Our 10 tips for how animals keep fit

A DigitalNZ Story by Zokoroa

Do animals spend time on exercising to keep healthy and fit? Observations suggest they have the skills and energy to participate in a range of sports. Indeed, if this is the case, what advice would they give!? Let's check out their top ten tips!

Animals, Sports, Sports, Exercise, Fitness, Keep fit, Gym, Gymnastics, Health, Cats, Dogs, Sheep, Birds, Pigs, Goats

TIPS FOR EXERCISING

Image: Jock

Kia ora, my name is Jock. I'll guide you through how animals keep fit. Here's our top ten tips!

Christchurch City Libraries

TIP 1: START SMALL AND AIM HIGH

You, too, can be a star like us reaching the athletic heights of the animal olympics!

Image: Joanna Johnson and dog on country road, England

Gentle walking exercises to warm-up

Joanna Johnson and dog on country road, England

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Showing agility

Flying cannonball!

Showing agility

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Show-jumping

Whee! Sail over the top!

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

TIP 2: VALUE THE ADVICE OF COACHES / MENTORS

Image: Working dogs in action

Left, right; left, right - keep marching

Working dogs in action

mychillybin

Image: Bellastick

When swimming, grab the stick like this

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Pair of Jack Russell dogs fetching stick in water

Great teamwork!

Pair of Jack Russell dogs fetching stick in water

mychillybin

TIP 3: FELINE ADVICE

Image: Honey in bed

Visualise in your dreams that you are an athlete

Auckland Libraries

Image: Honey the cat in the garden, 1968

Roll onto your back - keep relaxing your muscles

Honey the cat in the garden, 1968

Auckland Libraries

Image: Curious kitten

That's it. Stretch you legs and keep holding on.

mychillybin

TIP 4: CANINE ADVICE

Image: Dog hydrotherapy

Build your leg muscle toning

Dog hydrotherapy

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Simple Pleasures

Practice running & fetching the ball

Simple Pleasures

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Dogs on the Port Hobart

Workout with wrestling moves

Dogs on the Port Hobart

Auckland Libraries

TIP 5: ELEPHANTINE ADVICE

Image: Elephants, 1960

Keep in-step and at a safe distance

Elephants, 1960

Tauranga City Libraries

Image: Circus elephants being trained for New York season

All together now - 1, 2, 3 (Teamwork is so important!)

Circus elephants being trained for New York season

Auckland Libraries

Image: Elephant at Wellington Zoo

Having trust helps! (Yikes, how do I get down!)

Elephant at Wellington Zoo

Alexander Turnbull Library

TIP 6: PORCINE ADVICE

Image: A happy sow takes time out from feeding her litter at a pig farm

Keep in mind you have diverse choices...

A happy sow takes time out from feeding her litter at a pig farm

mychillybin

Image: Pig racing

Pig racing!

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Digital Photograph: Painting on Retaining Wall, Flying Pig

Hmm - what next? I wonder if pigs can fly

Digital Photograph: Painting on Retaining Wall, Flying Pig

Canterbury Museum

TIP 7: BE ADVENTUROUS - TRY DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES

WARM-UP EXERCISES FOR BEGINNERS

Image: lamb at Shakespear Regional Park

Let's warm up. That's it - bend your back.

lamb at Shakespear Regional Park

mychillybin

Image: A lamb kneeling in the paddock to graze

Next bend your knees and do push ups

A lamb kneeling in the paddock to graze

mychillybin

Image: sheep and lamb at Shakespear Regional Park

Now kick up your hind legs

sheep and lamb at Shakespear Regional Park

mychillybin

Image: Southern Elephant Seal

Let's play roly poly!

Southern Elephant Seal

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

Image: Southern Elephant Seal

Turn slowly

Southern Elephant Seal

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

Image: Southern Elephant Seal

All the way around!

Southern Elephant Seal

iNaturalist NZ — Mātaki Taiao

RHYTHMIC DANCING

Image: Penguin, King

Let's do the Funky Chicken! - Start swaying your hips like this

Puke Ariki

Image: Weka with fledgling chick- Kenepuru Head, Marlborough Sounds

Let's do the Hokey pokey - You put your left foot in; you take your left foot out....

Weka with fledgling chick- Kenepuru Head, Marlborough Sounds

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

SWIMMING SPORTS

Image: Weka- Kenepuru Head, Marlborough Sounds

We'll practise our moves on land first

Weka- Kenepuru Head, Marlborough Sounds

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Australian Coot, Ohau Canal, Twizel

Then work on our paddling strokes

Australian Coot, Ohau Canal, Twizel

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Survival of the fittest

Yippee! Let's try backstroke!

Survival of the fittest

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

'WHEELIE' SPORTS

Image: Taranaki's surfing, skating dog Cruz needs your help

Why not try skateboarding!

Taranaki's surfing, skating dog Cruz needs your help

TV3

HIGH JUMP

Image: Jumping dog

Get ready

mychillybin

Image: Dog jumping wire fence

Tuck your legs under

Dog jumping wire fence

Nelson Provincial Museum

Image: Dog hurdling rails, Mangamahu

Then land on the other side!

Dog hurdling rails, Mangamahu

Alexander Turnbull Library

CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNING

Image: Eye dog at work

On your mark. Get set. Go!

Eye dog at work

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Halfbreds in the South Island foothills

Here they come over the crest of the hill!

Halfbreds in the South Island foothills

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: A scruffy sheep running through a paddock

And the home straight winner is... Lightning!

A scruffy sheep running through a paddock

mychillybin

MOUNTAIN CLIMBING

Image: A billy goat standing on his road side shelter

We'll start small with climbing onto your shelter

A billy goat standing on his road side shelter

mychillybin

Image: An agile goat

Impressive! You're ready for mountain climbing!

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: two wild goats on a rocky wellington hillside, one billy and one kid, with the older billy watching the kid cavort

Well done. Take your time. We're nearly there!

two wild goats on a rocky wellington hillside, one billy and one kid, with the older billy watching the kid cavort

mychillybin

RIDING SPORTS

Image: Mary Giles and her husky team, Plimmerton Beach - Photograph taken by Ross Giblin

Chariot racing

Mary Giles and her husky team, Plimmerton Beach - Photograph taken by Ross Giblin

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Fun in the snow

Tobogganing

Fun in the snow

Auckland Libraries

Image: Holiday time Auckland resorts.

Donkey riding

Holiday time Auckland resorts.

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: Young boy in dog drawn cart.

Pulling cart

Young boy in dog drawn cart.

Hamilton City Libraries

BOATING

Image: Evening Post" Photo. A canoe and its crew in Evans Bay on Saturday afternoon. The dog was quite unconcerned and .m-terested in his surroundings. (Evening Post, 06 January 1941)

Aha - so that is how to steer a boat!

Evening Post" Photo. A canoe and its crew in Evans Bay on Saturday afternoon. The dog was quite unconcerned and .m-terested in his surroundings. (E...

National Library of New Zealand

Image: 'The dog watch'-second prize comic study

Look - I've learnt to sail by myself!

'The dog watch'-second prize comic study

Auckland Libraries

Image: Dog on warship

Wow! Imagine being a ship captain!

Alexander Turnbull Library

BALL SPORTS

Image: Stavies, dog

Rugby

Nelson Provincial Museum

Image: A Dog That Looks Forward to the Opening of the Football Season

Soccer

A Dog That Looks Forward to the Opening of the Football Season

Auckland Libraries

Image: The story of Opo

Beach ball

The story of Opo

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

HERDING

Image: Farm dog herding sheep

That's right - look them in the eye

Farm dog herding sheep

University of Waikato

Image: Goat and dog outside Nissin huts

Keep focused and try to stare them down

Goat and dog outside Nissin huts

Hamilton City Libraries

Image: Herding cattle along a track above a river near Katikati?

Work as a team to move them along

Herding cattle along a track above a river near Katikati?

Auckland Libraries

TIP 8: KEEP HYDRATED AND WATCH YOUR DIET

Image: Pig with piglets: photograph

Pig with piglets: photograph

Wairarapa Archive

Image: Kiwi

Kiwi

Auckland Libraries

Image: Bird feeder

Bird feeder

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

TIP 9: COOL DOWN & REST UP AFTER EXERCISING

Image: Wet dog, shaking

Wet dog, shaking

mychillybin

Image: Red panda

Red panda

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: Tabby Kitten

Tabby Kitten

mychillybin

Image: Harry Fow and others in a motor car

Harry Fow and others in a motor car

Hamilton City Libraries

Image: Dick (the horse) and dog.

Dick (the horse) and dog.

Hamilton City Libraries

Image: Jacqueline Rangi Pokaia Carmel Clark in front of Rangiwahitu Whare Whakairo at Tauranganui Marae, Port Waikato

Jacqueline Rangi Pokaia Carmel Clark in front of Rangiwahitu Whare Whakairo at Tauranganui Marae, Port Waikato

Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato

TIP 10: CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESSES AND KEEP EXERCISING!

Image: Prize pig

And the winner is!

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage