an Fitness
jective. No rider is the same and the training
plan is custom to each individuals lifestyle and
equipment they have available. I
also make sure demonstration exercises are
available for the riders to watch in their online
tool box.
Q: Can your programs be customized for riders
that may have some physical limitations?
A: Yes, we work with many riders who have
multiple ‘issues’ or physical limitations. The
program has a huge focus on mobility within
a riders body. Mobility issues seem to be the
biggest hurdle for horseback riders. As long as
you are cleared to ride a horse, you should be
physically training off the horse.
There are times in training that you have to
focus more attention on mobility or flexibility
rather than strength training. This is a huge
factor of why our memberships are 90 day
enrolments, we can manipulate our custom
workouts to evolve for what the rider is needing at that specific moment with their bodies
and with their horses. I believe in cycling personal training for yourself through out the year.
One workout will not be sufficient for the entire year. If you are training correctly, you will
be different, than the ‘current you.’
Q:. Is there an age limit for participants in any of
your programs?
A: No, age is a mind-set. My younger athletes
receive workouts that use equipment appropriate for their age and muscles structure. The
program develops a foundation for the core
strength. This foundation helps an equestrian
learn to sit more balanced and evenly when
they aid a horse. The foundation that is built
will develop muscle memory which will stay
ingrained into the bio-mechanical system for
years to come. It is the same theory when training horses to come over their backs and push
from their hind quarters; the muscle engagement will become habitual.
short right inner thigh can cause a rotation in
the knee and can lift the right seat bone out of
the saddle. Right inner thigh
(Hip Adductor) strength imbalance can cause a
number of issues while riding.
For older riding athletes, muscle habits are
harder to transform, but the transformation is
not impossible. Sometimes fascia is responsible for limiting the body from actually being
able to move. Teaching the basic biomechanics
will even everything out.
A: Yoga is a great compliment to strength training and when you have the proper balance
between both, muscle structure develops long
and very lean. The mental training and breathing that yoga practices is terrific for riding because as you advance up the levels in dressage,
time slows down and you have to be able to
practice this core support and internal stability
while moving very high or suspended through
the air. Yoga helps you stay rhythmic in the
core.
My full training clients have yoga training twice
a month with our friends at Yoga Munkey, Madeleine and Alex Hoang out at the barn. This is
my way of ensuring my riders and I gain length
in our muscles. A particular client of mine was
complaining of knee pains on and off the horse.
After obtaining medical clearance to ride (the
rider did not have any serious injury or ailment)
the issue of knee pain still persisted. This lead
us to believe that muscle tightness was the
problem. After 1 month of practicing yoga, her
pain went away and she uses yoga now to keep
her joints more stable.
Q: Do you travel to do workshops?
A: Yes, I usually travel with our head trainer,
Jason Obirek, for BioRider Fitness workshops.
We have done training boot camps and fitness
days with the University of Southern California
and California State University of Fullerton
Equestrian teams. Team BioRider recently held
a lecture with Scott and Susanne Hessler on
equestrian fitness in Wellington, Fl.
Q: What is the most common fitness problem
that you run in to with program participants?
A: The right leg is stronger in most riders, and
anomaly of which I cannot explain. The problem can be a shorter right leg in the saddle. This
could possibly cause a horse to move off that
side more easily than the left. Sometimes this
Q: Since we are featuring your wonderful yoga
sequence in this issue, can you tell me a little
about how regular yoga practice can benefit
dressage riders?
Passage Magazine
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