{"id":2736,"date":"2022-11-16T12:32:44","date_gmt":"2022-11-16T17:32:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/?p=2736"},"modified":"2022-12-17T15:34:21","modified_gmt":"2022-12-17T20:34:21","slug":"how-to-use-a-shovel-protect-your-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-use-a-shovel-protect-your-back\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use a Shovel? (Protect your Back!)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Using a shovel might seem completely self-explanatory, but there is actually more to it than meets the eye. If you have to dig a post hole, a trench, or a hole to plant a tree, then getting the right technique down is important to avoid a back injury.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;ve ever done a little DIY landscaping, then you\u2019ll know how labor-intensive and strenuous using a shovel actually is. Just a few minutes of hard digging and your entire back will be aching and calling out for a hot bath.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s really no getting around the fact that digging with a shovel will strain your back, arms, and legs. The key to doing it right is to transfer as much of the load from the back onto the legs and core. These muscles are better suited to handle heavy loads and have a much lower chance of injury than the injury-prone lower back.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll break down the best techniques to use when using a shovel \u2013 so you can dig to your heart\u2019s content without injury.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_61 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Jump To:<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-659bea8d3cadf\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-659bea8d3cadf\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-use-a-shovel-protect-your-back\/#How_to_Use_a_Shovel_%E2%80%93_Guide\" title=\"How to Use a Shovel \u2013 Guide\">How to Use a Shovel \u2013 Guide<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-use-a-shovel-protect-your-back\/#Step_1_Plan_the_Hole_Location\" title=\"Step 1: Plan the Hole Location\">Step 1: Plan the Hole Location<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-use-a-shovel-protect-your-back\/#Step_2_Prepare_the_Area\" title=\"Step 2: Prepare the Area\">Step 2: Prepare the Area<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-use-a-shovel-protect-your-back\/#Step_3_Plan_for_Excavated_Dirt_Disposal\" title=\"Step 3: Plan for Excavated Dirt Disposal\">Step 3: Plan for Excavated Dirt Disposal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-use-a-shovel-protect-your-back\/#Step_4_Start_Digging\" title=\"Step 4: Start Digging\">Step 4: Start Digging<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-use-a-shovel-protect-your-back\/#Step_4_Dispose_of_Excavated_Dirt\" title=\"Step 4: Dispose of Excavated Dirt\">Step 4: Dispose of Excavated Dirt<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Use_a_Shovel_%E2%80%93_Guide\"><\/span><strong>How to Use a Shovel \u2013 Guide<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Anytime you\u2019re digging a hole, trench, or whatever, it\u2019s important to plan out your dig in advance. This will help the whole process go smoothly and prevent a situation where you need to make changes halfway through digging.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_1_Plan_the_Hole_Location\"><\/span><strong>Step 1: Plan the Hole Location<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Just like when you&#8217;re cutting a workpiece, the old adage measure twice and cut once holds true. Carefully map out the hole location and diameter before starting.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, the level of accuracy needed will depend on what type of hole you&#8217;re digging. If you&#8217;re <a href=\"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-move-a-shrub-without-killing-it\/\">transplanting a shrub<\/a>, then accuracy doesn\u2019t matter too much, alternatively, if you&#8217;re <a href=\"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-dig-fence-post-holes-in-rocky-ground\/\">digging fence post holes<\/a>, you\u2019ll need to be highly accurate and measure and mark your hole locations carefully.<\/p>\n<p>Whenever you need to make a series of holes in a line, such as when digging fence post holes, use a <a href=\"https:\/\/homeguides.sfgate.com\/string-plumb-line-leveling-yard-96787.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">string line<\/a>. This simple technique will give you near-perfect accuracy and is very easy to do with just some string and a few stakes.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2740\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2740\" style=\"width: 790px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2740 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/marking-hole-with-string-line.jpg?resize=800%2C477&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"hole location marked with string line\" width=\"800\" height=\"477\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/marking-hole-with-string-line.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/marking-hole-with-string-line.jpg?resize=300%2C179&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/marking-hole-with-string-line.jpg?resize=768%2C458&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2740\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A string line is a simple and highly precise way of marking hole locations.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_2_Prepare_the_Area\"><\/span><strong>Step 2: Prepare the Area<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If there are any obstacles in the way of your plan hole(s), remove them from the area in advance. Branches, shrubs, large rocks, etc. will all slow down your progress so clear them well in advance of digging.<\/p>\n<p>If your digging a hole in your lawn or garden, then consider setting aside the topsoil or turf for use somewhere else.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_3_Plan_for_Excavated_Dirt_Disposal\"><\/span><strong>Step 3: Plan for Excavated Dirt Disposal<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This one is where a lot of people get into trouble. If your digging multiple holes or one large hole, you\u2019re going to be left with a large volume of dirt that needs to be put somewhere.<\/p>\n<p>Piling it up on your lawn without a plan to move and dispose of it is a bad idea. Not only will it be difficult to deal with, but it will kill the grass underneath it if you leave it there for too long.<\/p>\n<p>If you have a wheelbarrow, then this is the optimal way to deal with excess dirt. You can load the excavated soil directly into the wheelbarrow as you dig, or pile it up and wheel it away when you&#8217;re done.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2741 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/contractor-bag-dirt-pile.jpg?resize=800%2C511&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"contractor bag with dirt pile\" width=\"800\" height=\"511\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/contractor-bag-dirt-pile.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/contractor-bag-dirt-pile.jpg?resize=300%2C192&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/contractor-bag-dirt-pile.jpg?resize=768%2C491&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t have a wheelbarrow, there are a number of household objects you can use to move dirt around. The classic one is simply piling the dirt up on a section or tarp or canvas and then dragging it to your dumping location. You can even use a heavy-duty contractor-grade garbage bag for this, which I\u2019ve done successfully multiple times.<\/p>\n<p>Other things you can try are loading up a kid\u2019s sled or a hand cart\/dolly with a plastic storage container.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_4_Start_Digging\"><\/span><strong>Step 4: Start Digging<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><em>Ok, now that all the prep is taken care of, it\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-dig-a-hole-fast-with-a-shovel\/\">time to get digging<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>Before you begin, you\u2019ll ideally want to have both a shovel and a spade on hand. A shovel has a rounded blade and is best for moving earth, while a spade has a flat blade and is used for creating the hole\u2019s edge.<\/p>\n<p>At this point, you can start digging your hole. Use your spade to create the hole\u2019s edge before switching over to the shovel for moving a greater volume of dirt.<\/p>\n<p>As far as technique goes, you generally want the shovel blade to be as close to perpendicular to the ground as possible. When the blade is at a straight angle like this, place one foot over the blade\u2019s shoulder and use your leg power to drive the blade into the dirt in one powerful motion.<\/p>\n<p>With the blade driven all the way into the dirt, you then pull the shovel handle towards you to pry the blade free of the soil. When the dirt feels loose, bend at both knees making sure to keep your back straight, and lift using your leg power rather than your back.<\/p>\n<p>A trick to make this easier is to keep the shovel blade as close to your body as you can comfortably. This gives you better leverage over the dirt and will reduce the load on your body.<\/p>\n<p>When you dump the shovelful, rotate your entire body rather than twisting your trunk. Tighten your abdominal muscles while doing this as well to further reduce the chances of back injury.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_4_Dispose_of_Excavated_Dirt\"><\/span><strong>Step 4: Dispose of Excavated Dirt<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When it comes to digging holes and trenches, an often-overlooked task is <em>what to do with all the dirt you just dug up?<\/em><\/p>\n<p>If you planned this out in advance, then this step should be no problem, otherwise, you&#8217;ll be left with a large dirt pile that needs transporting to your dumping location.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Using a shovel might seem completely self-explanatory, but there is actually more to it than meets the eye. If you have to dig a post hole, a trench, or a hole to plant a tree, then getting the right technique down is important to avoid a back injury.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2739,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,8],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Use a Shovel? (Protect your Back!) - Home Improvement Scout<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Using a shovel might seem completely self-explanatory, but there is actually more to it than meets the eye. 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Made Easy","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/#organization","name":"Home Improvement Scout","url":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/cropped-logo_medium_resolution-1.png?fit=1094%2C146&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/cropped-logo_medium_resolution-1.png?fit=1094%2C146&ssl=1","width":1094,"height":146,"caption":"Home Improvement Scout"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/#\/schema\/person\/a83f2c6b10f97bd361a10c350fb7edb5","name":"Denis Gardner","description":"I've loved tinkering and fixing things for as long as I can remember. So, naturally, I gravitated towards DIY and home improvement when I bought my first home. Nowadays you can find me writing about my passions or messing around with my newest tool!","sameAs":["https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com"],"url":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/author\/denis\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/how-to-use-a-shovel.jpg?fit=880%2C594&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2726,"url":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-dig-a-hole-fast-with-a-shovel\/","url_meta":{"origin":2736,"position":0},"title":"How to Dig a Hole Fast with a Shovel?","author":"Denis Gardner","date":"November 5, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"While it might seem like a simple question, there\u2019s actually more to digging a hole fast with a shovel than meets the eye. If you need to dig a hole fast with a shovel, there is actually a right and wrong way to go about it. Digging a hole with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Exterior&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Exterior","link":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/category\/exterior\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"digging a hole with a shovel","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/how-to-dig-a-hole-fast-with-a-shovel.jpg?fit=880%2C516&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/how-to-dig-a-hole-fast-with-a-shovel.jpg?fit=880%2C516&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/how-to-dig-a-hole-fast-with-a-shovel.jpg?fit=880%2C516&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/how-to-dig-a-hole-fast-with-a-shovel.jpg?fit=880%2C516&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2720,"url":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-dig-fence-post-holes-in-rocky-ground\/","url_meta":{"origin":2736,"position":1},"title":"How to Dig Fence Post Holes in Rocky Ground?","author":"Denis Gardner","date":"October 27, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Learning to dig fence post holes in soft, sandy ground is hard enough \u2013 but doing it in rocky and rooty ground makes it much tougher. Rocks and roots present obstacles that will typically require hand digging to get around, so when digging with an auger, you\u2019ll often need to\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"digging fence post hole in rocky rooty ground","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/how-to-dig-in-rocky-rooty-ground.jpg?fit=879%2C587&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/how-to-dig-in-rocky-rooty-ground.jpg?fit=879%2C587&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/how-to-dig-in-rocky-rooty-ground.jpg?fit=879%2C587&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/how-to-dig-in-rocky-rooty-ground.jpg?fit=879%2C587&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":170,"url":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/install-fence-post-without-concrete\/","url_meta":{"origin":2736,"position":2},"title":"How to Install a Fence Post without Concrete: Save Time &#038; Money!","author":"Denis Gardner","date":"October 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Installing fence posts can be an intimidating task for many folks. The thought of mixing and pouring concrete to anchor the posts can easily scare away the average DIYer. Luckily, there are several functional alternatives that will allow you to install a fence post without concrete. Fence posts can be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Exterior&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Exterior","link":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/category\/exterior\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"fence post without concrete","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/how-to-install-fence-post-without-concrete.jpg?fit=880%2C540&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/how-to-install-fence-post-without-concrete.jpg?fit=880%2C540&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/how-to-install-fence-post-without-concrete.jpg?fit=880%2C540&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/homeimprovementscout.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/how-to-install-fence-post-without-concrete.jpg?fit=880%2C540&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":267,"url":"https:\/\/homeimprovementscout.com\/how-to-remove-broken-fence-posts-concrete\/","url_meta":{"origin":2736,"position":3},"title":"How to Remove Broken Fence Posts Set in Concrete?","author":"Denis Gardner","date":"November 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"How do you remove broken fence posts set in concrete anyway? Pulling a broken fence post out of concrete is kind of like pulling a tooth \u2013 it\u2019s difficult, painful, and requires some serious effort to get it right. 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