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Exercise for the Equestrian

By Rani Yovetich

I am writing this for my fellow equestrians that no matter how hard you try, just can't quite get your seat under you, keep your toes turned in, heels down, shoulders relaxed down and back, all while trying to focus on the mission at hand. Through weight training and stretching, I managed to train my body to comfortably stay in the proper position, allowing me to focus on dressage, or just enjoy the countryside around me, without the busy voices in my head reminding me to hold my body in the proper riding position.

Did you know that riding in proper form works every muscle in your body? Those of us that climb up after winter lay-off and place our legs in proper form will usually experience instantaneous gluteus medius cramping. To avoid this not-so-pleasant experience, strength training of the hips and inner-thighs in rider-form is needed. My favorite for this is the abductor/adductor machine at the gym. Not only do you isolate a problem area, but you gain flexibility if you set the machine up for a slight stretch. Sit up straight and place the inside of the knee against the pad. Rotate your legs slightly from the hip, so that your knees are turned in at an angle. Relax your leg below the knees. Do 1 set of 25-50 reps. Keep the reps slow and controlled, no swinging your legs wide and letting the weights clank. For a second set, or if you would like to do heavier weights, please use normal form with your knees facing straight up. I have had numerous clients that sit in the chair, put their legs up and are ready to do their set, but their knees are actually angled out. This is not an option!

Remember to keep your legs rotated at the hip joint slightly inward for rider-form. Trust me, you won't be walking pigeon toed, but when you sit in the saddle, you will be able to comfortably hold a dollar bill between your knees and the saddle without hip and butt cramps, or unnecessary squeezing.

Now for the, "keep your toes in, heels down," section. Be sure to stretch and strengthen your calves by standing on a stair, holding onto the railing, then lowering your heels down to feel the stretch, hold for 30 seconds to a minute. Raise back up onto your tip-toes, keeping the weight evenly distributed, but focus on your big toe. Weak ankles will roll, causing you to feel the weight on the outside of your foot, near your little toe. Do two sets of 25 reps or one set of 50 reps of calf raises (feet level with the stair, then up on tiptoes, repeat). I usually do one set with my toes in and one set with my toes straight. Lower your heels again to feel the stretch. Relax all your weight into your heels. Hold for one to three minutes. If your calves are tight, it is hard to relax them down, so keep them flexible!

Next, it's time to exercise the upper body with pullups and pushups, as they force your upper torso into perfect riding form. If you do not have a gym membership, find a bar or beam that you can grab on to and pull yourself up. If you are not quite strong enough to pull your full bodyweight, place a chair or stool under your feet as slight leverage. Make sure you are focusing on using your back muscles to pull your body up, not just your arms.

Push-ups work your entire upper body. You can vary the focus of muscle recruitment by the placement of your hands. Lie on your stomach, place the palms of your hands directly under your shoulders, then slide them out to the point where your elbow is at a 90 degree angle. This position will use more chest muscles. For your triceps, keep your palms directly under your shoulders and keep your elbows pointed back towards your feet as you perform the exercise. For more back and shoulder recruitment, start in the up-position with your glutes in the air and slide your hands front for a slight stretch, then roll front as you lower your body, skimming your nose across the floor as you go.

As for your shoulders, we definitely want to work the back of them, as those muscles are often neglected. Because they require lighter weights, I incorporate balancing with them. Grab light dumbbells, I suggest 3 pounds until you know just how strong they are and build your balance. Soup cans work well, also. Begin in a T position. Your standing leg should be straight, but the knee should not be locked in hyperextension, it should be slightly bent. Bending at the hip (not the waist) keep you body straight and come down until your upper body is parallel to the floor. Now raise your other leg until it is parallel as well. You are now in a T pose, as your body should resemble a T. Put your hands out to the side with your thumbs facing the ceiling, little fingers facing the floor. After you have that mastered, try it with your hands straight out in front of you, elbows next to your ears. Hold these for up to 30 seconds on each leg. For a little more resistance, grab the dumbbells and do reverse flys while in T pose. Begin with the dumbbells down, hands facing each other as though you are about to clap. Then raise your arm to parallel to the floor, your palms facing down, then back again. Work on completing 15-20 reps on each foot.

Strong lower abdominals are a necessity for horseback riding. Lie on you back and pull your knees into your chest. As you press your low back into the floor, notice how it feels. You may place your fingertips at your sides, to confirm that there is no space between your back and the floor. Now, slowly lower your legs, keeping the knees bent. Stop as soon as you feel your back begin to arch off the floor. Your toes should be able to touch the floor. If your back arches prematurely, try keeping one knee bent with the foot flat on the floor, and bring just one leg up and down. You can either do 15-20 reps on the one side before switching, or you can alternate with each rep. It is up to you. These are great performed on the edge of a bed.

Your lower back is very important for that prim and proper look. Back hyperextensions are excellent for this. If your gym has a glute ham machine, make good use of it, again up to 50 reps. If not, a therapy ball or bed will work. Lie on the side of the bed with your hip bones just on the edge. It is best to have someone sitting your legs, so as not fall off, or if you can hook your toes onto something for stability, that is great. Relax your body over the edge of the bed and come back up to where your body is parallel to the floor and you are looking down at it. I like using my therapy ball and hooking my heels under the banister to hold me in place. Whatever you use, make sure your bending at the hips and not at the waist.

Balance is extremely important for the serious horseback rider and can be improved by standing on one foot on uneven ground. Focus your weight on the front of the foot, the back, then each side, holding each position for one minute, then switch legs. Therapy balls and bozus are great pieces of equipment for improving balance, but that is a whole other article.

If you are one of the lucky ones that have access to an indoor arena, practice yoga on horseback. As a child, my father would never let me advance to the next gait until I mastered my exercises at the current one. Was this an early form of yoga on horseback? You bet!! Please make sure that you have a partner to hold your horse until you both become comfortable in the poses. This is a new feeling for the horse, too! The poses should eventually be performed with your eyes closed, forcing you to feel the horse and become one body of motion.

In my experience, low rep strength training is not the most beneficial and can actually hinder your form. Professional riders have confirmed this belief. If you would like to build strength with the lower reps, do so at the beginning of winter, then change to endurance training about six to eight weeks before your regular riding schedule begins. Have fun and please, be patient. It takes work for those of us that were not born with a "natural seat" and perfect balance. RIDE ON FELLOW EQUESTRIANS!

About the Author:

Rani Yovetich is a personal trainer, certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She had her own health and fitness column in a local newspaper and her work has been published in Next Step Magazine. She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached via