Gallery • 7 Photos

Elisa Zody

“Once you do a plank with a puppy you might never want to do a plank without a puppy,” yoga instructor Farah Mitha said.

In October 2022, seniors Jamee Lary and Mikaela Caltrider founded Fitness Girls Club at California Lutheran University in an attempt to create a sense of community at the gym. On Wednesday, March 15 they brought together over 40 girls in Ullman 101 to participate in puppy yoga.

“We wanted to do something that helped with mental health on top of physical health because us officers really care about that. So we thought puppy yoga could be a more fun way of doing something that is usually serious,” Fitness Girls Club Vice-president Caltrider said.

Fitness Girls Club usually holds open gym days once a week where they meet outside the Forest Fitness Center and walk in together. Caltrider said this can help decrease potential anxiety associated with walking inside. Caltrider said they all usually do their own workouts but are there for each other for support and to answer questions.

Fitness Girls Club President Lary said that similar to their open gym days, they will be starting open yoga days where club members can walk into the yoga studio together on Tuesdays and Thursdays when Cal Lutheran holds its free classes. Lary said they are also looking forward to planning group hikes when the weather gets warmer.

Lary said that you don’t have to identify as a woman to join Fitness Girls Club. Anybody can come to their events to experience the “supportive and loving community.”