Why do this?
Rowing increases flexibility and range of motion in your shoulders. It definitely helps support the shoulder’s rotator cuff. It opens up the front and back of the chest wall. Breathing and lung capacity will likely increase. The Rowing motion will give you the feeling of independent riding aids because your shoulder, arms and elbows will be doing one thing while your hips, legs and ankles will be doing something else
What this does for me:
This Rowing motion definitely encourages rhythmic, loose, balanced and simultaneous movement in all parts of my body. The more I’m able to melt all my body parts together while maintaining their respective positions in the one smooth, liquid rowing motion, the more I’ll eventually be able to melt my body into my horse’s. Maybe for a few seconds in the distant future, my riding will look effortless, connected and completely fluid.
Use a resistance band or sport cord to do this exercise, not a typical rowing machine found in a gym. Tie the band/cord in a knot in the center, close the knot into a closed door. Pull on band/cord so it doesn’t snap you in the face and then adjust it so it’s at the right height for you
Sit on an armless chair or stool in front of a closed door holding a resistance band/sport cord at rein height in both hands with bent elbows.
Breathe - inhale through your breastbone and exhale through the bottom of your shoulders.
Breathe into the bottom of your heels in order to keep your sitting position stable while doing this movement.
Encourage a neutral, not arched spine.
Lock your pelvis by pulling your belly button towards your spine.
Keep your head and neck over your spine in one plane, not flexed or curved forward with your chin sticking out.
Visualize your shoulder blades moving downward throughout the entire rowing motion.
Keep your chest open so your shoulder blades move back towards the spine, not rolling forward.
Go for quality of motion, not quantity.
Pull and release the “oars” of the resistance band/sport cord from your shoulder blades in a smooth, continuous motion as if you were rowing a boat.
Have your elbows move back while making sure the fronts of your shoulders do not fall forward.
Visualize a controlled squeezing together and a controlled opening of the bottom of your shoulder blades on the pulling and releasing motions.
The pulling motion is equal to the releasing motion.
The motion is smooth and continuous, not jerking.
Head and neck must be stable, not bending or curving forward or backward in either pulling or releasing motion.
Keep pulling your belly button towards your spine in both the pulling and releasing motion of the “oars.”
Begin with 5 – 10 repetitions.
Once you can do 20 repetitions while maintaining your locked pelvis, your head and neck over your spine and your shoulder blades pulling and releasing smoothly, work up to 3 sets of 20 repetitions.
Friday, December 8, 2006
Band/Cord Pull
Why do this?
Unlocks, contracts and flexes the shoulder blades. Helps to open the chest and release tension in the upper spine. Very good for improving position in the saddle.
What it does for me:
This is one of those light bulb images for me. By moving my shoulder blades down and together, just what this stretch encourages, my chest automatically opens up and out. Now, I rely more on my upper and lower spine for balance and less on my hands and horse’s neck.
This stretch requires “Theraband” or sport cord.
Breathe - inhale through your breastbone and exhale through the bottom of your shoulders.
Encourage a neutral, not arched, spine.
Lock your pelvis by pulling your belly button towards your spine.
Go for symmetrical range of motion.
Go for quality of movement, not quantity.
Sit at a table with your elbows on the table.
Hold the cord in both hands, hands about 1 foot apart, so there is no slack in the cord.
Keeping your elbows on the table, pull cord apart to about 90 degrees.
Your shoulder blades will naturally move downward and together. That's what you want.
Make sure your elbows stay in front the respective lines of your upper arms on each side.
Hold for 5 seconds.
Come back to the starting position.
Repeat.
Begin with 10 – 20 repetitions.
Work up to 3 sets of 20 repetitions with a 30 – 60 second rest in between each set.
Unlocks, contracts and flexes the shoulder blades. Helps to open the chest and release tension in the upper spine. Very good for improving position in the saddle.
What it does for me:
This is one of those light bulb images for me. By moving my shoulder blades down and together, just what this stretch encourages, my chest automatically opens up and out. Now, I rely more on my upper and lower spine for balance and less on my hands and horse’s neck.
This stretch requires “Theraband” or sport cord.
Breathe - inhale through your breastbone and exhale through the bottom of your shoulders.
Encourage a neutral, not arched, spine.
Lock your pelvis by pulling your belly button towards your spine.
Go for symmetrical range of motion.
Go for quality of movement, not quantity.
Sit at a table with your elbows on the table.
Hold the cord in both hands, hands about 1 foot apart, so there is no slack in the cord.
Keeping your elbows on the table, pull cord apart to about 90 degrees.
Your shoulder blades will naturally move downward and together. That's what you want.
Make sure your elbows stay in front the respective lines of your upper arms on each side.
Hold for 5 seconds.
Come back to the starting position.
Repeat.
Begin with 10 – 20 repetitions.
Work up to 3 sets of 20 repetitions with a 30 – 60 second rest in between each set.
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Hand Stretches
Why do these?
Releases tension in the elbow muscles and hands. Soft elbows and hands translate to a soft mouth, jaw, neck and head in your horse.
What hand stretches do for me:
The joints in my hands are very tight for a variety of reasons such as broken and shattered fingers, arthritis, over gripping and fiddling with the reins, etc. This series of hand stretches definitely unlock and release the muscles and joints in my hands and, as a result, my elbow muscles are beginning to open up as well. I have a very long way to go here but I can tell you that my horse loves even the slightest softening of my elbows and hands. The softer my elbows and hands, the more gorgeous his frame, no matter what we are doing.
Prayer Stretch
Sitting or standing,
Bring palms of your hands together, elbows parallel and in the same plane as your hands, without raising your shoulders.
Hold for 15 – 20 seconds.
Flip your palms over so the back of your hands are together making sure your elbows remain in the same plane with your hands and that your shoulders are down.
Hold for 15 – 20 seconds
With your arms in front of you and your elbows straight, flex one palm up as if stopping traffic and use the opposite hand to hold and stretch the fingertips up and back.
Hold for 15 – 20 seconds.
Now, in the same position with your arms and elbows straight in front of you, hold that same palm down by using the opposite hand to hold and stretch the straight fingertips down.
Hold for 15 – 20 seconds.
Switch to the other arm and stretch that palm up and then down for 15 – 20 seconds in each direction by using the now stretched, respectively opposite hand.
Bye Bye Stretches
For this and the following stretches, keep your elbows bent at your sides in riding position.
1. With your knuckles bent and your fingers together and straight, wave bye bye 10 – 20
times with each hand. The motion occurs at the knuckles.
2. With your knuckles and finger tip joints straight and your fingers together, wave bye bye bringing your fingers down to the base of your palm 10 – 20 times with each hand.
3. With your knuckles straight and fingers straight and together, wave bye bye curling
your finger tips down to the top pads of your palm without bending your knuckles 10 – 20
times with each hand.
4. With your fist closed, open your hand, straighten and spread apart your fingers. Open
and close 10 – 20 times with each hand.
Hand Rolls
Other ways to loosen up your elbows and hands include rolling around a tennis or racquetball in your hands, rolling around putty and rolling around wet sand or warmed beans in a bowl. Widen and stretch your hands and fingers as much as you can while doing any of these rolls in order to get as much extension as possible in these muscles and joints.
Releases tension in the elbow muscles and hands. Soft elbows and hands translate to a soft mouth, jaw, neck and head in your horse.
What hand stretches do for me:
The joints in my hands are very tight for a variety of reasons such as broken and shattered fingers, arthritis, over gripping and fiddling with the reins, etc. This series of hand stretches definitely unlock and release the muscles and joints in my hands and, as a result, my elbow muscles are beginning to open up as well. I have a very long way to go here but I can tell you that my horse loves even the slightest softening of my elbows and hands. The softer my elbows and hands, the more gorgeous his frame, no matter what we are doing.
Prayer Stretch
Sitting or standing,
Bring palms of your hands together, elbows parallel and in the same plane as your hands, without raising your shoulders.
Hold for 15 – 20 seconds.
Flip your palms over so the back of your hands are together making sure your elbows remain in the same plane with your hands and that your shoulders are down.
Hold for 15 – 20 seconds
With your arms in front of you and your elbows straight, flex one palm up as if stopping traffic and use the opposite hand to hold and stretch the fingertips up and back.
Hold for 15 – 20 seconds.
Now, in the same position with your arms and elbows straight in front of you, hold that same palm down by using the opposite hand to hold and stretch the straight fingertips down.
Hold for 15 – 20 seconds.
Switch to the other arm and stretch that palm up and then down for 15 – 20 seconds in each direction by using the now stretched, respectively opposite hand.
Bye Bye Stretches
For this and the following stretches, keep your elbows bent at your sides in riding position.
1. With your knuckles bent and your fingers together and straight, wave bye bye 10 – 20
times with each hand. The motion occurs at the knuckles.
2. With your knuckles and finger tip joints straight and your fingers together, wave bye bye bringing your fingers down to the base of your palm 10 – 20 times with each hand.
3. With your knuckles straight and fingers straight and together, wave bye bye curling
your finger tips down to the top pads of your palm without bending your knuckles 10 – 20
times with each hand.
4. With your fist closed, open your hand, straighten and spread apart your fingers. Open
and close 10 – 20 times with each hand.
Hand Rolls
Other ways to loosen up your elbows and hands include rolling around a tennis or racquetball in your hands, rolling around putty and rolling around wet sand or warmed beans in a bowl. Widen and stretch your hands and fingers as much as you can while doing any of these rolls in order to get as much extension as possible in these muscles and joints.
Fingertip Walk
Why do this?
Movement increases the flexibility in the shoulder blades and releases tension and tightness throughout the upper back and neck. This motion immediately identifies how shoulders move up, down, forward and back.
What it does for me:
I find that when my shoulder blades are working freely in all directions, my elbows have a chance to work freely in all directions while riding. When my shoulders are stiff as boards, my elbows are like steel. This movement definitely helps unlock my shoulders. Maybe someday, if my shoulder blades ever become fluid, my elbows may become soft.
Kneeling down onto the backs of your legs and feet, arms and hands extending straight out on the floor,
Breathe - inhale through your breastbone and exhale through the bottom of your shoulders.
Lock your pelvis by pulling your belly button towards your spine.
Go for symmetrical range of motion.
With straight elbows and arms (your neck and head in the same plane), form an upside down V from the top of your head out to your hands.
Stretch out your fingertips so the fingers can move like a spider on the floor.
Gently press your fingertips into the floor and walk them over to one side as far as possible while keeping your elbows straight and your shoulder blades down.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
Still keeping your fingertips gently pressed into the floor, walk them over to the other side as far as possible while keeping your elbows straight and your shoulder blades down.
Your shoulder blades will come down and back as you press into the floor.
Repeat this motion, particularly on your tighter side, a few times without tiring your arms.
Stay within the range of motion of your less flexible shoulder/side so that each shoulder works at the same level as the other one.
Movement increases the flexibility in the shoulder blades and releases tension and tightness throughout the upper back and neck. This motion immediately identifies how shoulders move up, down, forward and back.
What it does for me:
I find that when my shoulder blades are working freely in all directions, my elbows have a chance to work freely in all directions while riding. When my shoulders are stiff as boards, my elbows are like steel. This movement definitely helps unlock my shoulders. Maybe someday, if my shoulder blades ever become fluid, my elbows may become soft.
Kneeling down onto the backs of your legs and feet, arms and hands extending straight out on the floor,
Breathe - inhale through your breastbone and exhale through the bottom of your shoulders.
Lock your pelvis by pulling your belly button towards your spine.
Go for symmetrical range of motion.
With straight elbows and arms (your neck and head in the same plane), form an upside down V from the top of your head out to your hands.
Stretch out your fingertips so the fingers can move like a spider on the floor.
Gently press your fingertips into the floor and walk them over to one side as far as possible while keeping your elbows straight and your shoulder blades down.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
Still keeping your fingertips gently pressed into the floor, walk them over to the other side as far as possible while keeping your elbows straight and your shoulder blades down.
Your shoulder blades will come down and back as you press into the floor.
Repeat this motion, particularly on your tighter side, a few times without tiring your arms.
Stay within the range of motion of your less flexible shoulder/side so that each shoulder works at the same level as the other one.
Monday, December 4, 2006
Movement Principles
The essence of Hassle Free Exercises for Riders is body movement for people who ride horses. Physical mobility. How your body parts move right now and how to get that mobility to become more efficient and effective with your horse.
First, we center on specific parts of your body. We begin with the body's core - the pelvis, hips, abdominals, obliques, back muscles and spine. From there, we go to the lower body - the hips, legs, feet. Lastly, we include the upper body - the shoulders, neck, arms, hands.
No matter where your particular body focus, your spine, from top to bottom, is connected and involved with all parts of your body, from your skull to your toes. And your spine, from top to bottom, is connected and involved with your horse's spine, from top to bottom, and all parts of his body. (Refresh your memory and re-read the Spine to Spine Connection.)
By doing these exercises on a consistent basis, you will enhance the movement of your body parts. Your mobility will improve. You will increase your balance, stability, strength, endurance and, most importantly, you will increase your awareness of your own body.
I think you will be impressed by the impact these exercises have on your riding. Your body parts will be more available to you. You will be able to put those body parts together and therefore coordinate, initiate and adapt those movements on your horse faster. And you may be able to ease and/or erase whatever pain you might have by "self correcting" your body alignment both before and after you ride.
As you may have guessed by reading and doing the core and lower body exercises already posted, these exercises are based upon specific movement principles. They are...
1. Make sure your spine is evenly balanced.
First and foremost, people need evenly balanced, stabilized spines to move efficiently and without pain. Infants spend months lying flat on their backs to develop and strengthen their spines before they can roll over, sit, crawl and walk. We need to develop and strengthen our spines by lying flat on our backs as well. Only when lying flat on our backs can we find and adjust evenness and balance in our spines. Only when lying flat on our backs can our spines learn the beginnings of stability. And only when lying flat on our backs can we begin to develop strength in our spines. Once we learn to evenly balance, stabilize and strengthen our spines while lying flat on our backs on the floor, then we can balance, stabilize and strengthen while sitting, then standing and then riding.
Give your spine a chance - start by lying flat on your back on an even, level surface (floor, carpet, mat). Bend your knees and put both feet flat on the floor. Make your hands into fists with your thumbs pointing up as though you were hitch hiking. Put the little fingers of your closed fists on the bony tips of your hipbones. You want to "feel" that the bony tips of your hipbones are pointing out straight like headlights through your fists. You also want your hipbones to feel level and even with each other. If your thumbs point up straight and evenly, great.
If not, slowly and subtly guide your hipbones into a straight, headlights out, level position while keeping the little fingers of your closed fists on the bony tips of your hipbones. Once striaght and even, stay there for a minute or two with your fists on your hipbones and thumbs pointing up. Let that feeling of evenness become conscious.
You want to be able to come back to this feeling again and again. You want to know this straight, level feeling in your hipbones like you know your name, like you know how to tie your shoes. This straight, even, level place in between the bony tips of your hipbones is where your pelvis lives. Know that if your pelvis is straight up and down and level side to side, like a "+" sign, your spine is better able to be balanced and level. Remember, the direction of your thumbs indicates the alignment of your pelvis.
Still lying on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor with the back of your fists on the bony tips of your hipbones, line up your shoulders so they are level with your hipbones. Weight the bony tips of your shoulder blades equally into the floor. Ask someone to see if your shoulders and hips are lined up level with each other the first couple of times you do this. If they are level with each other, great. Get to know this straight, level feeling of having your shoulder blades and hipbones in the same plane. If not, slowly and subtly guide your shoulder blades into a stright, level position with your hipbones. Once in that plane, stay there for a minute or two. again, yuou want to know this feeling, this position of shoulder blade and hipbone alignment like you know your name. You want to be able to adjust your body into this alignment in a blink of an eye.
2. When stabilizing, pull your belly button towards your spine to lock your pelvis.
Repeat what you just did (lying on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor) to make sure your spine is evenly balanced and that your hipbones are aligned with you shoulder blades. Now, pull your belly button towards your spine. Encourage a flat back. not an arched one. Pulling your belly button towards your spine locks your pelvis and low back. That's what you want. A locked pelvis keeps your spine stable.
3. When moving, go for a symmetrical range of motion on both sides of your body.
If one side of your body is stronger than the other side, or if one leg can be lifted higher than the other, stay inside the range of motion of the weaker or lower leg on both sides of the movement. Your stronger leg will "teach" the weaker leg how to move. You weaker leg will "learn" to become more flexible and elastic from the stronger one. Your specific body parts will do this all by themselves.
All you have to do is focus on evenness and balance. You don't have to do anything else. You don't have to force anything. You don't have to try harder on one side or the other. Before you know it, your weaker leg will become just as flexible and efficient in its movement as your stronger leg. When both legs have the same range of motion, go on to increase that range in both legs simultaneously, always allowing the weaker leg to learn from the stronger leg. Pretty soon, you won't have a weaker leg or a weaker side. Pretty soon, both legs/both sides of your body will be equal.
4. Encourage, do not force, your body.
Encouragement is what your body wants. Not force, not stress, not criticism, not bending or rocking back and forth. Make the movement as easy as possible so your body can trust you to help it, not hurt it. Trust is built over time with patience, softness, subtlety, not with strain or force or trying too hard. Celebrate whatever movement your body has and go from there. Encourage is the operative verb here; encouragement is the operative attitude.
5. Core strength comes from doing these exercises in a stable, neutral position.
Strengthening your core, strengthening your trunk, strengthening your abdominal, pelvic, hip, torso, back and shoulder mucles will transfer strength to all sides of the vertebrae on your spine. That strength in your trunk will enable you to do very specific movements, such as riding your horse with efficiency and effectiveness and without pain.
6. Shock absorption is essential.
Riders need sponge-like bodies. The slightest change of balance, rhythm and/or direction caused by your horse tossing his head or uneven terrain can put you in the dirt unless your body can immediately assimilate change. The stronger your joints, the stronger your muscles, the stronger your trunk. This is an additive process. Increasing your muscle strength increases your ability to absorb shock. Increasing your ability to absorb shock increases your body awareness. Increasing your body awareness increases your potential as a rider.
7. Remain in your body.
All of us have various coping skills to deal with our lives. All of us as riders apply those skills to what we do with our horses. In most cases, these coping skills work successfully and we get done what it is we set out to do.
One of our most important coping skills, and the one we most often forget, is the ability to stay in our bodies. There are many reasons such as fear, weakness, injury, ego, etc., that cause us to forget about and not pay attention to our bodies. However, none of those reasons stands up to what we are asking our bodies to do as riders.
We need our bodies to function at an optimal level every time we approach our horse from the ground or in the saddle. Only by being aware of and inside our bodies can we strengthen and stabilize them. Strong, stable bodies enable us to do the activities we choose to do with our horses.
8. Core body awareness breeds core stability and strength.
This is a chicken and egg thing. The more you apply your mind to understand the foundation of your body's core, the more your body's core will strengthen and stabilize. Strength, stability and body awareness are inter-related. The results you achieve by increasing these three elements, core strength, core stability and core body awareness, will translate directly to enhancing your confidence in and your riding skills with your horse.
9. Trust your body.
Trusting your body is just like trusting your horse. You trust your horse to jump a 3'9" fence before you ask him to do it. Otherwise, you wouldn't ask him. That trust in your horse comes from your giving him whatever training time he needs, whatever skill/technique development he needs, and how many countless, specific drill or exercise repetitions he needs to prepare him to successfully do a particular job.
It's the same with your body. You trust your body to do what you're asking it to do because you've given it whatever training time it needs, whatever skill/technique development it needs and how many countless, specific drill or exercise repetitions it needs in order to "get the job done."
It's pretty simple. You are honestly tuned into your horse. You do the necessary work with him. You know by the way he moves, by the way he behaves, by his fitness level, by his ability level that he's ready to do what you're asking him to do. You trust your horse to perform.
Likewise, you are honestly tuned into your body. You do the necessary work with your body. You know by the way your body moves (tight, fluid, etc.), how it reacts (tense, relaxed, etc.), how it feels (hurting, comfortable, etc.) that it's at ease with and ready to do what you're asking it to do. You trust your body to perform.
Be honest. Do the work. Trust.
First, we center on specific parts of your body. We begin with the body's core - the pelvis, hips, abdominals, obliques, back muscles and spine. From there, we go to the lower body - the hips, legs, feet. Lastly, we include the upper body - the shoulders, neck, arms, hands.
No matter where your particular body focus, your spine, from top to bottom, is connected and involved with all parts of your body, from your skull to your toes. And your spine, from top to bottom, is connected and involved with your horse's spine, from top to bottom, and all parts of his body. (Refresh your memory and re-read the Spine to Spine Connection.)
By doing these exercises on a consistent basis, you will enhance the movement of your body parts. Your mobility will improve. You will increase your balance, stability, strength, endurance and, most importantly, you will increase your awareness of your own body.
I think you will be impressed by the impact these exercises have on your riding. Your body parts will be more available to you. You will be able to put those body parts together and therefore coordinate, initiate and adapt those movements on your horse faster. And you may be able to ease and/or erase whatever pain you might have by "self correcting" your body alignment both before and after you ride.
As you may have guessed by reading and doing the core and lower body exercises already posted, these exercises are based upon specific movement principles. They are...
1. Make sure your spine is evenly balanced.
First and foremost, people need evenly balanced, stabilized spines to move efficiently and without pain. Infants spend months lying flat on their backs to develop and strengthen their spines before they can roll over, sit, crawl and walk. We need to develop and strengthen our spines by lying flat on our backs as well. Only when lying flat on our backs can we find and adjust evenness and balance in our spines. Only when lying flat on our backs can our spines learn the beginnings of stability. And only when lying flat on our backs can we begin to develop strength in our spines. Once we learn to evenly balance, stabilize and strengthen our spines while lying flat on our backs on the floor, then we can balance, stabilize and strengthen while sitting, then standing and then riding.
Give your spine a chance - start by lying flat on your back on an even, level surface (floor, carpet, mat). Bend your knees and put both feet flat on the floor. Make your hands into fists with your thumbs pointing up as though you were hitch hiking. Put the little fingers of your closed fists on the bony tips of your hipbones. You want to "feel" that the bony tips of your hipbones are pointing out straight like headlights through your fists. You also want your hipbones to feel level and even with each other. If your thumbs point up straight and evenly, great.
If not, slowly and subtly guide your hipbones into a straight, headlights out, level position while keeping the little fingers of your closed fists on the bony tips of your hipbones. Once striaght and even, stay there for a minute or two with your fists on your hipbones and thumbs pointing up. Let that feeling of evenness become conscious.
You want to be able to come back to this feeling again and again. You want to know this straight, level feeling in your hipbones like you know your name, like you know how to tie your shoes. This straight, even, level place in between the bony tips of your hipbones is where your pelvis lives. Know that if your pelvis is straight up and down and level side to side, like a "+" sign, your spine is better able to be balanced and level. Remember, the direction of your thumbs indicates the alignment of your pelvis.
Still lying on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor with the back of your fists on the bony tips of your hipbones, line up your shoulders so they are level with your hipbones. Weight the bony tips of your shoulder blades equally into the floor. Ask someone to see if your shoulders and hips are lined up level with each other the first couple of times you do this. If they are level with each other, great. Get to know this straight, level feeling of having your shoulder blades and hipbones in the same plane. If not, slowly and subtly guide your shoulder blades into a stright, level position with your hipbones. Once in that plane, stay there for a minute or two. again, yuou want to know this feeling, this position of shoulder blade and hipbone alignment like you know your name. You want to be able to adjust your body into this alignment in a blink of an eye.
2. When stabilizing, pull your belly button towards your spine to lock your pelvis.
Repeat what you just did (lying on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor) to make sure your spine is evenly balanced and that your hipbones are aligned with you shoulder blades. Now, pull your belly button towards your spine. Encourage a flat back. not an arched one. Pulling your belly button towards your spine locks your pelvis and low back. That's what you want. A locked pelvis keeps your spine stable.
3. When moving, go for a symmetrical range of motion on both sides of your body.
If one side of your body is stronger than the other side, or if one leg can be lifted higher than the other, stay inside the range of motion of the weaker or lower leg on both sides of the movement. Your stronger leg will "teach" the weaker leg how to move. You weaker leg will "learn" to become more flexible and elastic from the stronger one. Your specific body parts will do this all by themselves.
All you have to do is focus on evenness and balance. You don't have to do anything else. You don't have to force anything. You don't have to try harder on one side or the other. Before you know it, your weaker leg will become just as flexible and efficient in its movement as your stronger leg. When both legs have the same range of motion, go on to increase that range in both legs simultaneously, always allowing the weaker leg to learn from the stronger leg. Pretty soon, you won't have a weaker leg or a weaker side. Pretty soon, both legs/both sides of your body will be equal.
4. Encourage, do not force, your body.
Encouragement is what your body wants. Not force, not stress, not criticism, not bending or rocking back and forth. Make the movement as easy as possible so your body can trust you to help it, not hurt it. Trust is built over time with patience, softness, subtlety, not with strain or force or trying too hard. Celebrate whatever movement your body has and go from there. Encourage is the operative verb here; encouragement is the operative attitude.
5. Core strength comes from doing these exercises in a stable, neutral position.
Strengthening your core, strengthening your trunk, strengthening your abdominal, pelvic, hip, torso, back and shoulder mucles will transfer strength to all sides of the vertebrae on your spine. That strength in your trunk will enable you to do very specific movements, such as riding your horse with efficiency and effectiveness and without pain.
6. Shock absorption is essential.
Riders need sponge-like bodies. The slightest change of balance, rhythm and/or direction caused by your horse tossing his head or uneven terrain can put you in the dirt unless your body can immediately assimilate change. The stronger your joints, the stronger your muscles, the stronger your trunk. This is an additive process. Increasing your muscle strength increases your ability to absorb shock. Increasing your ability to absorb shock increases your body awareness. Increasing your body awareness increases your potential as a rider.
7. Remain in your body.
All of us have various coping skills to deal with our lives. All of us as riders apply those skills to what we do with our horses. In most cases, these coping skills work successfully and we get done what it is we set out to do.
One of our most important coping skills, and the one we most often forget, is the ability to stay in our bodies. There are many reasons such as fear, weakness, injury, ego, etc., that cause us to forget about and not pay attention to our bodies. However, none of those reasons stands up to what we are asking our bodies to do as riders.
We need our bodies to function at an optimal level every time we approach our horse from the ground or in the saddle. Only by being aware of and inside our bodies can we strengthen and stabilize them. Strong, stable bodies enable us to do the activities we choose to do with our horses.
8. Core body awareness breeds core stability and strength.
This is a chicken and egg thing. The more you apply your mind to understand the foundation of your body's core, the more your body's core will strengthen and stabilize. Strength, stability and body awareness are inter-related. The results you achieve by increasing these three elements, core strength, core stability and core body awareness, will translate directly to enhancing your confidence in and your riding skills with your horse.
9. Trust your body.
Trusting your body is just like trusting your horse. You trust your horse to jump a 3'9" fence before you ask him to do it. Otherwise, you wouldn't ask him. That trust in your horse comes from your giving him whatever training time he needs, whatever skill/technique development he needs, and how many countless, specific drill or exercise repetitions he needs to prepare him to successfully do a particular job.
It's the same with your body. You trust your body to do what you're asking it to do because you've given it whatever training time it needs, whatever skill/technique development it needs and how many countless, specific drill or exercise repetitions it needs in order to "get the job done."
It's pretty simple. You are honestly tuned into your horse. You do the necessary work with him. You know by the way he moves, by the way he behaves, by his fitness level, by his ability level that he's ready to do what you're asking him to do. You trust your horse to perform.
Likewise, you are honestly tuned into your body. You do the necessary work with your body. You know by the way your body moves (tight, fluid, etc.), how it reacts (tense, relaxed, etc.), how it feels (hurting, comfortable, etc.) that it's at ease with and ready to do what you're asking it to do. You trust your body to perform.
Be honest. Do the work. Trust.
Toe Curls
Why do this?
This motion frees and softens the foot and ankle. This softening allows the foot to become the fulcrum of your balance in the stirrup and to absorb the motion of your horse no matter the terrain, the gait or the job the two of you are doing together.
What it does for me:
My feet and ankles are solid as bricks. This motion has loosened up that rigid density. The more my feet actually open up so that the balls of my feet spread evenly across the stirrup, the more my heels come down to carry my weight and to increasingly stabilize my position in the saddle. The more my ankles open, the more I can feel and connect with the motion of my horse.
Exercise can be done lying flat on the bed with your leg supported down to the mid-calf or sitting. In both positions, extend your leg so the foot is off the bed surface in lying position or elevated from the ground if sitting and free to move.
Point the foot down as far as you can and hold the point.
Curl only the toes up and down.
There is no motion in the ankle.
Begin with 1 set of 20 repetitions.
Work up to 3 sets of 20 repetitions if there is no cramping in the leg.
Work up to 100 repetitions if there is no cramping in the leg.
Repeat with opposite foot.
Variation
Same positions, lying on bed or sitting.
Flex foot up as far as it goes without elevating leg position and hold the flex.
Curl only the toes up and down.
There is no motion in the ankle.
Begin with 1 set of 20 repetitions.
Work up to 3 sets of 20 repetitions if there is no cramping in the leg.
Work up to 100 repetitions if there is no cramping in the leg.
Repeat with opposite foot.
This motion frees and softens the foot and ankle. This softening allows the foot to become the fulcrum of your balance in the stirrup and to absorb the motion of your horse no matter the terrain, the gait or the job the two of you are doing together.
What it does for me:
My feet and ankles are solid as bricks. This motion has loosened up that rigid density. The more my feet actually open up so that the balls of my feet spread evenly across the stirrup, the more my heels come down to carry my weight and to increasingly stabilize my position in the saddle. The more my ankles open, the more I can feel and connect with the motion of my horse.
Exercise can be done lying flat on the bed with your leg supported down to the mid-calf or sitting. In both positions, extend your leg so the foot is off the bed surface in lying position or elevated from the ground if sitting and free to move.
Point the foot down as far as you can and hold the point.
Curl only the toes up and down.
There is no motion in the ankle.
Begin with 1 set of 20 repetitions.
Work up to 3 sets of 20 repetitions if there is no cramping in the leg.
Work up to 100 repetitions if there is no cramping in the leg.
Repeat with opposite foot.
Variation
Same positions, lying on bed or sitting.
Flex foot up as far as it goes without elevating leg position and hold the flex.
Curl only the toes up and down.
There is no motion in the ankle.
Begin with 1 set of 20 repetitions.
Work up to 3 sets of 20 repetitions if there is no cramping in the leg.
Work up to 100 repetitions if there is no cramping in the leg.
Repeat with opposite foot.
Slant Board or Book Stands
Why do this?
Stretches and strengthens your calf muscles. Also helps unlock rigid ankles.
What it does for me:
The other day, I hiked up a steep incline and noticed that my heels actually stretched down to the pitch of the slope. No having to hike on my toes up the hill. This stretching and flexing make my calf muscles and ankles more elastic. As a result, I can use my leg more effectively with my horse because my entire lower leg is softer. And, my heels can more easily drop down below the stirrup irons.
Standing on either a 30-degree slant board or on a thick book with the balls of your feet on the book and heels on the floor,
Breath - inhale through your breastbone and exhale through the bottom of your shoulders.
Encourage a neutral, not arched, spine.
Lock your pelvis by pulling your belly button towards your spine.
Go for quality of movement, not quantity.
With both feet on either the slant board or book (balls of feet on the book and heels on the floor), your pelvis locked and your shoulders, spine and legs straight as if stacked in one plane, hold the stretch for 10 seconds.
Make sure your heels always stay in contact with the slant board or floor as you stretch.
Build up to 30 seconds.
Get off the board or book, release and relax.
Once able to do 5 repetitions of 30 seconds, stand on the board or book with your pelvis locked and spine straight and bend your knees for 5 seconds while keeping your knees going straight ahead as though they were headlights in front of you.
After 5 seconds, straighten your legs.
At 5-second intervals, go from staight legs to bent knees.
Do 5 repetitions and get off the board or book, release and relax.
Stretches and strengthens your calf muscles. Also helps unlock rigid ankles.
What it does for me:
The other day, I hiked up a steep incline and noticed that my heels actually stretched down to the pitch of the slope. No having to hike on my toes up the hill. This stretching and flexing make my calf muscles and ankles more elastic. As a result, I can use my leg more effectively with my horse because my entire lower leg is softer. And, my heels can more easily drop down below the stirrup irons.
Standing on either a 30-degree slant board or on a thick book with the balls of your feet on the book and heels on the floor,
Breath - inhale through your breastbone and exhale through the bottom of your shoulders.
Encourage a neutral, not arched, spine.
Lock your pelvis by pulling your belly button towards your spine.
Go for quality of movement, not quantity.
With both feet on either the slant board or book (balls of feet on the book and heels on the floor), your pelvis locked and your shoulders, spine and legs straight as if stacked in one plane, hold the stretch for 10 seconds.
Make sure your heels always stay in contact with the slant board or floor as you stretch.
Build up to 30 seconds.
Get off the board or book, release and relax.
Once able to do 5 repetitions of 30 seconds, stand on the board or book with your pelvis locked and spine straight and bend your knees for 5 seconds while keeping your knees going straight ahead as though they were headlights in front of you.
After 5 seconds, straighten your legs.
At 5-second intervals, go from staight legs to bent knees.
Do 5 repetitions and get off the board or book, release and relax.
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