Red Seal Vas record
Today felt like most landscape days in the field. It was busy and I actually felt fine after work. On many evenings I feel exhausted but not tonight, which is strange because my iPhone fitness app was ecstatic.
I had no idea I had set new fitness records today until I checked my iPhone. Let’s check the numbers:
1. 628 calories burned, a new app record
2. 13.24 km
3. 20,897 steps
4. daily move goal tripled!
These numbers clearly show how physically demanding landscaping is. I mowed for three hours and then I did finesse work for another four. Finesse work involves clean ups in planted beds and after pruning. I also did some hand pruning and a bit of coaching because the girl power shearing nearby is still fairly new. I only stopped once for lunch from 12:15 to 12:45.
Blown wheel
There is another reason for my record-setting fitness numbers. I don’t want you to think I’m a maniac. Roughly half an hour into my mow, one of the back wheels on my self-propelled mower lost power. So, with the self-propelled function down fifty percent, I had to supply the other fifty by pushing harder. Thus the burned calories. My fitness app assumed I was really motivated today.
Self-propelled mowers are a bit heavier because they have extra parts. And that’s ok because they pull you along nicely; but god help you if you lose power. The machine is just too heavy to push. With one powered wheel still functioning, I managed to finish my mow section but I did wonder where my teammates were. Well-trained landscapers know to help out until all of the mowing is done.
Let’s get physical
Let’s come out and say it, landscaping is a physically-demanding job. You sweat all day, in all kinds of weather and expectations are high. That’s why some new workers don’t last long. Some don’t even finish their first shift; they get in their cars and we never see them again.
If you’re not used to physical exertion, landscape work is a shock. That’s why landscapers are grouped with other green industry professionals as “industrial athletes“. No, we don’t compete for medals but the effort required to get the job done can be massive. And so can be the rewards.
Today I left the site in better shape than it was in the morning, I put in a good effort (see my stats above) and I even did a bit of training. That’s what it’s really like in the field. Now you know.
