The United States Surgeon General recommends moderate amounts of daily physical activity. Raking leaves for 30 minutes can help you burn calories while also accomplishing outdoor chores.
Calories
A 125-lb. person burns 120 calories during a half hour of raking leaves, according to Harvard Health Publications. Someone who weighs 155 lbs. burns 149 calories in the same 30 minutes of leaf-raking. Raking leaves burns 178 calories per half hour for a person weighing 185 lbs.
Fitness
Raking leaves works your core muscles and upper body. In particular, you use your back and stomach muscles to maintain stability and your arms to perform the raking motion.
Recommendations
When raking leaves, it is important to stand straight with your feet placed widely apart and to avoid twisting your spine. The rake should be held with one hand near the end of the handle and the other about 3/4 down the length of the rake. Switching sides every 10 minutes can prevent injury from overuse on one side of the body, according to AARP.
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