One of the misconceptions in the sports world is that an athlete gets in shape by just playing or taking part in his/her chosen sport.

Competitive sport can have quite an unbalancing effect on the body. When you rely on the sport itself to provide flexibility and strength and all the components of fitness you will invariably cause imbalances that will lead to dysfunction and injury.

Most injuries seen in agility and flyball dogs are repetitive stress injuries, not the result of an acute event. These are the times when you don’t really know what happened, but something is not quite right. Yes accidents can and do happen, but even some accidents result from fatigue or imbalances in their body, that made your dog just fall short of successfully and safely executing a maneuver.

Scientists have identified 9 components of fitness. A good conditioning program involves all 9 components of fitness. Development in one area is not a substitute for any other area.

Strength and Power are not the same thing. Muscles can be strong in many ways. Strength refers to the maximum force that a muscle can exert, which may be neither explosive power nor sustained endurance. Sprinters train for explosiveness out of the starting blocks completely separate from their exercises for the next phase of running acceleration and from exercises to maintain maximal speed over a given distance. All 3 are necessary to win the 100m dash. This is also different from the 400m and 800m events. A sprinter must adjust his running, and therefore his training and conditioning exercises, for each of these events.

Long runs with your dog may prepare them for endurance but not explosive sprinting events. Sprinting around the dog park does not prepare them for endurance events.

A weightlifter is admittedly strong but does not necessarily have well developed endurance. A marathoner, which we consider to be very fit, is not necessarily prepared for any type of sport. I recently began playing a weekly game of badminton with a friend who is a marathoner. We were both surprised how quickly she was tired by the spurt of effort on the badminton court. Where as I tend to play these types of sports and was not as winded. My efficiency and skill with the racquet also contributed to the game not placing as much demand on my body. I think all would agree that my marathoning friend is much fitter than I am, but… it depends what you are doing. So do you know for sure if your dogs’ Fitness programs matches up with your chosen sports for them.

Developing a sound dog does not need to be complex or time consuming. Balancing your dog’s fitness and confitionng program can be simple and easy. Balance is key. Good conditioning is NOT just a weekend activity left to chance.

The Components of Fitness

Basic fitness can be classified in four main components: strength, speed, stamina and flexibility. However, exercise scientists have identified nine components that comprise the definition of fitness:

•   Strength – the extent to which muscles can exert force by contracting against resistance (e.g. holding or resisting a force)

•   Power – the ability to exert maximum muscular contraction in an explosive burst of movements. (e.g. jumping or a sprinting start)

•   Agility – the ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in rapid succession in opposing directions (e.g. ZigZag running or cutting movements)

•   Balance – the ability to control the body’s position, either stationary (e.g. a contact) or while moving (e.g. changing directions in the air)

•   Flexibility – the ability to achieve an extended range of motion without being impeded

•   Local Muscle Endurance – a single muscle’s ability to perform sustained work (e.g. a repetitive action like weave poles or running)

•   Cardiovascular Endurance – the heart’s ability to deliver blood to working muscles and their ability to use it (e.g. running and playing a game)

•   Strength Endurance – a muscle’s ability to perform a maximum contraction time after time (e.g. continuous explosive rebounding through an agility course)

Co-ordination- the ability to integrate the above listed components so that effective movements are achieved.

You are the master and chief bottle washer of this partnership. You are your dog’s trainer, the nutritionist, coach, therapist, and water boy. If you compete with your dog, you are asking him or her to be an elite athlete.  Just ask any elite athlete how valuable their trainer is.

Website: http://www.caninebodyworker.com/