Strength in the Core: One Workout,

Two Species

What if your strength workout could also become training time, bonding time, and exercise for your dog?

That’s exactly what Freedom and I are doing with our

Strength in the Core: Human + Dog Workouts.

Today’s video is about nine minutes long and gives you a sampling of what one of our daily Strength in the Core workouts looks like. I start out on the mat with Freedom, demonstrating her versions of the exercises, and then move into my own workout.

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The exercises will change from day to day, but the idea stays the same:

We work together!

For September, I’m keeping three foundational exercises in the program — the push-up, sit-up, and plank — while rotating additional strength and core exercises throughout the month.

And wherever it makes sense, Freedom gets a corresponding movement of her own. Today it looked like:

🐾 1. Push-Up and the Doggy Pushup

Human: High-Incline Push-Up

Today I performed my push-ups against the countertop.

A high incline is a great way to work on push-up form while building the strength needed to progress toward lower inclines and eventually floor push-ups.

Place your hands securely on the countertop, keep your body in a straight line, bend your elbows as you lower your chest toward the counter, and then press yourself back up.

Dog Pushup: Sit → Down → Sit

Freedom gets her own push-up! Here's how a dog pushup goes:

1- Ask your dog to SIT.

2- Then cue DOWN so your dog lies on the floor.

3- Finally, bring your dog straight back into a SIT.

That's it.....SIT → DOWN → SIT = one doggy push-up. Easy to do huh? betcha my bottom dollar you can easily train your dog to do their pushup in no time at all!

This simple sequence gets your dog moving while also reinforcing basic obedience cues.

🐾 2. Sit-Up and the Doggy Sit-Up

Human: Beginner Sit-Up

For today’s workout, I demonstrated the beginner version of the sit-up.

The goal isn’t to rush through repetitions. We’re working on controlled movement and gradually strengthening the core throughout the month.

Doggy Sit-Up

Start with your dog sitting.

You can place your arm or hand in front of your dog for a little assistance if needed. Ask your dog to rise onto the hind legs with the front paws lifted. Again their paws can lean on your arm for extra balance if needed. Oh I should mention they can assist you by sitting on your feet while you do your sit ups if needed. (I suppose I could have called Freedom over in the video- oops!)

You can also use a treat to lure the movement.

Once your dog comes up, guide them gently back into the regular sitting position.

I ask you how hard is that? Did you try it with your dog? go ahead betcha you can train your dog to do a SIT UP Doggy Style!

SIT → SIT-UP → SIT.

That’s our doggy sit-up!

Never force your dog upright. Keep the movement comfortable and appropriate for your dog’s size, age, mobility, and physical condition.

🐾 3. Plank + Doggy Plank

Human: Plank

I prefer a straight-arm plank rather than working from my forearms, so you’ll see me using that variation.

Whichever variation you’re using, think about maintaining a strong, controlled position rather than simply trying to stay there as long as possible. Keep a straight line ie no sagging or butts in the air during your plank.

Doggy Plank: Down → Front-End Rise

For Freedom’s version, I first ask her to lie down.

From there, I encourage her to lift through her front end and come up onto her front paws. Not all the way up just slighlty making her core work. maybe a 45 degree angle. (FYI she was being pretty cooperative today- I tried not to force her in any exercises- but I am not perfect if you. may have caught me trying to push her butt down or such) however I try to do so gently and lightly.

We’re turning a familiar dog movement into a little Strength in the Core exercise.

Keep this one small and controlled — we’re not trying to make our dogs perform human planks!

🐾 4. Dumbbell Overhead Press + Sit & Paw Raise

Human: Dumbbell Overhead Press

For today’s overhead press, I’m using 12½-pound dumbbells.

Starting with the weights around shoulder height, I press them overhead and bring them back down under control.

Dog: Sit & Paw Raise

Freedom doesn’t need dumbbells. She already comes equipped with her own resistance: her body weight!

I ask her to sit and then ask for a paw.

She presses her paw into my hand as she raises it. You can gently guide the paw a little higher to create a movement that corresponds with our overhead press.

You can alternate paws so both sides get involved.

🐾 5. Band-Resisted Glute Kickback + Doggy Kickback

Human: Band-Resisted Glute Kickback

I used my blue resistance band for this exercise.

With the band providing resistance, I extend the leg backward while keeping the movement slow and controlled.

You don’t need a huge range of motion. Concentrate on the muscles doing the work rather than how far you can move your leg.

Dog: Doggy Kickback

For Freedom, I have her stand naturally on all fours.

I keep a treat near her nose to help keep her attention and then very gently assist one hind leg backward, almost as though she’s lightly kicking my hand away.

Then we switch sides.

This is not a leg stretch or a movement to force into position. If your dog resists, pulls away, seems uncomfortable, or has orthopedic or mobility issues, skip it.

🐾 6. Jump Rope + Doggy Spin

Human: 90-Second Jump Rope

Today I added 90 seconds of jump rope to get the body moving and bring a little cardio into our strength workout.

But Freedom has one small problem.

She can’t hold a jump rope.

So we improvise!

Dog: Spin

Using a treat, guide your dog’s nose around in a circle and encourage the body to follow.

Ideally, your dog follows the treat and makes a complete turn.

Freedom had other ideas today.

She was being Freedom.

So instead of standing still and having her circle around, I walked around with her. She followed me through the circle, and when we completed it:

“Good spin! Good spin!”

Was it textbook perfect?

Nope.

Did we find a way to practice the movement together?

Absolutely.

Dog training doesn’t always look perfect on the first try. Sometimes you adapt, reward the attempt, and build from there.

🐾 7. Slider Hamstring Curl + Sliding Recall

Human: Slider Hamstring Curl

This one turned into an interesting modification today.

Normally, I’d place my feet on sliders, lift into a glute bridge, and slide the feet out and back to work the hamstrings and glutes.

Except I wasn’t wearing shoes.

My feet kept slipping off the sliders!

Fortunately, I was on a hardwood floor, so I didn’t really need them. I lifted into my bridge and slid one foot at a time along the floor.

And staying up in that bridge while moving one leg at a time?

Yeah.

The hamstrings know they’re working.

Dog: Sliding Recall

Freedom’s corresponding exercise is what I’m calling the Sliding Recall.

I ask her to lie down and then use a treat to encourage her to crawl forward toward me while remaining low to the floor.

It’s part movement, part training exercise, and part game.

And judging by the treat at the end, Freedom probably thinks it’s the best exercise in the entire workout.

Why Strength in the Core?

Our dogs don’t need to copy our workouts exactly.

That’s not the point.

The point is participation.

While I’m strengthening my body, Freedom can work on movement, body awareness, focus, obedience cues, and communication with me

We’re exercising.

We’re training.

We’re spending time together.

And we’re strengthening something that doesn’t require a dumbbell, resistance band, slider, or yoga mat:

our relationship.

The push-ups, sit-ups, and planks will continue to form the foundation of our September Strength in the Core challenge, while other exercises rotate throughout the month.

So tomorrow’s workout may look a little different.

And the next day’s may look different again.

That’s part of the fun.

You don’t need to do exactly what Freedom and I do. Modify the human exercises for your fitness level, and modify or skip your dog’s exercises according to your dog’s age, size, health, mobility, training experience, and comfort.

Never force your dog into a position or movement.

And remember: your dog’s version doesn’t have to look perfect.

Freedom certainly reminds me of that.

Sometimes the workout is about getting stronger.

Sometimes it’s about learning something new.

And sometimes it’s about walking around your dog in a circle and enthusiastically announcing:

“GOOD SPIN!”

That counts too.

🐾 Strengthen your body. Train your dog. Strengthen the bond.

Until tomorrow have a happy and healthy tail wagging day,

Pamela and Freedom