So..... You're into GRC....
You've entered this world of canine athletics....
So.... without question..... Your dog needs to be pulling weight!
Notice..... I didn't say doing "weight pull". I'm being a little tricky with my language on purpose. See when I say doing weight pull... people automatically assume I mean the competitive sport of weight pull. I don't.... I mean pulling weight.
Enter......CANINE RESISTANCE TRAINING.
GRC competitor and trainer Ashley Sculac has developed a wpnderful program for using resistance training to develop not just better health, but performance.... REGARDLESS of sport.
In all human athletics.... Trainers [ut their athletes in teh weight room. Not just the ones competing in lifting competitions. Tennis players. Swimmers. Ice skaters... ALL do resistance work in the weight room. It is absolutely essential.
And.... If you talk to any Physical Therapist... They will tell you that MOST injuries come from imbalanced weaknesses in the structure. And how do they fix that?...... Yep.... Resistance training.
The human athletic world is usually a few years ahead of dogs. And that's what's happening here. In human athletics we have nearly universal use of loaded weight bearing resistance work.
In Canine athletics.... There's parachutes, back packs, and proprioception devices (wobbly balance). No one is doing loaded weight bearing resistance for rehab, prehab, or athletic performance. The only folks dragging weights are the people getting ready for competition.
It was like that in humans like 30 years ago too. The only dudes doing squats were meatheads getting ready for comps.
Now.... Your PT has your grandma doing them after hip replacement.
Every high school phys ed program includes it.
It's just..... Normal.
Well.... At GRC, we're partnering with Ashley's CRT and trying to change that.
Resistance work is for EVERY athlete. Regardless of sport.
Here's some awesome articles from her site to get you started.
Make resistance Training Great Again
And, here's some videos showing weight pull work being used for NON COMPETITIVE purposes.
Check it out: