Self-Care

Best Arm Workout You Can Do With Your Dog

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I also recently became a dog mom to a beautiful Golden Retriever. We adopted him a little later than normal so he’s already 6mths and 45lbs. His favorite pastime is tug of war. We play it about 6 times a day, which apparently is the best arm workout you can do at home! I’ve noticed my arms getting stronger and looking more toned due to our little game.

The key is to play this game at least 3-4 times a week (but if you have a dog like me, then I’m sure he’ll want to play more often). This will be the best arm workout you try, since you don’t have to pay for a gym membership OR have to force yourself to actually do it. So grab your dog and rope (I like to use this one) then do this sequence with your next tug of game.

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Best Arm Workout You Can Do With Your Dog:

1. Double Arm Tug

Take the rope in both hands while your dog tugs in the middle (If you’re using this rope, then you’ll want to stay between the 2 knots on the ends). Pull back in forth between the right and the left for ten reps. You can do this with bent or extended arms. Try both at the same time for double the workout!

2. Upper Bicep Curl

Hold the rope with your right arm only while your dog tugs on the other end. Start with your elbow bent in the shape of a ‘L’ then pull the rope towards your chest and repeat for 10 reps. Do not fully extend your arm. Then switch sides.

3. Lower Bicep Curl

Hold the rope with your right arm only again. This time start with your arm fully extended and curl it until your arm forms a ‘L’. Do this for 10 reps then switch sides.

*Note: 2 and 3 can be combined into one movement for a full bicep curl. You can also do both sets of 10 before switching arms to increase the workout!

4. Tricep Curl

This one requires you to sit on the floor with both hands on the rope. Start with your hands behind your head and your arms bent. Pull your hands up until your arms are fully extended above your head. Repeat for 10 reps.

*This may be hard with shorter dogs or if your dog is a jumper. If he tries to jump, try it one handed using the other arm to keep him from pummeling you.

5. Arm Circles

Stand tall over your dog with the rope in one hand. Spin him in one direction for 5 reps, then change directions for another 5 reps. Switch sides.


Feel free to increase the number of reps you do per exercise. I find that this is the best rope for this (Since my dog tends to destroy toys). Number of sets will be determined by your dog’s attention span to playing tug-of-war and whether you lose the rope so the game becomes a game of chase.

And if your dog LOVES walk, then you can also double this as your next cardio workout. You can thank your fur baby for giving you the best arm workout and never having to have another gym membership again.

Best Arm Workout You Can Do With Your Dog

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