{"id":20374,"date":"2015-01-15T15:52:24","date_gmt":"2015-01-15T04:52:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/?p=20374"},"modified":"2015-01-22T07:07:02","modified_gmt":"2015-01-21T20:07:02","slug":"summer-fitness-with-rebecca-ashton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.horsemagazine.com\/thm\/2015\/01\/summer-fitness-with-rebecca-ashton\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer Fitness with Rebecca Ashton"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Words by Rebecca Ashton and Photos by Norma Ashton<\/h3>\n

Dressage Coach and Pilates Instructor Rebecca\u00a0Ashton shows you how to sharpen body and mind to cope with the more extreme season.<\/p>\n

Summer is upon us and it\u2019s time to take off that puffa…external and internal! Let\u2019s get our fitness up for those end of year championships and also just so we can cope better with the hot weather.<\/p>\n

GOAL SETTING<\/strong><\/p>\n

To begin, set yourself some goals to remain on track. They really are the best way to keep focus. Remember, goals are the \u201cguiding lights\u201d to keep us on our path and help to manage our time. The actual path, or process, is what matters most. Be sure to write your goals down and make them realistic. This acts as your contract with yourself. Have goals of different time lengths. Short term targets keep you on track to reaching the bigger, long term goals. Make your goals SMART; specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timed.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>SUPPLENESS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suppleness is essential for healthy muscles and joints. We need a body that allows the movement of the horse to flow through it but still have tone. This not only allows for a more comfortable load for your horse to carry, but also less risk of injury to the rider. As riders, we tend not to experience a huge range of movement in our joints while participating in our sport. This can lead to stiff and even locked joints. We can reverse this process by taking our joints through a good range of movement when we\u2019re off the horse, especially the hips. The following exercise will help.<\/p>\n

HIP STRETCHES<\/em><\/p>\n

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Lie on your back with a neutral spine, legs straight. Lift one leg up and with the help of a theraband, stretch the hamstring (the back of the leg). Try and keep your tailbone on the ground. Your leg may not be able to come up as high, but your back will remain in alignment and you will still get a good stretch.<\/p>\n

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Next, take the leg out to the side, only as far as you can keep good alignment of the body. Try not to lift the opposite side of your pelvis of the ground and keep both shoulders flat to the floor.<\/p>\n

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The third position involves crossing the leg over the body. This time you can let the pelvis roll over, but both shoulders must remain anchored on the\u00a0ground.<\/p>\n

Repeat with other leg.<\/p>\n

CORE STRENGTH AND BODY ALIGNMENT<\/strong><\/p>\n

A good core is essential for good riding and I\u2019ll never stop talking about it because it\u2019s just that important. The core will stabilise the pelvis, which is the foundation for both your upper body and also your legs. It\u2019s the alpha and mega of a good position.<\/p>\n

CORE EXERCISE<\/em><\/p>\n

This exercise will not only strengthen your core but will also help with spinal mobility and stability and control of the pelvis.<\/p>\n

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Start by sitting with your knees bent, back tall and in a neutral position (each vertebrae stacked one upon the other) and arms stretched out in front, shoulder width apart, chest wide. Gently draw in your lower abdominal muscles towards your spine with your pelvic floor gently lifting up.<\/p>\n

Before you move, breathe in through the nose and drop your shoulders lower over your hips creating a C-curve in your spine.<\/p>\n

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Breathe out through your mouth as you slowly roll back, one vertebrae at a time until you reach the base of your shoulder blades.<\/p>\n

Hold this position as you breathe in and move your arms up over your head, testing that you can keep the torso still by switching on your core.<\/p>\n

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Roll back up to a to a sitting position one vertebrae at a time. If this is too difficult for now, just roll up as far as you can without losing your technique before returning to the base of your shoulder blades and repeating the exercise.<\/p>\n

VISUALISATIONS<\/p>\n