Welcome to my new weekly post about fitness and workouts to improve your strength and performance at home and at competitions! If you have any favorite techniques or special workouts that you love to use, send them to [email protected], with “Fitness” in the subject bar.
This chick's got lots of endorphins
You know how sometimes you drag yourself to the gym, only to come out feeling happier than you’ve felt in days? That’s the magic of working out: It prompts your brain to release those feel-good neurotransmitters, serotonin and endorphins. Not only does this workout help with your riding fitness, but it keeps you feeling happy and optimistic all day. Sometimes, especially with the roller coaster of emotions that accompany horses, you need that happy feeling to keep you going. This workout does involve a medicine ball, but you can easily substitute your horse’s Jolly Ball instead.
Speed Ball
Begin standing with a medicine ball or rubber playground ball in front of you. Bend down and touch the ball with your right hand while reaching your right leg behind your left leg (your left knee will bend). Roll the ball to your left hand. Begin rolling the ball back toward your right hand as you transfer weight to your right foot and reach your left leg behind your right leg. Continue alternating back and forth at a fast pace for 30 seconds.
Figure Eights
Begin standing with feet hip-distance apart, holding a 4- to 6-pound medicine ball in both hands. Lower into a squat position, and weave ball behind and around left leg. Return to standing, and lift your left leg out to the side to hip height while raising the ball overhead. Return to starting position, and repeat on the right side; that’s 1 rep. Do 10 reps.
On The Tack Trunk Plank
For this one, you’re supposed to use a giant “stability ball”, but I find that your handy tack trunk works just fine. Place your shins and tops of your feet on a trunk with your hands on the ground in plank position, just like we learned last week. Engage your core, squeeze your butt muscles, and hold for 1 minute.
Bicep Curl With Alternating Lunge
Stand with knees slightly bent, holding a 5- to 8-pound weight (or grab some extra horse shoes) in each hand, palms forward. Step forward with your right leg, and lower into lunge position (don’t let front knee go past toes). At the same time, tighten left bicep and curl left hand toward chest. Return to starting position, then repeat on the other side; that’s 1 rep. Do 15 reps.
At the end, don’t forget to return your horse his Jolly Ball, and enjoy your endorphins! Here’s some more ball exercises, in Pilates for the Equestrian by Kerrits.
–
