Can’t believe after 13 years of marriage we are in a dispute like this!! Check that…were in a dispute. I shovel snow, get a workout, don’t mind it all. In fact, after an hour of it, I believe it’s a legit workout, especially with 6+inches of snow. She damanded a new snowblower. Guess what arrives tomorrow…a new Toro.
Did the Pilgrims use a Toro? Hell no! They shovelled. Did they cry about snow? Hell no!! They shoveled it and used it to make water.
Or did I do the right thing and get that Toro?? I got a feeling she was right.
We’ve had 63 inches of snow in Cleveland so far this year. My wife got a great deal on a Craftsman the day after the first snow of the season (she works at Sears). I don’t like it and have used the shovel as often as the blower. It was a big help when we got 6 inches of heavy wet snow, but I’ll still use the shovel most of the time.
Got a real big left arm last year, thats the arm I lift with. It does get the heart rate up too.
I’ve heard more than one cardiologist say that no man over 35 years old should shovel snow. It’s said in a not-so-joking manner, too. Of course, none of these cardiologists exercises for their health. The fact is, your clotting mechanism is most prone to clotting early in the am (probably a survival mechanism of natural selection to keep the cave-men from bleeding to death from a shaving cut…you can get a nasty cut from a sharp rock! ;-D). Add the cold and the high workload of shoveling on a person with little other exercise, and, if they are going to have a heart problem due to a blockage in a coronary artery, snow shoveling is the perfect recipe. I’d recommend to shovel every time you have the time…we needlessly pollute the air with so many small gasoline engines running so we don’t have to rake, or shovel, or whatever.
snowblowers are OK for your dad. when you are old, and on statins, sitting at home irritating the missuz all day around counting your various health risk factors hey go ahead and get that toro - be sure it big enuf, btw - no little wimp-ass toy snowblowers. till then get yer ass out there with shovel in hand like you know you should.
use that toro in yer prime, and next thing you know you will be like some guy from illinois, and hire a guy to mow your lawn for you.
Snowblowers are for old ladies and the infirm. Workout aside, there’s nothing like the sense of satisfaction one feels standing at the end of a driveway you’ve just scraped clean with your trusty shovel. Take pride in the manly arts!
My dad (a cardiologist that also does triathlons) agrees but disagrees with what you (Titan) said. He says that a lot of folks in the US aren’t active at all year-round, and most are overweight. Once the snow comes down they pick up the shovel and go shoveling, which is a huge stress on the body. It’s like lifting a large weight many times. He says that there is research that shows that for the 2 hours surrounding the shoveling the chances that someone will have a heart attack go up 3-4 times. Nothing about blood clotting in the AM.
But! He says if you are a person who exercises regulary, the same risk I mentioned above doesn’t apply to you. Just make sure to warm-up beforehand and you’ll be fine.
I’m 32 , I own a snowblower, and i use it proudly. I’m not looking to get a workout by shovelling, I just want to clear the snow and be done with it…so I can have more time to do my normal workouts. This morning it took me all of 10 minutes to snow blow my driveway. I may have to do it again when I get home from work but, since it only takes 10-20 mintues it frees up more time to go xc skiing. I see it as a time management tool.
I never complain about snow until late march. The more the better…I love xc skiing.
I can’t believe she pushed you into getting a snow blower! whatever…(I don’t even own a microwave, so consider the source…lol)
she won. you bought a damn snowblower.
it’s up to your discretion when you use it. look at it this way, it will enable you to help out your neighbors, if you have any. shovel your own area, because you enjoy it–help out your neighbors with the blower. that’s what I would do.
or, if you really didn’t want it, send it back. you’re the man of the house. you shovel the snow. IMO, it’s not up to her. that’s money that could be spent towards a trip, or whatever else you want to do.
the last thing I would do is bitch at the person who is actually responsible for snow clearing and tell them how to do it…especially since what they’re doing works and it enjoyable for them. tell her she’s got control issues. the more I think about it, the more I think you should send it back!
kittycat
PS- unless you’re in the fat, out of shape, nearly about to die while doing it category…if not…grab a shovel. to hell with modern convienence!
freestyle wrote: My dad (a cardiologist that also does triathlons)… disagrees with what you (Titan) said.
How does that disagree with what I said? Better go back and read what I wrote. Also, ask your dad about the tendency to clot being greater in the AM. He’ll back that up, I’m positive. Or, he’s out of touch with current hematology knowledge…heck, that would be out of touch with old hematology knowledge
no, I don’t have one. frankly I find them to be unnatural and a little scary…think about it. heating up food in 20 seconds? that’s just weird. like I’ve told you all along–I’m a purist.
as for the coffee, I got a bean grinding/brewer unit–I make a whole pot. so if it gets cold, I can pour it out and have more…damn the addiction!!
edit: wait a second. how long does it to you to drink your coffee?!
And Titan your post didn’t say anything about the main risk being the sudden stress on the body of an inactive person. It just said there is a greater risk of blood clotting in the AM.
