"Work-Training" – digging holes

The training cap can be obtained by digging holes with a good old fashioned pick and shovel, I would put it at the level of splitting wood. This is an amazing full-body workout that’s as intense as it gets. It uses the weapons, the legacies, the entire mid-region in a big way. If done with the right intensity, you can be both aerobic and anaerobic at the same time.

Now, I’m not encouraging anyone to be like an army recruit and go and dig a hole just to fill it up again. In fact, it may not even be necessary to dig a hole. Sometimes just swinging a shovel to move a pile of loam can produce the same effect. Calculate that a human machine, in good condition, can move about one cubic yard per hour. If you use a wheelbarrow, i.e. take a shovel from the pile to the wheelbarrow, and then move the load to another part of the yard…say for an orchard, you are now also getting a good workout for your shoulders and upper back .

Remember that the theory behind work-training is that some kind of productive and valuable by-product must arise from the general activity along with the physical benefit. So with that being said, here are some other ideas that can put that shovel, pick, and wheelbarrow to good use…along with that brawn!

Dig a hole to bury a tank or drum for a greywater collection system. Greywater is wastewater that does not contain any type of sewage. Examples of sources of greywater are washing machines, showers, even if you are one of the many people who tend to urinate in the shower, kitchen and bathroom sinks. The good thing about this water is that the soap in it is generally very good for watering plants and lawns. But experiment or do your research to find out which products to avoid. That is the value behind this system. Save resources and make double use of water. First as drinking water, then as irrigation water.

You will also need to dig a trench to run the pipe to the tank from the sources. If you really want to go all out, dig a trench for a greywater storage tank sprinkler system. If it works well, maybe you can bury some more, and hook up a rainwater collection system from the house gutter in addition to the gray water.

If there are restrictions on these types of systems in your area, this is an alternate plan. Dig a dry well. This is a system that will allow your gray water to be absorbed into the ground. This can take some of the load off your septic system, or even the waste treatment facility if it’s connected to municipal sewer systems. All that makes up a dry well is a good-sized hole, filled with stone. This makes it easier for water to be absorbed by the soil. Do some research, it’s not “rocket surgery” but it’s very labor intensive…just what the trainer ordered.

Remember to use both sides of your body when shoveling. It may seem awkward, but with enough practice you will become ambidextrous. It is always important to practice muscle balance and stretching before and after this type of strenuous exercise. If our hands are not hardened from this type of work, be sure to wear gloves to avoid blisters.