SEPTEMBER 2020 THE RIDER /43 Fitness for Riders:


Whole Body Endurance & Coordination


By Dr. Heather Sansom


h a v e p r o -


gressed to ‘week 5’ of my Killer Core Workout for Riders workout plan (downloadable as an ebook pdf from my website, or can be pur- chased on Amazon as an ebook or printed book). The week five workout starts to com- bine elements mastered in the previous four weeks and push your limits of endurance and co-ordination. Do not jump to Week 5 if you have not first tested yourself for correct tech- nique and stamina on the exercises previously introduced. The exercises presented in this month’s Equifitt fitness tip are demanding, so feel free to modify them according to your need, or just to use them to inspire you to keep working your way toward them. Since core training is at the foundation


of stability and functional movement for riders, core strength is at the foundation of my ‘rider fitness training scale’ (originally published in one of my columns for Dressage Today- you can read it here.) When you think about it, all of a rider’s limb control is anchored in your torso, or your core. The ‘Killer Core Workout’ first published over a decade ago takes you through logical training progressions that correct imbal- ance, and train the neuro-muscular activation patterns needed to protect your spine as you move through increas- ingly difficult workouts. The workout is based on leading spinal health exercise science, as well as my own experi- ence training riders and clients with back injuries or pain. I have since used the knowledge I gained about functional training and integrated core work, in all my other books and workout programs. Training your core on the ground with movements that push you, frees you to ride with more subtlety and less conscious effort in moments when you are most challenged. Did you know that core strength even improves tasks you think of as more passive…like sitting the trot when you aren’t asking anything specific from your horse? While it can be a ‘killer’ workout for a very fit rider,


you can pace yourself. Many readers and clients take more than one ‘week’ per workout stage, depending on how suc- cessfully that particular workout has helped them identify their weak area or asymmetrical pattern. Always go at the pace of your ‘weakest link’ when you are train- ing. Just as with riding, you never want to bully part of your body into doing something it is not ready for, with another part that may not be challenged by the modification you need. A key benefit of ground train- ing is taking the time to slow down- time that you cannot take when you are on a moving horse. A rule of thumb in athletic strength conditioning is to train to approximately 20-30% greater capacity than you might need in the actual moment of performance, so that you have reserves, reduce risk of injury, and can still do what you need to do when other factors are at play, such as a long day, stress, dehydration- or a long ride. If you haven’t been following the newsletters or the Killer Core workout program and this month’s


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exercises challenge you, let them inspire you to go to the basics of core training to improve your ride. The featured exercises this month are the ball pike,


This month we and side-walking plank. Ball Pike Side-Walking Plank


sition (torso aligned with the ground: avoid twisting or leaning as much as possible). Reach a leg the side (widen- ing the distance be- tween your legs), then cross your arm over (in the direction of travel), widen your arms, cross your legs…and re- peat in the direction of travel. Repeat until you need to rest. Rest, then re- sume. You want to work your way up to accomplishing at least 20 repetitions, even if you cannot do them all in a row at once.


Safe and Happy Training!


© Heather R. San- som, PhD. www.equifitt.com


Side-Walking Plank This is a fun plank variation. Start


in a good plank position with your abdom- inals engaged and lower back slightly raised. Then, ‘crawl’ sideways along a line while keeping your spine neutral plank po-


Ball Pike Roll out on the ball as if you were going to do a


plank with feet on ball, but only roll out until the ball is under your shins, just below the knee. Lift your seat in the air using your back muscles, and pull the ball in towards you with your lower abdominals. Keep your knees bent for the starter version, or straighten your legs for a more advanced version. You can modify the exercise according to what you


have available, such as doing it from a plank position with your feet on something that slides on your floor. Another modification could include resting on your elbows on a higher surface such as a couch to reduce the load to your shoulders and wrists, while still engaging your core in the same way. Repeat until you are tired or wobbly in some part


of your body, rest, and do a second set.


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