Pawsilates: A Workout for You and Your Pet With Andrea Metcalf

Andrea and her best workout buddy.

One dog-and-human workout is great, but two for Fit Bottomed Pets’ Week? Even better, we say! So without further ado, we give you Pawsilates: A Workout for You and Your Pet from healthy lifestyle spokesperson and one of America’s top fitness experts (and animal-lover!), Andrea Metcalf!

Pawsilates: A Workout for You and Your Pet

It’s easy to bond with your pet while snuggled up on the couch with a bag of chips, but why not engage your canine and work your waistline? Put down the munchies, grab your pet and join in on this simple yet effective Pawsilates workout!

Warm-up: Grab your pooch and a ball and find an open space. You want to warm up your waistline before easing into the core workout. Stand over your dog, legs shoulder-width apart. Bounce the ball while rotating side-to-side, engaging your obliques and warming up your waistline.

The Pawsilates moves: Don’t forget to engage your pet and keep them interested and involved! Next is the kneeling cross over. Get down on one knee and hold the ball out in front of you. Rotate side-to-side, keeping arms extended while squeezing the ball. This will work your waistline as well as your chest.

Next, we are really going to tone the inner thighs and waistline. Sit beside your pet and place the ball in between your knees. Gently hold on to the leash and lean down so your back is on the ground and then come back up. Keep your center tight and squeeze the ball between your legs to work those inner thighs. Most importantly, give your dog some love every time you roll up and don’t forget to breathe! Repeat 15 to 20 times.

Keep the ball squeezed tightly between your legs and position yourself behind your pet. Lift your legs and tap your feet at each side of your furry friend. Make sure to lift those legs high enough so that you don’t hurt them. You don’t want your workout buddy to leave you!

For a more advanced version, place the ball in between your feet and squeeze tightly. Lean back to extend the spine. Tap feet on each side of your pet (like you did in the previous move). Repeat 10 to 20 times. Don’t worry if you need to take a break. Take a breather, give your pet some attention, and get right back at it!

Cool down: End your Pawsilates workout with some light stretches and belly rubs for your pup!

And here all those moves are in video form—woot!

Does your pet like it when you work out with him or her? And a big thanks to Andrea for the super-fun workout! —Jenn