RIDER WORKOUTS
We are all guilty of spending all our time thinking about our horse’s health, stamina, suppleness and strength. Yet as riders, we often forget to pay attention to our own fitness.
Using specific flexibility and strength training that targets your core stability will not only help with posture but also improve your confidence in the saddle. This will of corse be of huge benefit to the horse and rider combination.
A lack of flexibility is common, especially for riders who may spend a lot of time at a desk, or for those of us who are now over 30 years of age because we tend to lose mobility over time. Some of the most common areas of tension in riders are the hamstrings, the hips and the groin. But as we make adjustments to optimise our posture, we build the muscle memory and strength necessary to sustain correct posture with less effort over time. By targeting these areas with training, you can improve symmetry in the body, help prevent muscle tearing and support the joints.
We are all guilty of spending all our time thinking about our horse’s health, stamina, suppleness and strength. Yet as riders, we often forget to pay attention to our own fitness.
Using specific flexibility and strength training that targets your core stability will not only help with posture but also improve your confidence in the saddle. This will of corse be of huge benefit to the horse and rider combination.
A lack of flexibility is common, especially for riders who may spend a lot of time at a desk, or for those of us who are now over 30 years of age because we tend to lose mobility over time. Some of the most common areas of tension in riders are the hamstrings, the hips and the groin. But as we make adjustments to optimise our posture, we build the muscle memory and strength necessary to sustain correct posture with less effort over time. By targeting these areas with training, you can improve symmetry in the body, help prevent muscle tearing and support the joints.
**The workouts can be downloaded and printed with the download file below**
| rider_workouts_with_beatrice_stocks-seels.pdf |
<<<< FURTHER FITNESS TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES WITH BEATRICE >>>
Click on the links below images to find out more.
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5 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR FITNESS FOR HORSE RIDING
1. Loosen your pelvis When we ride our horses, we communicate with our horse through our pelvis.
2. Learn how to breathe properly. If I'm teaching at a clinic, I always see a huge difference in a horse's way of going once I ask his rider to concentrate on their breathing.
Try getting into the habit of breathing deeply for a few minutes each day, either on or off your horse, and incorporate this into every warm-up session when you're schooling.
3. Build your core muscles Exercises to strengthen your core are separate to those that aid pelvic function, though they still will improve the stability in your pelvis.
4. Improve your balance Your ability to balance alters on a daily basis depend on the chemical levels of your brain.
You can 'tune up' your balance before you hop in the saddle.
A great tip before you go cross-country - catch a tennis ball, this will sharpen your brain and nervous system.
5. Moving your body riding can be quite intense, so you need to reach a level of fitness that means enough oxygen is getting to your brain to allow it to work under stress.
You shouldn't get out of breath when you ride, and if you do your horse will feel it.
Anything that makes you slightly out of breath is good, be it interval training, running or bike riding.
2. Learn how to breathe properly. If I'm teaching at a clinic, I always see a huge difference in a horse's way of going once I ask his rider to concentrate on their breathing.
Try getting into the habit of breathing deeply for a few minutes each day, either on or off your horse, and incorporate this into every warm-up session when you're schooling.
3. Build your core muscles Exercises to strengthen your core are separate to those that aid pelvic function, though they still will improve the stability in your pelvis.
4. Improve your balance Your ability to balance alters on a daily basis depend on the chemical levels of your brain.
You can 'tune up' your balance before you hop in the saddle.
A great tip before you go cross-country - catch a tennis ball, this will sharpen your brain and nervous system.
5. Moving your body riding can be quite intense, so you need to reach a level of fitness that means enough oxygen is getting to your brain to allow it to work under stress.
You shouldn't get out of breath when you ride, and if you do your horse will feel it.
Anything that makes you slightly out of breath is good, be it interval training, running or bike riding.
