Rider Fitness
Tuesday Video: Strength and Balance Drill for All Disciplines From Pippa Funnell
Even the very best practice the basics every day — and Pippa Funnell is no exception! Check out her set-up to work on flatwork, jumping, and your own position and balance all at once:
You Are What You Eat (and You Cannot Out-Exercise a Bad Diet)
“The winter months can be an ideal time to put an emphasis on your body … Also, make the time to think about what you are fueling your body with. Try to find the healthier, real food, items on the outside of grocery store, not in the center isles.” (more…)
One Simple Exercise to Help You Ride Better Corners
If you’re struggling to get deeper in your corners, here is one simple exercise you can incorporate into your daily routine to help you achieve the small muscle movements that can level up your flatwork.
Two is Better Than One
“Regardless of the goal, the most important aspect of any exercise program is the result, and results come from consistency… One of the best ways to improve the results of any program is to work with a partner. A partner adds accountability, motivation, plus an extra set of eyes to ensure proper form and safety.” (more…)
3 Ways to Squeeze Fitness into Your Busy Routine
Fitting in a workout in a busy schedule is already hard work — but somehow, that always gets more difficult as fall approaches. Laura Crump Anderson of Hidden Heights Fitness has some great tips to make it easier to start — and stick to — a healthy routine:
What Makes a Good Rider?
In this excerpt from her book Yoga for Riders, horsewoman and yoga teacher Cathy Woods explains what she feels is one of the most important, and under-acknowledged, characteristics of a good horse person. (more…)
The Importance of Continuing Education
For event rider and personal trainer Laura Crump-Anderson of Hidden Heights Fitness, life is one big learning opportunity — and in her column this month, she’s sharing a treasure trove of knowledge from dressage rider JJ Tate, plus a yoga pose that’ll help you unlock tight hips (and sit the trot better than ever!):
How 20 Minutes Per Week Can Improve Your Performance In the Saddle
“Exercise is essential for the athletes performing at the top level of this sport but it is just as important for those looking to become a better rider.” This week, we discusses the importance of cross training and ways to improve your performance. (more…)
Running Short on Time? Slow It Down With This Effective Exercise
What do none of us have enough of? Time! This month’s rider fitness exercise from Hidden Heights Fitness will make you feel like you have plenty as you wait for that timer to go off!
How to Use a Mounting Block to Stretch and Strengthen Your Calves
Our calves serve as the heart of the lower body. That’s why you need to make sure you are stretching and strengthening them. Here is a tip from our fitness guru: (more…)
Watch and Learn: A Strong Lower Leg Starts at the Hip and Core
Effective riding comes from an effective position, and an effective position comes from focusing your attention on building the right muscle groups up. Today, Laura Crump Anderson shares her favorite move for creating a solid, stable leg:
A Better You This Year: The Four Horseman of Stability
“If you want to succeed, it’s so important to be present and as stable as you can be for your horse, which is why I came up with … four areas of your life that you can focus on to help rein in the wild beast of your routine.”
Fitness is a Lifestyle – Not a Boot Camp
It’s the new year, which means gym memberships and boot camp sign-ups are at an annual high – but, as personal trainer and event rider Laura Crump Anderson explains, learning how to set longer-term, slower, more consistent goals will be the key to success in your fitness journey:
Rest and Recovery: The Secret Weapon You Need to Utilize
You’ve been training hard, putting in the hours at the barn and the gym – but could you actually be doing more harm than good? Scheduling in time for a bit of R&R – that’s rest and recovery – is one of the smartest things you can do for your body.
A Balancing Act: Two Simple Ways to Improve Proprioception in the Saddle
Having a good idea where your body is in space and being able to coordinate your aids while balancing is important part of riding. Laura Crump Anderson of Hidden Heights Fitness shows us two exercises to improve this:
SmartPak Monday Morning Feed: Bye-Bye “Mom” Bod
“I am and probably always will be a work in progress. Some days all I want to do is put my feet up and binge my favorite TV show after the kids are in bed. But when I push myself to get up and move for at least 15 minutes I really feel those endorphins kicking in. It gives me a sense of pride, like I can do anything.” (more…)
This App Can Help Take the Guesswork Out of Rider Fitness
If there was an industry to invest in pre-pandemic, it was in-home fitness and the concept of app-based programming for working out. For busy riders, The Performance Refinery’s equestrian-specific workouts have been key to keeping fit in and out of the saddle.
Why Every Equestrian Should Try Pilates
Are you looking to improve your riding? Consider trying pilates. It can make a big difference in the quality of your riding by improving your posture, which prevents pain and soreness and develops a healthy relationship with your horse. (more…)
Best of EN: Rider Biomechanics — How This Physical Therapist is Helping Riders Get Stronger
Physical strengths and weaknesses can have a massive effect on our riding. Physical Therapist Britta Pederson works with riders to pinpoint those issues to improve their riding.
Megan Sykes on Treating Riders Like the Athletes They Are
Professional eventing rider, Megan Sykes, shares her story about getting in a riding accident and her road to recovery. (more…)
Best of JN: How to Hydrate Your Way to Better Riding
It’s summer. You know what that means? Yup. It’s hot out. Especially when you’re sitting on a large, heat-emitting beast. That’s why our sister site, Jumper Nation, brings you these great tips on how to stay hydrated and assess your fluid and electrolyte needs.
From the FEI: 4 Stretches Every Equestrian Should Be Doing
As horse owners, we spend a lot of time thinking about our horses’ fitness and well-being, but how much time do we really spend focusing on our own fitness? The answer is likely not enough. Here are four stretches every rider should be doing to improve their riding. (more…)
