Are you a crafty person whom enjoys being productive and getting exercise at the same time? It might be time to consider woodworking as you will have the perfect opportunity to get exercise while you are doing something enjoyable that produces a tangible result.
Splitting Wood Is a Great Activity
Many people see splitting wood (logs) as being a great form of exercise. Doing this allows you to burn plenty of calories because you are lifting a heavy ax with the hope of creating enough force that splits a solid log in half. Splitting wood leads to big arms, as well as increased testosterone levels in men.
Woodworking Is Another Option
If you don’t want to chop wood, woodworking can also be great exercise. The typical woodworker has to lift heavy boards, stay focused mentally, and work with tools which put up a great deal of resistance. Power tools can create plenty of resistance against your body, but using hand tools is typically a better option if you want exercise. So, if you are looking for additional exercise, perhaps consider using hand tools instead of power tools.
Hammers Make Your Arms Stronger
Swinging a hammer will make your arms get stronger because of the force required to drive a nail into a board. This is also a repetitive motion, meaning that you’re getting the added benefit of repetitions and muscle memory that comes with the task. Hammers do put additional physical strain on your wrists, which is why ergonomics is key when using one.
A Hand Plane Can Also Strengthen Your Arms
Using a hand plane is also designed to help you get stronger. This is a motion that also repetitively uses your arms and your physical strength to craft something out of wood. The additional physical benefit of using a hand plane is that it takes a slightly longer time for you to be able to get to the result that you would like to achieve.
Hand Saws Are Fun to Use
Finally, don’t forget the benefit of using hand saws. These tools require rapid hand and arm motions. The benefit of using a hand saw is that it requires additional physical exertion in order to keep the sawing motion flowing. Hand saws are not the most efficient way to cut wood, but using a hand saw is how wood was cut in the past many years ago.
James Niehaus
Perfectcutsandmiters
