No questions asked, having a dog keeps me motivated to move more. He is hands down the number one reason I put on my walking shoes and step outside… or that I even factor it into my daily routine. And I LOVE it. I love that I can now easily reach my daily goal of 10,000 steps. I love seeing different parts of the neighborhood and surrounding community. I love meeting new neighbors and dog owners. I love spending quality time with my pup
doing what he loves to do. Am I a crazy dog person? Yes. But am I moving more? YES.
Before having a dog, I was more of a treadmill runner compared to an outdoor runner. (I was also not a dog person, but that’s another story). There is nothing wrong with treadmill walking or running, but now I spend most of my physical activity time outdoors. My motivation = if my dog doesn’t exercise, he will be wild.
Once we got our walk/run weekly routine down, I wanted to make sure I was still getting in some strength training exercises. When we finish our walk, Boone (the dog) relaxes in the backyard while I do a few exercises using my own body weight such as push-ups, squats, tricep dips, and planks. On one of our walking routes, there are benches every few hundred feet and this is a great opportunity to incorporate these exercises during our walk. What are other exercises to try? This article shares 4 simple exercises to do with your dog.
Do you have a dog that keeps you moving? Or favorite bodyweight exercises to share? Let’s hear them!