Exercising is very important for you and your dog. It provides a lot of benefits to your cardiovascular health and a range of other important components in the body. Unfortunately, many people don’t get enough exercise either because they are lazy or don’t have the time to hit the gym. These sort of people need some sort of motivation to get going and get healthy and if they have a dog, this problem becomes easily solvable. If you have a dog, you can kill two birds with one stone as you can exercise yourself as well as your dog – who also requires daily exercise.
This method of exercising with your pet is well-known and is used throughout the nation. There are many different types of exercise you can perform with your dog and it doesn’t have to be boring either. A lot of people tend to think of running with their dogs when it comes to exercise but there are a lot of other options. You can even exercise your abs and bum while you also have fun with your dog. It is all about being creative.
This article will be going through some of the best ways you can exercise with your pet and drop a few pounds in the process. There are a variety of ways you can do it and with some persistence, it can become very entertaining. If you’re interested to learn a few ways to exercise with your dog, we recommend you continue to read the article.
Interval Exercising
Interval exercising is really easy when you have a dog and getting involves is as easy as going out for a walk. As many of you may know, interval training is when you engage in short bursts during cardio exercise. So you may start with a gentle stroll and then all of a sudden you may start sprinting as fast as you can for a short period of time. These short bursts are incredibly good for cardio and have been seen to improve the heart and fitness in general.
When you take your dog out for a walk, interval training can become a regular routine. Start off with a gentle walk with your dog and then after 1-2 minutes, get into a jog for around 30 seconds. If you’re brave enough and if your dog has it in them, you can even do a quick sprint burst. After 30 seconds, return to a walking pace and recover. Repeat this process a number of times until you finish the walk. You can mix this routine up as well with a few backward movements and side steps.
Doggy Obstacle Course
This one will require some equipment and a fenced off area – preferably your backyard. You are going to want to set up a small obstacle course for yourself in the fenced-off area and you’ll want to take your dog round with a lease. At each obstacle, you have to let the dog go while you do the exercise. Depending on the dog you have, they may stay or they’re run away. If they run away, even better, as you’ll have to chase them and get back into the course.
Try to mix up the course and have different obstacles that target different muscle groups. At one point, you could do some crunches, whereas, at another point, you might want to perform some push-ups. The sky is your limit when it comes to the obstacles you can create.
Fetch Crunches
This one might be self-explanatory and will work wonders if you have a younger dog who likes to chase stuff. In particular, if your dog likes to play fetch, this is going to be an excellent exercise you can perform with your dog. As the name suggests, this is going to be an exercise that targets your abs. So if you’re looking to tone up for the summer, this is going to work wonders.
What you need to do is get into the crunch position and have a ball in hand. When you come up with the crunch, throw the ball for your dog and resume your movements. When the dog returns, you collect the ball and then throw it again. This allows you to work the core and work your dog in one swift movement. If your dog is waiting patiently for you to throw the ball it will act as motivation to continue with the exercise.
Fetch Race
Again, this might seem like a self-explanatory one but it can be an excellent way to add a competitive element to you and your dog’s exercise. Again, for this exercise to work you are going to need a dog that enjoys playing fetch with you at the park. The process is simple for this exercise. When you go to play fetch with your dog, you are going to want to chase the ball along with the dog. Sure, you’re probably not going to win the race, especially if you have a fast breed, but it will add competitiveness which helps when it comes to motivation. The added cardio will help burn fat quickly and will keep the dog entertained in the process.
Stair Climbs
If you live in a multi-story house, you’re in luck as you can use this as a way to exercise with your dog. This exercise is also incredibly beneficial for a range of muscle groups and will tone and build them making you look fab. What you’re going to want to do is put your dog on the lease and then walk up and down the stairs multiple times. Easy, right? If you want to take it to another level, try jogging or running as this will burn more calories and thin you quicker. Of course, if you plan on running up the stairs, make sure that your dog is up for the challenge because old dogs might struggle with this.
Conclusion
So there you have it – a number of easy exercises that you can complete with your dog. Exercising with your dog has a ton of benefits and will be sure to motivate you when it comes to dropping a few pounds. The competitive element when exercising with your dog will help to motivate you and will also keep the dog entertained during the process. The trick with these exercises to add your own creative twist. The more creative you are, the more fun it will be and the more calories you’ll burn. With this knowledge, you’ll be shredding the pounds in no time!
