embodiment a length y of the shaft 6 between the proximal end 8 and the distal end 10 is between 38 and 46 inches in a preferred embodiment a distance z between a top of the step and the shoulder is between 4 to 6 inches fig2 shows the shovel 2 of fig1 in rear view as shown the step 16 is generally a plate that is fixed to a rear side of the socket 12 by any means including but not limited to welding gluing or mechanical fasteners not shown the step 16 can be made of metal fiberglass rigid plastic or other rigid composite material that could accept a force applied by a user 39 s foot and translate that force to the blade 4 to dig into material without cracking or breaking fig3 shows a shovel 20 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention the shovel 20 has a blade 22 and a shaft 24 the shaft 24 has a proximal end 26 and a distal end 28 the blade 22 has a socket 30 the proximal end 26 shaft 24 is inserted into the socket 30 and is fixed thereto by mechanical fasteners the blade 22 has.