When you ride a horse, you use muscles in your legs and core to keep you upright. If those muscles are weak, you may not be able to ride as long as you would like, or you may experience muscle soreness. An exercise, or stability, ball can be used as a training tool to strengthen your riding muscles. For your workout, choose a ball that is appropriate for your height. Your knees and hips should bend at a 90-degree angle when you sit on the ball.
Crunches
Your rectus abdominis, which is the main muscle in your abdomen, can be strengthened when you perform a crunch on a stability ball. The ball is an unstable surface that you place underneath your lower back. You increase your range of motion when you use a ball due to the fact that you can lower your body beyond parallel for the start of the exercise. Your stomach contracts as you raise your upper body toward your legs. As you develop strength in your core, your riding posture may improve.
Bridge
You can strengthen your adductors, the muscles that contract to bring your legs toward each other and help you control the horse, by performing a bridge. You lie on the floor and place your feet on top of a stability ball. Your adductors contract to keep the ball stable as you lift your hips off the floor. When you perform 10 to 12 repetitions two to three days a week, you may see the improvement in leg strength the next time you ride.
Russian Twist
The muscles alongside of your stomach, your obliques, are also involved in maintaining an upright body position when you horseback ride. You can strengthen the obliques by using a twisting, or rotating motion. The ball is placed underneath your lower back and you raise your arms in front of your chest. Your obliques contract as you lift your torso and rotate from side to side, pointing your arms in the direction you are twisting.
Inner Thigh Squeeze
You can strengthen your inner thigh adductors through squeezing the ball between your legs. You will think of the ball as your horse as you sit on the ball in a straddle position. Your knees point toward the floor and your feet are on the floor behind you for stability. Your inner thighs contract as you squeeze your knees toward each other.
Member Comments