Riding horses is great exercise, but working on your fitness and core strength when you’re not in the saddle will make you a more effective equestrian. Here are some exercises for riders recommended by fitness expert Rallie McAllister, MD.
2. Bridge with Ball Squeeze: Strengthens the muscles of the inner thighs, gluteus and core. Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent. Hold the ball between your thighs just above your knees. Lift your buttocks off the floor toward the ceiling, contracting your gluteal muscles and squeezing the ball between your thighs. Hold the position for 8 to 15 seconds, relax, and repeat the exercise for a set of eight to 12 repetitions.
3. Forward Lunge: Strengthens the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus and the core, including the abdominal muscles and the spinal erector muscles of the back–all important for the rider’s seat. Stand upright with your feet together, with or without light dumbbells in both hands. Keeping your head up and your back straight, take a big step forward with your right leg and bend your knee, allowing your left knee to hover above the floor. The right leg should be far enough forward so the left leg is almost straight. Push yourself back up to the starting position with a strong, smooth movement, bringing your feet together. Step forward with the left leg and repeat the exercise to complete one repetition. Do eight to 12 repetitions for one set.
4. Skater Style Lateral Lunge: Strengthens the muscles of the inner thighs, as well as the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus and core. Stand with your feet together, and take a large step to the right, bending the right knee and touching your right foot with your left hand. In this position, you should resemble a speed skater, bent at the waist so your chest touches the thigh of your right leg. Keep your back flat, your head up, and your right knee directly over your right foot with your toes pointed forward. Now, push off of the right foot and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise on the opposite side and alternate legs for a set of eight to 12 repetitions.
5. Front Squat: Strengthens the muscles of the inner thighs as well as the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus and core. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping your back straight and your head up, bend your knees and lower yourself until your thighs are slightly lower than parallel to the floor. Push up from your heels and return to the starting position without locking your knees. Perform this exercise in a slow and controlled manner, making sure your back remains straight and your knees are over your feet. Repeat for a set of eight to 12 repetitions.
Read on for more exercises you can do at home.
Learn some exercises to practice in the saddle.
Back to Get Fit to Ride.
These look like great exercises! I’ll have to try them- thanks!
She is not doing the squats right.
Her knees are way over her toes.
You need to pretend you’re about to sit on the egde of a chair. If you do squats this way you could get knee problems.
cool
Got to keep those legs/calf muscle in shape for riding. Some of these were very good to work with.
how helpful
!
wonderful exercises except the last one called front squat . The young lady demonstrating the exercise is putting her knees in danger when she downs into the squat without pushing her booty back (like sitting in a chair) which will keep her knees over her ankles and at the very least will keep her knees from extending in front of her toes . Please adjust this exercise , as presented it is dangerous for knee health . Thanks
I think I’m going to try these. They sound alot of fun!!
very very great exercises for thigh muscles and I will watch it again . excellent work.
very very great exercises for thigh muscles and I will watch it again . excellent work.
These look great.
Excellent list and explanation of 5 specific exercises to strengthen inner thighs, core, back, calf and other muscles key to good riding form. Plan to start this regimen immediately!!
Love it and plan to use this for the winter workout when you working so hard on the farm to stay in shape over the winter. All except the front squats I could do, no knees anymore at my age to do those squats!
Have some simple things that can even been done while watching TV at night. Thanks for the program.
Great for the younger jet set and 20 and 30 year olds, what do you have for the older folks that have bad knees, bad back and still ride 6 days a week. I think just riding keeps us older folk in shape.
Oh that’s great! its very easy!
If you wanna know about the beneficts of ridin horses check it out!
http://showjumpingsocialnet.com/horses-best-way-to-have-fun/