Move It Monday: Push Ups

Happy Monday everyone!  How have your dog walks been going??  We’ve had lots of new exercises for you to add along the way, so you should never be bored!

We have a new Move It Monday for you: push ups AND puppy push ups!  Can’t forget about Fido!  To do YOUR push ups, find a bench or similar surface along your walking route and have your dog in a sit or a down beside you.  Place your hands a bit wider than shoulder-width distance apart on the bench.  Step back until your body is in a nice straight line and balance on your toes.  Slowly lower your body down to touch your chest to the bench and then push back up.  Your elbows should go out to the sides as you lower.  Remember to keep your abs nice and tight!

Check out the video HERE to be sure you’re doing it correctly.  This is an excellent upper body exercise – you should feel this in your chest and arm muscles, and in your core.  Work your way up to 20 push ups along your walk.  Remember: the more parallel your body is to the ground, the harder these are; the less parallel to the ground the easier the exercise.  Adjust to your fitness level!

As for your pup’s push ups: have your dog start in a down.  Then have them sit and go back into a down.  Repeat this, working up to 20 repetitions with your doggie!  This is a great exercise for them as well as awesome obedience practice.  If they have trouble getting this, try using a treat for motivation the first couple of times.  They usually get it after some practice!

Let us know how these exercises go for you!  Which was harder – your push ups, or your DOG’S??