Pets & exercise

cataddict

cataddict

Cathlete
Has anyone else had "help" of the 4-legged variety during workouts (Cathe or otherwise?) I was doing chest presses with a barbell in Body Max the other day & wondering why it was so tough...I glanced to my right & my 13 pound kitten (well, 11 months old--almost a cat & certainly big enough to qualify) was hanging on it. She was none too eager to let go, either, but there was no way I was increasing my weights THAT much, and only on one side!! Maybe I need to get another 13 pound cat to balance out?

Any other experiences to share on this HOT STEAMY HOT Friday afternoon?
 
I have a back ailment that requires me to do some stretching every morning in order to get through the day without pain. I have a 4 month old boxer puppy who thinks I'm her mommy. The other day while laying on my back, knees drawn and twisted to one side, Roxie (puppy) comes over, staddles my body with her 4 legs & lays down on my chest, her nose to my chin. I called dh to take a picture but don't you know she moved when he came into the room. I had a good laugh, anyway!
 
LOL, I have to lock my dogs in the other room while I'm working out...otherwise, my shih-tzu will scoot underneath me while I'm doing push ups and lie there while I try to get to the bottom. Or he will try to lick my face while I'm doing abs...and he always has to get on the mat. And doing Step, forget it! I've been tripped up so many times by the cat trying to weave in and out of my legs. The best one was when I was doing the grapevine side kick and whooops!sorry buddy are you allright?:eek: I kicked my poor Jackson on the side of the head. So now for both our safety and sanity, they go to the other room for a while so Mommy can work out in peace.:)
 
When it's hot at my house, the most coveted hang-out space is under the ceiling fan in my workout room. All five hounds actually eschew the futons for the workout mats on the floor where the breeze is. If I'm doing cardio, it gets pretty interesting dancing around these beasts. Fortunately, hounds being hounds, they don't move much (or at all). If I get down on the floor for floor work or stretching, however, I suddenly become a giant salt-lick and everyone comes over to get their licks in. Throw in the ten minutes of sweeping I have to do to remove the tumble weeds of dog-hair that happen in the heat, and I think I can safely say that my dogs definitely contribute to my fitness plan. The photo I really should have taken was when my 11-year-old mama dog was stretched out on a yoga mat with her head propped up on my Step, sound asleep.

--Ann
 
I have a rabbit who pushes on me with his nose while I do abs work, sometimes boxing at my arms as they go up and down behind my head. I have to lock him up most of the time.

For all cardio and other muscles, he stays way out of my way, it's just abs. I think since I am on the floor, he thinks I am in his territory somehow.

Who knows what cute thoughts bunnies have in their heads.
 
My roommate's cat Lou always sits against this one portion of my wall and stares at me like, 'what is she doing? What a freak!' while I workout. When I do pushups, he comes and curls up under my chest so that every time I dip down I squash him. And does he take the hint and leave? No! He also likes to help when I do yoga.
 
"Has anyone else had "help" of the 4-legged variety during workouts (Cathe or otherwise?)"

OH YEA! Every time I am outside jogging, and I see a dog, my heart rate goes WAY up. This may be due to pure anxiety or the fact that if it the dog not too close I immediately run as fast as I can away from it--and hopefully in the direction of home!

Fear of dogs can be sort-of debilitating. It further discourages me from jogging (which I usually don't even want to do in the first place), and I often don't want to go to otehr people's houses. I am not afraid of all dogs, just ones I don't know, big ones, and those that are stereotypically dangerous or aggressive. I understand dog is man's best friend, but they scare me, particularly since I know they know I am scared.

Jeanne
 
Amen, sister!!!! That's a huge pet peeve of mine. People seem to think that just because they have a "nice" dog that it's OK to let them run loose.

There aren't any sidewalks where I live and I tend to jump in the street when a dog comes at me while I'm jogging. My reflexes could kill me someday if there happens to be a car coming.

Even the little dogs scare me. I don't know if I'm more scared about them nipping my heels or my tripping over them.

I'm so over-protective of my dog that I have no comprehension of owners who let their dogs run loose to "terrorize" the neighborhood and possibly get lost or hit by a car.

Good luck to you!

Shelley
 
My cat generally stays at the back of the workout room because I am flailing and grunting during the cardio and I scare him. However, during abs, he comes over to me and brushes up against me. Yesterday I did MIS and he kept rubbing the top of my head during my chest flies. His tail fur stuck to my sweat and it was really gross. My other cat who is deaf LOVES to chase the shadows or light reflections that my barbell makes along the wall. The worst is when I accidently step on one of their tails during my workout. I have tried to keep them out of the room, but then they bellow and meow until I let them in. I guess I haven't traumatized them too badly.
 
My cat Doohickey never "helps" me with my weight work but she likes to add resistance during abs by laying on my chest. Also, when I do the stretch where you're on all fours and you put one arm under the other one, she insists I give her skritches by putting her head down to my hand. She also tries to make sure I stay up during planks by laying below me (I have to move because I can't stay up very long during planks!). So, she's a big help except when she sits on or near my step during cardio!
 
Otto, our BIG cat, loves the step, and as soon as I bring it out he's laying on it. Usually I let it go and work around him during the warm up- so I do warm ups on about 6" width of my step! During CM I let him have the step during the floor circuits :)
Poofie, the little one, LOVES when I do planks and abs, and also loves to rub on my sweaty head to leave me gross and furry!
I trip over them both when doing step work.
Oh- and Otto tries to sneak drinks of my workout water...that one really bugs me!
 
My cat Scooter is my regular exercise buddy. Anytime I'm in a lying down position, he thinks it's his turn to be involved. He likes to crawl on my chest or stomach while I'm trying to do ab work, and a couple of times, he's jumped up on my while I'm doing slow and heavy chest presses. Once when I was doing reverse curls, he took advantage of the fact that my upper body wasn't moving at the time, and snuggled onto my arm (unfortunately, I had to move him soon after, and he wasn't too happy with that).

As well as exercise partner, he also provides some spa treatments, such as ear washing and salt licking after I've had a sweaty workout :)
 
My cats, Mickey and Puddin, follow me everywhere, so when I go downstairs to work out, they're right on my heels. It's not so bad except when I wear shorts that tie up at the waist. Mickey thinks any stringy type thing hanging down is something for him to swat at, so it can make for interesting pushups or crunches. I love my pussycats to pieces, so I just live with it.
Lori
 
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