14/ DECEMBER 2022 THE RIDER Rider Fitness: Micro Moments for Macro Effect


time in the day to invest in your fitness.


In recent newsletters we


talked about a more inten- sive cardio-vascular and en- durance training schedule. Sparked by the needs of


By Heather Sansom. Here in Canada, riders are in


the full ‘fall’ mode: squeezing in seasonal work and riding before the snow flies. What rider hiber- nation looks like in the winter often involves less riding and more preparation or auxiliary training. Riders start to plan their strategy for spring readiness. Of course, many just feel plain flat- out busy trying to ride as much as possible before we go to daylight savings, and it’s dark at 4pm.


Wherever you are, this edi-


tion’s tip is for those of you look- ing to make the most out of what may feel like just not enough


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clients recently, I need to bust some myths here. Many riders, influenced by the mainstream fit- ness industry, come to think that it’s not worth doing if all you have is once a week, or less than a good 45 minutes to 2hrs to work out. I’ll agree that certain levels of training do require a commitment- otherwise I’d have to ignore basic exercise science. However, for those riders who don’t have one hour, six days of the week for workout time, rest assured that little moments can ‘fitness hack’ your lifestyle to still help your riding. You can make an impact on your fitness in the saddle by being intentional


about little blocks of time. So, what kind of intention do you need?


Let’s start by remembering


that it’s more important for your body to be tuned and effective in the saddle, than it is for you to be powerfully strong unless you en- gage in rodeo cattle sport. Ath- leticism for riders (of all shapes and sizes) is about the biome- chanics and ergonomics of har- monizing with and enhancing your horse’s going, not pushing or overpowering your horse. The first step is to get out of your horse’s way. The next is to en- hance what you are doing with him. These two steps capture the essence of the ‘rider fitness train- ing scale’ I’ve been using for years: flexibility, core strength and alignment, cardiovascular ca- pacity, and strength are the gen- eral order. The intensity or specificity of your fitness train- ing focus will vary depending on


your riding discipline, age, gen- der, and other characteristics. You can see a simplified map of the relationship in the table below:


Fitness Needs for 1. Getting out of your horse’s way


Fitness Needs for 2. Enhancing his way of going


you can even pare it down to one main goal such as improving your flexibility, or boosting your cardiovascular stamina. Next,


Mobile joints, balance, body aware- ness, self-carriage


Neuro-muscular responsiveness, en- durance (cardio-vascular capacity and muscle tone), applying aid accuracy and appropriate intensity with good timing


I know, it looks like a lot


and I promised ‘micro moments’ in this edition of the newsletter. After you decide on your main intention for the next week or other period of time (are you blocking your horse these days? or, not keeping up with him? or, missing it a little with timeliness and authority of your aids?), pick activities most likely to support the skills needed. If you need to,


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identify exercises or activities you can do for 1, 5, or 10 minutes wearing regular street or work clothes, and 1, 5, or 10 minutes wearing equestrian or general fit- ness apparel. And yes, even though the general rule of thumb is to do cardiovascular exercise for at least 20 minutes for all its benefits, it is still beneficial in short bursts such as walking fur- ther and faster from car to work, or picking up the pace of yard/garden/house work. If your riding ‘is your car-


dio’, then you really need to be doing something else to get your heart rate up between rides, so that your horse isn’t managing the outcomes of your oxygen processing mismatched with the riding requirements (e.g. impre- cise leg and weight aids that throw him off or put uneven loading on his back). Also con-


sider more frequent rest and breath recovery when riding. Grabbing micro-moments to


throw in an exercise that con- tributes to your fitness improve- ment intention is like wearing a step-counter: you look for those little add-ons because you see that they accumulate, rather than discounting them because they’re ‘not a serious workout’. As a bonus, taking your micro mo- ments and remembering your rid- ing intentions while taking them helps you with self-care that’s good for mental wellbeing. It re- minds you of your passions and motivations. It’s also a lifestyle move for more self-compassion, instead of shame and guilt for ‘not being able to workout like I should’. Safe and Happy Training …


and Many MicroMoments of Body Joy! © Heather R. Sansom, PhD. www.equifitt.com


Personal Trainer, Riding Coach, Therapist Fitness, biomechanics and riding instruction. Personalized Coaching Available online Check out the leading 9 week rider fitness plan book (complete with anatomy illustrations)- available in print or as a down- l


o a d ! www.equifitt.com/fit2ride/ :


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