Instead of telling you to lift with your knees, it’s all about saving the branches of your trees. Contrary to what you might have heard, it is important after a heavy, wet snowfall to remove what has accumulated on certain plants like arborvitaes, boxwoods, and pines; basically anything that tends to bow under the weight of snow or splay open.
In cold temperatures, bending branches are not as flexible and will often snap. Just take a broom and gently brush the snow off. You want to do this before the snow has a chance to harden or else you risk causing more damage.