The easiest cardio program you’ll ever start is also the one your dog will love the most: walking. No gym membership. No equipment. Just a leash, a pair of shoes, and the discipline to show up. Walking is a great place to start any fitness program. Its upsides are huge compared to the down side. When just starting out the risk for injury is essentially zip. Even if you train for strength training but don’t do any cardio or just want to shed a couple, this is a great place to start.

When people think about starting a fitness journey, they usually overcomplicate it. They think they need a gym membership, a perfect workout plan, or all the right equipment before they can even begin. Same thing happens with dog training — people think they need advanced drills, fancy tools, or hours of free time.

But the truth is, the easiest and most powerful place to start is simple: walk your dog.

Over the past few years, I’ve dedicated my life to two things — training dogs and training people. At first, I thought of them as two separate worlds and honestly, I wanted them to be. One side of me was coaching clients in the gym, pushing them to build strength, discipline, and confidence. The other side of me was training dogs, teaching patience, order, and focus.