14/ SEPTEMBER 2011 THE RIDER Fitness for Riders: Back Strength for Hunter/Jumpers
rider’s overall strength and bal- ance, and the previous several months of training in preparation for the competition. While at the competition site, the first priority is to stretch out those tight areas and to keep your muscles supple and soft.
When I am working with riders in different disciplines, I notice strain loads on their bodies which are reflective of the disci- pline. Back strain is something I see quite commonly in hunter/jumper riders.
Tightness issues do not usu- ally arise as a direct result of one day’s riding or competing. Actu- ally, they reveal a lot about the
Between competitions and rides, it is a good idea to build the ‘capacity’ of your back muscles so that the riding itself does not challenge the tissues and spine. Just as you train your horse to a slightly more advanced level than your actual competitive level, you need to train your body to a fit- ness level which allows it to easi- ly handle the demands of your ride.
If you experience back strain, it is time to take your between-ride conditioning more seriously. Riders that do not take conditioning seriously, suffer from back pains, shoulder strain,
Your collapsing may even drive him on the forehand and make him more at risk for injury over fences.) 3. Build muscle balance so that your muscle tissues keep you in correct posture, in a relaxed state.
4. Build enough muscle tissue to have the storage for muscle glycogen which provides energy throughout your ride, so that you have the stamina for your ride. When glycogen stores start running out, you are an much higher risk for injury as your body will not respond efficiently to the demands of the ride. Depending on jump height, your risk of injury can rise dramatically as your muscle fibres fatigue.
I found riders neglecting back and shoulder strength, assuming that riding was adequate for conditioning. In fact, the riding was straining, but not strengthening the back.
repetitive strain, bursitis and other acute strains and imbalances which have a direct and negative impact on performance.
The goals with a back strengthening program for a hunter/jumper rider are:
1. avoid or minimize strain 2. minimize the amount of com- pensation your horse has to make, which leads to strain in his body (your body ‘collapsing’ on the horse, makes the horse have to compensate and work harder.
A weak back and shoulder area leaves a rider relying on hands to ‘hold’ the horse, and unable to maintain self- carriage while standing in the stirrups or with raised arms. Two exercises you can use to help strengthen your back and shoulders are back extensions and the row. To start out, perform 6-10 repetitions daily to build muscle memory and a base of support in your spine stabilizing muscles. When one set of 10 is easy to do, you can progress to 2-3 sets, every other day to start building more strength.
Do not do these exercises just before you ride. Strength training for riders is better done after your ride because you do not want to exhaust your postural stabiliz- ing muscles prior to riding. You need them for the ride. Training after your ride helps you get more benefit of endurance and stamina training out of fewer exer- cises because your body is already slightly tired from the ride.
Back Extension Back Exten- sion: Lie over an exercise ball or hay bale, and raise and lower your head and shoul- ders. It is easier you’re your hands at your ears like a situp, and adds dif- ficulty if you reach your arms out in front of you. This
exercise can be done without any help, but if you can hook your feet under something, or brace them on a wall, you will be able to increase your range of motion. Anoth- er variation which works your middle back is to perform the back extension with your arms out like an airplane.
Row
This exercise can be performed in a bent over posi- tion with dumbbells, at a weight machine with a cable pull, or using an exercise band around a pole or post. Notice how the shoulder blades squeeze together. As a rider, it can be very useful to do the rowing exercise in upright posture with your legs at approximately ‘horse width’. Doing the exercise in a similar position to your riding position helps your body create the stable core you need while riding, at the same time.
The goal is to work the rhomboids which are between the shoulder blades, not to pull the arms back using the biceps. A common mistake is to use the biceps. It can be helpful to imagine bringing your elbows past your back, and then pinching them together. The most common weakness I see is weak rhomboids. Strong rhomboids help maintain nice riding posture with light hands, whether your horse is a puller or not. Strong rhomboids balance your upper body musculature, pre- venting your chest area muscles from pulling you for- ward. When your muscles are balanced physically, you can ride with more relaxed, softer muscle tissue while maintaining correct position.
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By Heather Sansom,
Equifitt.com Equestrian Fitness – Balanced Training for Better Riding. Equifitt specializes in helping riders achieve clearer aids and better posture, for better riding in any discipline.
Heather is a certified personal trainer, and Level 1 Certified Centered Riding Instructor. Equifitt offers a FREE monthly rider fitness tips newsletter you can sign up for at
www.equifitt.com . Equifitt services include clinics and workshops, individual coaching (mounted and unmounted). Equifitt also offers online coaching virtually anywhere you have internet and phone access. Get a video/photo analysis of your riding and a personalized conditioning plan through online coaching options, any- where.
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