Spotty Dog May Exercise Challenge

Welcome to the Spotty Dog May Exercise Challenge. This daily challenge for May features the Spotty Dog Exercise, which is, in my opinion, an underutilised exercise. It is a full-body movement that recruits multiple muscle groups, gets the heart going, and burns calories. The Spotty Dog exercise is simple yet effective and is much harder than it looks. However, you won’t see many challenges for Spotty Dogs because they aren’t seen as tough enough. We can assure you that these little switch jumps are a full-body metabolic exercise. 

This Spotty Dog Challenge is progressive, and the daily target will challenge you throughout the month. Most importantly, it keeps you moving and gets you into regular exercise. Furthermore, you can do this challenge in your PJS.

Follow the daily target level this May, stay active, and kick-start losing those last few pounds before summer.    

About the Spotty Dog Challenge

The Spotty Dog challenge has been set out as a periodised pyramid, with reps going up, falling, and returning higher than the previous high. This programming helps us build endurance within our training and is an excellent way to demonstrate prioritisation programming. The chart below clearly shows the challenge’s periodised pyramids as it progresses through the month.

What is a Spotty Dog?

The Spotty Dog exercise is a variation of a Jumping Jack (Star Jump) performed in the sagittal plane rather than the frontal plane. It includes an alternating arm/leg action for a full-body metabolic exercise. The exercise starts with your feet in a split stance and consists of switching from this position to the opposite while your arms follow in a forward/backwards movement within the sagittal plane.

Warm up as you go

It’s important to warm up, but for this quick challenge, there is no need for a lengthy warm-up. Start the first 20 reps or so steadily until warm, and pick the pace up if you feel comfortable.

Scoring the Spotty Dog Challenge

The challenge is split into three levels to score your progress. You don’t need to stay at one level; you can mix, match, and go up or down a level. Each level has a score associated with it. Use the free-scoring sheet available for download below to track your progress and tally your monthly score.

Depending on which level you achieve, you get either 1,2 or 3 points. That’s a maximum of ‘3’ per day and a minimum of ‘1’ unless you skip a day, in which case it would be ‘0’.

Download the Scoring Sheet

SpottySpotty Dog May Exercise Challenge Scoring Sheet 66.00 KB 22 downloads

Scoring Sheet for the Spotty Dog May Exercise Challenge   …

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Spotty Dog May Challenge Target Guide

Spotty Dog Exercise Guide

One rep of the Spotty Dog exercise is a complete back-and-forth movement. Essentially, you count when your left or right foot returns to the front as one rep.

• Start in an upright position with your core active and looking forward. Stand with your feet in a split stance, one foot forward and one back.
• Your arms and legs will work in opposites and will feel like a natural movement. 
• Switch your feet from front to back while raising your arms to about shoulder height.
• Keep your core active throughout, keeping upright with good posture and neutral spine alignment.

Arm & Leg Sync

Here, we have explained how to perform this exercise with an alternate leg to the arm. However, this is not essential. Try the exercise and see what rhythm is most comfortable for you. That is fine as long as it feels comfortable and you can perform the activity safely.