Summary
In this lighthearted video, Jeff Cavaliere of AthleanX demonstrates how to use a 65-pound dog as an improvised weight for a bodyweight leg circuit. The video presents a creative, humorous alternative to traditional equipment like dumbbells or sandbags. The routine covers three fundamental lower-body exercises performed while holding the dog.
Key Points
- Your dog can substitute for a sandbag or dumbbells if you lack gym equipment at home
- The featured dog, Charlie, weighs 65 lbs, providing a meaningful resistance load for lower-body training
- The workout is framed as a leg circuit, combining three exercises back-to-back
- Dog temperament matters — Jeff notes you need “the right dog” with the right temperament before attempting this
- This approach adds functional carrying load to classic movements, similar to how loaded carries challenge stability and strength
- The video is intentionally playful, but the underlying training principle — adding external resistance to bodyweight movements — is legitimate
Exercise Details
The Canine Leg Circuit
1. Dog Squat
- Target muscles: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings
- Form cues: Hold the dog securely against your chest (similar to a goblet squat position), maintain an upright torso, squat down and drive through the heels
- Reps: 10
2. Lunges
- Target muscles: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings
- Form cues: Step forward into a lunge while holding the dog, return to standing, alternate legs
- Reps: 10 on each leg
3. Step-Ups
- Target muscles: Quadriceps, glutes, single-leg stability
- Form cues: Step up onto an elevated surface while holding the dog; Jeff notes this is the most challenging of the three movements at 65 lbs of load
- Reps: 10 on each leg
Circuit Structure:
- Perform all three exercises consecutively as a circuit training format
- No rest periods explicitly mentioned between exercises