How to Get in Shape for Riding
Published by GHC • May 16th, 2008 • Category: Riding Advice, by Sydby Syd, age 12
Have you ever been riding on a moderate temperature day and in the middle of your ride had to take off your jacket because you got to hot? Do your legs wobble and feel weak after a ride because you haven’t ridden in a while? Do you tire easily on long rides? Do you get angry when people sneer at equestrians and say, “Riding a horse is so easy — the horse does all the work!”
If you answered yes to any of these questions then you know that riding is a lot of work. But that’s not the point of this blog. The point of this blog is to show you how you can get in shape for riding. Now if you play any other sports — volleyball, basketball, gymnastics etc. — that’s great, but these sports don’t always strengthen the muscles you use in riding. The best ‘other’ sports would probably be track/running or swim team/swimming. This doesn’t mean if you’re a basketball player you have to go join a swim team or if you’re a softball player you have to start running everyday. The truth is if you play any other sport then you’re already half way there.
I already said running and swimming are great to strengthen your riding muscles, but those aren’t the only ones. If you do want to start swimming I would recommend weekly swim lessons or lap swimming, but not everyone has the courage to get in the water or access to a pool. So if you want to start running just start with once or twice a week for a mile or two. This may seem like a lot, but you aren’t racing. Just go at a nice steady pace and remember you can take walk breaks. If you enjoy riding your bike that’s another really good thing to do for riding. Or skateboarding up to the store every day, taking the dog for a walk a few times a week, or chasing your annoying little sibling around the house.
So if you decide to do any of these things or come up with your own remember you need to stick with a routine. Don’t just go once a month or ‘when you feel like it’. Pick a day or a few every week when you’re usually free and go for a run, a bike ride, or a swim. Stick with it! These next exercises I recommend you do on a day when you’re not running, biking etc.
SQUATS. These were recommended to me by my riding instructor. You stand up, then slowly go down into a squatting position and repeat multiple times. Sounds easy right? WRONG! These are very tiring, but they really strengthen your hamstrings and thighs for riding.
SQUAT JUMPS. Some fun and slightly easier exercises are squat jumps. You go down into a ‘half squat’ position then ‘explode’ or jump up into the air. They really ‘blast’ or strengthen your quads.
KILLERS. And finally my personal favorites — killers. Sound scary? No not really. Killers are actually sets of different moves. First stand up on your toes then go back down. Do 10 of these. Immediately after you’re tenth one, jump up and down 10 quick times. After that, jump and land with your legs spread apart (about two feet) and jump again landing with your feet together. That’s jump one, so remember to do 10. After those do 10 half jumping jacks, then 10 full jumping jacks. Whew! But you’re not done yet. After your tenth jumping jack go down the list backwards: jumping jacks, half jumping jacks, feet spread apart jumps, quick jumps, and toe lifts. Then you’re really done with killers. You should feel a ‘somethin somethin’ in your calves. That’s good — it means they’re already getting stronger.
These aren’t the only exercises you can do; go ahead and do your own research, or ask your riding instructor. Don’t get too excited yet, because there’s more! The most, most, most, most, most important thing you can do (if nothing else) is STRETCH. Stretch before you ride and on days you don’t. It will do wonders for your body.
OK, so I’ve recommended other sports, explained a few exercises, told you to stretch and totally made you feel lazy right? Well I’ve still got a few parting tips and things to tell you. First of all, when starting some of the sports I’ve recommended, take it easy at first. Don’t think you have to bike 50 miles or go run a marathon or something. Like I said before, start with once or twice a week and gradually work yourself up. If you go into it too fast you could get discouraged or damage your body. Also when doing the exercises I recommended (squats, squat jumps and killers) make sure you’re doing them right. Ask your parents or an adult who would know so you don’t get injured. And also make sure you stretch BEFORE and AFTER any exercise you do, including riding.
So I hope I’ve helped you get pumped up and energized for all the exercising you’re going to go do right now!
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Wow, useful tips+quality writing+written from a horse girl’s heart= absolutely fantastic blog! You’ve done excellently and I really enjoyed reading all you have written. I can’t wait for your next blog!
great ideas im going to try a few!
Syd-
Really helpful blog! It surely made me know a lot more about getting “in shape” for riding. You really were creative. I hope that you keep up the great work with your blogs.
P.S. I am hoping to become a junior blogger since I’m now old eneough. I hope I’m as good as you!
mustangmane
Wow Syd! Great, I had been looking for some sort of exercise to do and I really love swimming! I even have a pool in my backyard! So I’ll swim, but I think I might just stick to boring running in the cold Winter! lol
Nice job, Syd! This is really helpful- I’m going to try some of them, especially the killer! I have a question: Do you know or recommend any thing else besides these that is specially for the stomach so it makes it tighter and not as big? I’d really want my stomach to get better for this summer, I’m going to be surrounded by a lot of people at the pool, especially guys! LOL! Thanks again, and please write back!
P.S: Once I do a little of each of these things, I’m going to be in much better shape for riding! Well, I’m going to go trot over to the greener side of the pasture! ;)
Love, Lauren (Or you can call me by my nickname, Lo!
Lauren- Yes actually I would recommend crunches or sit ups. Also ummmm i dont know what they’re called but if you lay on your back then go half way up (like a half crunch positon) and slowy slide your hands up your knees those are good for the stomach to. Or you could try planks- lay on your stomach then go up into a push up position but rest on your arms not your hands and hold that position for 10, 20 or 30 seconds also do this on your side thats really challenging! Some more good ones are- knee push ups (push ups on your knees), or curling up into a half crunch positoin again and extending your legs out one at a time pushing your oposite arm forward. Hope these help! :)
Love Syd,
P.S. Also let me know (this goes for all of you not just Lauren) if you have any more questions about strengething a certain area of your body!
Thanks for posting this! I subscribe to Horse Illustrated, (Among many other horse mags) and It recently did a double article on getting in shape. Thanks!
Thanks Syd, this is really helpful! I’m going to try these out. If you don’t mind, Syd, I found out a good exercize that I want to announce. Put your back against the wall and get in the position as if you are in a chair, and try to hold your body weight up for as long as you can. Keep your back flat against the wall and just bend your legs and knees as if you were sitting in a chair! It is really good for your legs. It may not seem like a lot of work when you hear it, but once you try it your legs will get real soar. That means its working!
Love, Lauren
P.S: I tried the killer and it works! Its a really good exercize, everyone should try it!
All of these exercises work! It’s great! Too bad I can’t ride my bike though…. smoke from the Santa Cruz Mountains keeps coming down to Blossom Valley (aka San Jose). I’ve begged my mom to, but she always says no, maybe tomorrow. Speaking of her, I have to help her file today…..
I’d rather be riding horses right now!!
-MM
I’ve heard of that Lauren thanks for reminding me! Also I just remembered this really fun (well of me i dont know about u guys!) exercise called burpes! Ok start standing up then go down into a squat positions then imediatly into pushup position, squat position and jump up! Sounds fun huh? lol well they are! :D
Lol! This is a really cool blog! At my school we do killers in P.E., but we call them ouchies, and we only do eight of them, but it still works great! Fantastic Blog Syd, you really but some imagination into this one! I love it, and will definatly have to try this out!