Pilates with dogs: behind the scenes at Goodwoof

This past weekend I was at Goodwoof in West Sussex, a festival for people who love spending time with their dogs, and I ran a Pilates with dogs’ session in a tent with about 100 people and their dogs. Most of them had never tried Pilates before. It wasn’t a polished class, it was half standing, half on the mat, designed to get people moving without them overthinking it too much. People just wandered past, came in, and joined in, and by the end they all walked out with smiley faces. No excuses about not being flexible enough or not having time. They just showed up and did it.

But what struck me was what came out when I talked to people afterwards about why this matters.

The excuses we tell ourselves

I asked people what usually gets in the way of them doing Pilates or exercise, and the same things came up over and over: I haven’t got the time, I’m not mobile, I’m not flexible enough, I’m too old, it’s too late to start. I hear these all the time and they’re real blockers for people, but they’re also a way we protect ourselves from trying something that might change things.

What happens when we don’t do it

If you don’t move, if you don’t build strength and flexibility and stability, you age quicker and you can’t do the things you want to do. You can’t wander around a festival with your dog, you struggle getting on and off the floor, you lose independence. But there’s something that gets mentioned less and matters more: falls. As we get older, if we don’t have that stability and flexibility, a fall can put you in a nursing home in your 60s. That’s science, and that’s real.

The fear underneath

I think the real thing stopping people is fear. Fear of not being able to do it, fear of looking silly, fear of failing. For some people that fear propels them forward, and for others it holds them back. What I noticed at Goodwoof was that when people just tried it without thinking about it too much, they realised they could do it. They didn’t need permission; they just needed to be there and have a go.

The moment that mattered

At the end of the session, I got everyone to put their hands on their dog’s ribcage and slow their breathing down to match the dog’s breathing. It was quiet, hundred people and hundred dogs, just breathing together, and something shifted in that tent. People said afterwards that it was their favourite bit. They got to give themselves permission to stop, to be with their dog, to connect with something that matters to them, to just be instead of always doing.

One person told me afterwards that they’d never had anyone ask them to stop and think about what they need. They’re so busy, pulled in so many directions, that taking five minutes to put their hand on their dog and breathe felt like someone finally seeing them.

You have to give yourself permission

I think that’s what this is about. We get so caught up in reasons not to do things, not enough time, not flexible enough, too old, that we forget we need to do these things, and we need to give ourselves permission to stop and do something just for us. But when you stop and do something for you, something that builds your strength and flexibility and stability, you’re not being selfish. You’re investing in being able to do the things you want to do, in not falling, in being able to get down on the floor and play with your dog, in having energy and not having aches and pains, in living a longer healthier life where you don’t have to rely on anyone else.

Sometimes you just have to stop and do stuff that’s for you, and it’s one of the best things you can do for the people and animals you love. If you’ve never tried Pilates before, or if you’ve been putting it off, come and give it a go. You don’t need to be flexible, you don’t need to be young, you don’t need anything except to show up and try.

From Pilates with dogs to Pilates for runners

And if you’re a runner reading this, this matters even more. Every mile you run is thousands of repetitive impacts through the same joints, the same muscles, the same patterns. Without strength, stability and mobility work alongside it, those niggles in your knees, your hips, your lower back aren’t just bad luck, they’re your body asking for something you haven’t been giving it. The runners I work with who keep running into their 50s, 60s and beyond aren’t the ones with the most natural talent or the most miles in the bank. They’re the ones who give themselves permission to stop chasing the next PB for an hour a week and do the stuff that keeps them running in the first place. Strength. Mobility. Stability. Breath. The unglamorous things that mean you’re still lacing up your trainers in twenty years’ time, not sitting on the sidelines wishing you’d started sooner.

Ready to give yourself permission?

If you’re a runner over 40 and you know deep down that you’ve been putting off the strength and Pilates work that would keep you running for decades to come, come and try my Pilates for Runners membership. It’s designed specifically for runners like you, built around the bodies and pain points of 40+ runners, and you can do it from home in the time you’ve got. No excuses needed, just show up and try.