'It's Better Than Going To The Gym': Pamela Anderson's Go-To Workout Is Delightfully Old-School

Pamela Anderson has made pleasure a priority in movement. While the "Baywatch" alum spoke to People in July 2026, she gushed about all the benefits of gardening she had experienced firsthand, labeling it a "good workout." Anderson also said, "I think it's better than going to the gym, doing garden work." Now, Anderson wasn't just tacking on another praise for her beloved hobby with those words. Experts and research both agree that gardening might be a better workout than most people think. 

Chatting with Harvard University, Dr. I-Min Lee, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, confirmed that gardening could be a workout, saying, "Many yard and gardening tasks require enough effort to count as moderate-intensity exercise." Additionally, a 2014 study published in Hort Technology found that 10 basic gardening tasks, including mulching, harvesting, mowing, and watering, all ranked moderate to high in exercise intensity. 

According to Harvard University, the most high-effort gardening task was mowing the lawn with a hand or a push mower, followed by weeding, cultivating, and hoeing. For Anderson, gardening wasn't just a means to get some movement in. During "The Naked Gun" star's interview with People, she shared that her garden was such a "positive life force" that she always found herself gravitating to it when she needed to sort through the clutter of her life and make well-informed decisions about her career. A 2024 meta-analysis in Systematic Reviews analyzing 40 studies notably found that gardening activities positively influenced mental well-being, quality of life, and health status. With all this in mind, it's clear that gardening can be unexpectedly good for your health in many ways.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal in July 2020, Pamela Anderson confessed that although she had a well-equipped gym in her home, she had never really used it. "I've never worked out. I've never been a workout person, but I do love to dance," the model explained. It's worth remembering that there are plenty of real benefits to adding dance to your workout routine. 

In a chat with the BBC, neuroscientist and former professional ballet dancer Julia F. Christensen explained that dancing could help you get in some aerobic exercise, feel socially connected to others through dance classes, and ultimately experience the happiness that comes with creative expression. While reaffirming her love for dance and her lack of interest in regular workouts to People in April 2017, Anderson said, "I've always stretched and moved my body with resistance." Once again, "The Last Showgirl" star was well-aligned with expert advice on fitness. 

Speaking to Healthline, physical therapist Grayson Wickham, PT, DPT, CSCS, explained, "As we get older, we lose the ability to access all ranges of motions without pain or compensation." Wickham explained that when the brain commanded the body to do something that its range of motion did not allow, it had no choice but to put additional strain on the joints. Thankfully, mobility could be restored to its near-prime state with a good routine. If people in their 40s regularly followed a mobility routine, they could help reduce the risk of injury and body ache in their older years. Moreover, a good mobility routine could also go a long way in keeping you active and independent as the years pass.