winning the bid in 2005, there has been little progress nationwide and none in London, where fewer than one in five adults regularly plays sport.
Liberal Democrat Olympic spokesman Tom Brake said: "It seems that the Government is so desperate to justify the expense of the London Games that they'll now include anything as part of their claims for a sporting legacy.
"Unless it turns out there are secret plans to introduce mowing the lawn and bulb-planting as Olympic events, then we'll have to assume that ministers are watering down targets they know they can't meet.
"We've had 10 years of this government talking about tackling obesity and raising sports participation, but they've totally failed to get Britain active." A DCMS spokeswoman said: "Dance, gardening, and active conservation are included as part of the Government's target to get two million people more active through sport or physical activity because they are recognised by the Chief Medical Officer as activities that contribute to someone leading an active lifestyle.
"The Active People survey will be used to measure progress on hitting the two million target."
How to dig yourself fit
DIGGING
400 calories p/hour. This activity improves muscle strength and endurance because of the resistance involved in digging. It engages the quadriceps, hamstring and calf muscles in the legs as well as using upper-body strength in arms and torso.
It is comparable to rowing, where the water acts as resistance, as it uses upper and lower body strength.
WEEDING
350 calories p/hour. Weeding demands you squat down often, the best way to build strength in legs. It is useful for targeting the thigh and buttock muscles, while reaching across the flowerbeds works shoulder muscles.
Similar to Olympic Squat.
WATERING THE FLOWERBED
150 calories p/hour. Watering cans make excellent dumbbells for an upper arm workout. Holding a watering can will engage biceps in arm and deltoids in shoulders and a range of chest and back muscles.
Similar to Discus Throw as uses upper body strength and rotation.
MOWING THE LAWN
350 calories p/hour. Pushing mowers provides a good full-body workout. Legs, arms and upper back will all feel the strain. Pushing will also engage abdominal and chest muscles.
Similar to start of bobsleigh race when athletes must push the cart.
STRIMMING THE HEDGE OR PRUNING
300 calories p/hour. Stretches and lifts the arms, toning bicep and tricep muscles. Abdominal leg and lower back muscles will also be used for balance.
Similar to javelin as both need shoulder mobility and strength.
LIFTING
400 calories p/hour Lifting rocks and branches requires a combination of power, technique, and flexibility. The strength comes primarily from the legs, specifically the thigh's quadriceps and also the back and shoulder muscles.
Similar to shot put as athlete must first lift the heavy shot before throwing.
* Source: Dr Roger Ramsbottom, researcher in Exercise Physiology at Oxford Brookes University and British Trust for Conservation Volunteers who run a nationwide green gym programme. Both stressed the need for warming up before gardening to prevent injury.
Reader views (10)
The Olympics committe have lost the plot and my support.
- Joe, Swanley Kent, 08/04/2009 17:15
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So, having screwed up getting people into 'sport' as they are doing nothing to enable increased sporting activity, they are widening the definition to get mote people within the category.
Now I know that we can trust nothing this government says, but this really is making their desperation and their willingness to alter figures to suit their needs to new heights!!
If there was an Olympics for disinformation and fiddling figures, (and expenses) this government would win all the golds!
Does this mean when all the council swimming pools are finally gone we can all take up gardening instead? Has anyone told Rebecca Addlington?
- John Whitby, Peterborough, Cambs, 07/04/2009 16:17
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The Olympics - a total nonsense, that is my little "dig for Victory" !
- Wills, Soton, 06/04/2009 07:03
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Is there to be a special category for attempting to grow produce in a purpose built swamp such as the Manor Gardens Olympic Allotments? They might not be able to grow anything there, but just so long as they can keep themselves motivated they could get super-fit turning over those super-sodden sods.
http://www.lifeisland.org/?p=387
- Steve, Dalston, Hackney, 04/04/2009 10:15
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I've got an idea: Why don't we just let the Olympics be the Olympics and quite trying to leverage them into some sort of nation changing event.
Just more wasted money and symbolism
- Trunk, US, 03/04/2009 18:31
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This story is incredibly misleading. The target has always been 2 million people more active, not 2million more people playing sport. There has always been a split in terms of the Governments Legacy Promise of 1 million people new people playing sport and 1 million more people being physical activity generally.
Not everyone enjoys the idea of competitive sport and if people can be inspired by the Games to be more active in whatever form then than whether it is kicking a ball around with friends or building activity into their daily lives through gardening, walking, cycling etc then it still leads to a happier healthy population
- Clare, London, 03/04/2009 14:09
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If the bove is true, then my wife must be super fit. The amount of digging she does (into my ribs to stop me snoring) is phenomenal. Doesn't do me much good though, as I have to wait for the bruising to go before I can get into the garden!!!
- Al, Kingstown UK, 03/04/2009 13:50
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Sums up this Government nicely. Announce an ill-defined goal and then change the goalposts if it looks like you won't achieve it. Don't even give a second thought to what you were originally trying to achieve the pronouncement of success is all that counts.
- Mark, London, 03/04/2009 13:19
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I thought April 1st was on Wednesday!
- Andi-M, London, England Innit!, 03/04/2009 11:51
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April 1st was a couple of days ago, wasn't it?
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland, 03/04/2009 11:40
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