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Fit To Ride by Sylvie Quenneville |
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As we are all pressed for time, we don’t always find occasions for a complete workout. Our daily responsibilities and, of course, the hours spent at the barn leave us with very little time for any additional activities. Your fitness and overall health shouldn’t be put on hold until you find time for them. Sometimes only a few exercises here and there can make a huge impact on your riding fitness and on your general strength. With this in mind, we occasionally need exercises that target a few muscle groups all at once. The following exercise is a must for any riders wanting a quick fix for three very important muscle groups, especially the abdominal muscles. This is a three-in-one exercise that you should find time to include in your fitness routine. The following exercise will mostly strengthen your abdominals and will also engage your inner thighs (adductors) and hip flexors, three very important muscle groups for any rider. How important is developing strong abdominal muscles to your overall fitness and to you as an equestrian-athlete? Your abdominals are engaged in nearly every movement you make. They enable you to flex forward at the waist, to twist at the waist, to stabilize your trunk, to use your arms and legs independently and to freely coordinate movements. They also help stabilize your pelvis, which enables you to maintain good posture.
Abdominals and other muscles of the trunk and torso stabilize the spine from the pelvis to the neck and shoulders. They allow the transfer of powerful movements of the arms and legs. All powerful movements originate from the center of the body out, and never from the limbs alone. Before any powerful, rapid muscle contractions can occur in the limbs, the spine must be solid and stable and the more stable the core, the more powerfully the extremities can contract. Benefits Beyond The Saddle Training these muscles also corrects postural imbalances that can lead to injuries. The biggest benefit of core training is to develop functional fitness—that is, fitness that is essential to both daily living and regular activities. Weak abdominal muscles can contribute to poor balance and agility and to the development of chronic lower back problems. This exercise will also solicit your adductor (inner thighs) muscles. They are always engaged from the moment you saddle up, especially when your instructor requests you to drop the stirrups and rise in a two-point position. In the forward seat, your adductors are used in cueing and collecting your horse, forming the primary basis for support. Regardless of your riding style and degree of fitness you will need to strengthen your adductors in order to physically improve as a rider. The hip flexors are the third important area for the equestrian athlete and this exercise will strengthen them too. These muscles enable you to flex your leg at the hip, which allows you to walk, run and lift your leg into a stirrup. If they are weak, they will fatigue rapidly after a few minutes of half-seat or two-point position and will make your posting trot much harder than it normally should be. Lie on your back with a stability ball (basketball/volleyball, etc., can work as well) centered between your knees with your hips and knees at 90-degree angles. Squeeze the ball between your knees as hard as you can. Gently place your hands behind your neck without putting pressure on your neck. Slightly tuck your chin in and lift your upper body toward the sky, until your shoulder blades are off the floor. Do 15 consecutive repetitions without fully lowering your back (shoulder blades) to the floor. It should be a quick upward movement while keeping your abdominals tight and contracted. Increase to two or three sets after a few weeks. Note: If you feel any pain or discomfort in your back or neck, please discontinue this exercise and consult a physician.
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