Engaging in physical activities during leisure time is something enjoyed by many people. Sports like football, hockey, rugby, running, and baseball offer benefits for both physical health and social interactions.
While these sports are widely recognized and popular hobbies, there is another pastime that deserves attention: metal detecting. Though less known, metal detecting can be just as enjoyable as other hobbies.
Is metal detecting good exercise?
Yes, metal detecting is a great form of exercise as it helps you burn approximately 800 calories during your adventures. Moreover, it engages various muscles in different parts of your body, allows you to soak up vitamin D, enhances your mental well-being, reduces blood pressure, boosts brain function, and provides an energy boost.
In this article, we will explore the numerous health benefits of metal detecting. Not only will we delve into the various advantages it offers, but we will also discuss the specific body parts that are engaged, the amount of calories burned, and essential tips to ensure your well-being during metal detecting.
Prepare to discover the remarkable health benefits and enjoy reading this informative piece!
What body parts do you train during metal detecting?
During metal detecting you train a lot of different body parts. The main body parts that you train are your arms, your back, your chest, your shoulders, your legs and your core.
1. Upper body
During metal detecting, the constant swinging motion of your metal detector requires physical effort. With an average weight of 2 to 3 pounds (1 to 1.5 kg), the detector itself adds resistance, making each swing a substantial movement.
The primary muscles engaged in this activity are found in your arms. The swinging motion works both your biceps (located on the top of your arm) and triceps (located on the bottom of your arm). Additionally, your forearms receive a workout.
However, it’s not just your arms that benefit. Your back also plays a significant role. Your back muscles are utilized to maintain the metal detector coil above the ground, and they are also engaged when you pump the coil up and down.
Furthermore, your chest and shoulders are involved in the process. These areas are utilized when swinging the metal detector and when placing it on the ground for further exploration.
Engaging these different body parts during metal detecting provides a holistic workout experience, helping to strengthen and tone multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
2. Lower Body
Metal detecting not only engages your upper body but also provides a workout for your lower body. Your lower body comprises several key muscle groups, including the hamstrings, calves, quadriceps, and glutes, all of which are actively involved in this activity.
The first reason your lower body gets trained is due to the constant walking involved. During extended metal detecting sessions of around 4 hours, it’s not uncommon to cover a distance of 6 to 9 miles (10 to 15 kilometers).
This prolonged walking significantly strengthens your legs and contributes to improved stamina.
The second reason is the frequent need to squat or bend over. These movements are necessary for digging or locating your targets. When you squat, you engage all the muscles in your lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes.
How many calories do you burn during metal detecting?
For many individuals, engaging in sports is motivated by the desire to burn calories, often with the aim of losing weight. The primary objective of burning calories is to create a calorie deficit, which leads to fat loss.
A calorie deficit is achieved by consuming fewer calories than your body requires, prompting it to utilize stored fat reserves, resulting in weight loss.
Now, here’s the exciting news: Metal detecting is a fantastic calorie-burning activity! Allow me to elaborate on this point.
The average person burns at least 200 calories when walking one hour (without a backpack, metal detector and shovel). This means that this number will probably be higher when you are detecting because you also carry heavy stuff with you. You will therefore probably burn 250 calories per hour.
If you detect for like 4 hours, you will burn at least 800 calories! To give you a little indication of this number, I will give you some examples. 800 calories is equal to:
- 8 slices of bread
- 200 strawberries
- 2 avocados
- 400 grams of beef
Notice that the number of calories that you burn during your walk depends on your age, weight and metabolism. Therefore, take a look at the following table. As you can see, the heavier the weight, the more calories someone will burn.
| Weight (lbs) | Calories burned after an hour of walking (slowly) | Calories burned after an hour of walking (fast) |
|---|---|---|
| 130 | 210 | 260 |
| 150 | 245 | 280 |
| 170 | 270 | 345 |
| 190 | 300 | 370 |
| 210 | 330 | 410 |
How does burning fat work?
Your body will burn fat if you manage a calorie deficit. This basically means that you are consuming less calories than your body needs. Your calorie requirement depends on different factors like age, weight, daily activity, and metabolism.
You can calculate your calorie requirement by using a calorie calculator. The average male adult needs 2500 calories and the average female adult needs 2200 calories. If you consume less calories than this, you start to lose fat.
What are the other health benefits of metal detecting?
Metal detecting offers a range of health benefits beyond its impact on muscles and stamina. Think about:
- Absorbing enough vitamin D
- Improving your mental health
- Improving social interrelationships
- Lowered blood pressure
- Lower heart rate
- Less stress
- Improved brain function
1. Absorbing vitamin d
You will be out in the nature very often when you love to detect. This means that you will often come in contact with the sun. When your body comes in contact with sunlight, it starts to produce vitamin d. This vitamin d is extremely important for your health.
Vitamin d ensures the absorption of calcium and phosphate from food. Phosphate and calcium are necessary for a good build-up for your bones and teeth. Furthermore, these two things can be used when you have vitamin deficiency in your body.
The symptoms of a vitamin d deficiency are anxiety attacks, fatigue, weaker bones and cramping of muscles and joints. Therefore, it is very important to go outside!
2. Improving mental health
Fresh air provides physical rest and relaxation, while the natural environment helps inhibit the production of stress hormones. Additionally, exposure to diverse micro and macro bacteria in nature can contribute to a stronger immune system.
Moreover, research indicates that individuals who spend ample time in nature tend to have more positive thoughts compared to those who remain indoors. Numerous studies have also demonstrated a correlation between spending time outdoors and a reduced likelihood of developing mental disorders.
Taken together, these factors contribute to improved mental health. Therefore, it is evident that metal detecting is highly beneficial for your overall well-being.
3. Improving social interrelationships
Many individuals enjoy embarking on metal detecting adventures with friends or family members. These expeditions offer ample opportunities for engaging in conversations.
Engaging in regular conversations while metal detecting can have multiple benefits, such as improving your conversation skills and strengthening your bond with each other. It provides a platform to share experiences, exchange thoughts, and deepen your connection.
Moreover, the opportunity to talk about your own problems during these outings can be particularly therapeutic.
4. You get more energy and it makes you more creative
You know those moment when you lie on the couch with a low energy level and you don’t feel like doing anything. At these moment, you should go for a cool metal detecting adventure!
When you start to walk (in this case metal detecting), you get new energy for the remainder of the day. This means that metal detecting will increase your productivity. Furthermore, it makes you more creative because you will see a lot of beautiful landscapes/places.
5. Lowered blood pressure / lower heart rate
When you increase the frequency of your walks, you will notice a decline in your blood pressure, which is beneficial for your overall organ health. Additionally, regular walking contributes to a decrease in cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases in the future.
Various studies have demonstrated that frequent walking can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by as much as 50 percent! In addition to lowering the chances of heart problems, engaging in metal detecting also improves the condition of your heart, promoting its overall well-being.
6. Improved brain function
During metal detecting you walk approximately 3 to 8 miles. During this long walk, your brain gets a high amount of oxygen since there will be a better blood supply. Because of this, the nerve connections will improve and new brain cells are formed. This ensures eventually that the brain will stay in good condition!
7. Metal detecting in the water (sea/lake)
There are people who love to detect in ice cold waters. Think about waters like the sea or huge lakes. This ice cold water has many health benefits. It strengthens your resistance, it prevents skin aging, it improves blood circulation and it accelerates healing.
My advise is to use thermal clothing to prevent you from becoming hypothermic.
Can I skip cardio exercises when I often go metal detecting?
In theory, if you often go metal detecting, you can skip your other exercises because you burn enough calories during these long walks. If you want to have a very good stamina, you can better do it both.
However, this really depends on your purposes. If you want to go for a marathon or something like that, than metal detection alone is not enough. If you want to burn a fixed value of calories each week, you can skip the other exercises (if you often go metal detecting!)
To put this in perspective, I will give you a little example. If you run for one hour, you burn between the 800 and 1000 calories. This means that for each running hour, you need 4 hours of metal detecting.
Suppose your goal is to burn 3000 calories per week. You only have to run 3 hours to achieve this. On the other hand, you need 12 hours of metal detecting to achieve this. Therefore, always set a clear goal and check how you can achieve this goal (only metal detecting, only running or both).
In the following table, you can see different hobbies with their corresponding calorie burning values.
| Hobby | Calories burned per hour |
|---|---|
| Metal Detection | 200 |
| Running | 800 – 1000 |
| Football | 300 – 500 |
| Rugby | 500 – 600 |
| Basketball | 450 – 500 |
| Baseball | 300 |
Some things that you should keep in mind to avoid health problems during metal detecting
As mentioned earlier in this article, it is important to alternate the arm you use to swing the metal detector. Switching between your right and left arm after a certain period of time prevents you from exclusively training one arm and helps prevent arm soreness.
For individuals who frequently experience back problems, it is crucial to be mindful of the impact metal detecting can have on your back. Fortunately, there are solutions to minimize this risk. Firstly, utilizing the correct swinging technique is essential.
Additionally, using a metal detector sling or harness can provide extra support and alleviate strain on your back.
During metal detecting, you will encounter various uneven surfaces such as potholes and bumps. Always scan the area carefully before starting and be aware of potential hazards. It is also advisable to wear sturdy shoes that adequately protect your feet, reducing the risk of ankle injuries.
If you are interested in learning more about the potential dangers and risks associated with metal detecting, I invite you to check out my other blog where I provide comprehensive information on this topic.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you detect for 4 hours, you will walk between the 6 and 9 miles.
Yes, you can gain little muscle if you often go metal detecting. During metal detecting, you make small tears in your muscles. This will make your muscle recover and grow bigger.
Yes, metal detecting is very good for your stamina. You have to carry a metal detector, a shovel and a backpack. By doing this, you also have to walk a few miles. This will lead to a better endurance.