Bear down? Bere Down? Bare Down?

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Archie73

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Okay, am sure you have all heard it during a lesson.......BUT how do you understand it and how wouls you explain it? Or if your instructor asked you "What is your bear down?" how would you answer?

Chocolate for best answer
 
Ahhh I suspect your instructor trained with Mary Wanless at some stage? Mary is massively into bearing down :) I went on a riding course of Marys years ago and was completely baffled the first day when she kept going on about it. It relates to your tummy muscles and to get the feel next time you are sweeping the yard feel what your tummy muscles are doing. That's what they should feel like when you are riding/bearing down

(Honest, this is exactly how she finally got me to understand and I finally realised what she wanted!)
 
I thought bearing down was something that happened when you gave birth??? I'm not sure I can remember how to reconstruct that...
 
Maybe its a Canadian expression for a ranger sedating a bear, cos it was in the wrong place and had to be moved?! lol
Got to be worth a choccy!!

But in honesty, its all about tummy muscles - wether your emptying your bowls or your womb - its much the same thing!!
 
yes its a mary wanless term - whilst sitting there 'cough' - do you feel your stomach muscles tense? - You need to replicate that. My instructor says to think of it as bear out rather than bear down. So DO NOT involve pelvic floor muscles (the ones that stop you having a wee!!)
Imagine you are pushing your guts out against the wall of your stomach and the wall of your stomach is pushing them back in.

the reason my instructor says bear out - is i have to push my bear out towards the horses neck and down reins - its all terminology that my brain understands.

Ride with your mind can be a bit odd with wierd terms but tbh its best instruction i've had. I am a far better rider because of biomechanic training. My instructor is denise o reilly.
 
0ldmare said:
That's exactly right (even 15 years later I can't sweep the darn yard without remembering what she said!)
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how funny.....I had it right in my head and action but could not find the correct words to describe it.. ..at least I know I understand, I just have no idea how;)

Sweeping will never be the same for me now.


Anyway am very sad about the amount of chocolate I now owe.

Thanks for not laughing (toooo much!)
 
kezimac said:
yes its a mary wanless term - whilst sitting there 'cough' - do you feel your stomach muscles tense? - You need to replicate that. My instructor says to think of it as bear out rather than bear down. So DO NOT involve pelvic floor muscles (the ones that stop you having a wee!!)
Imagine you are pushing your guts out against the wall of your stomach and the wall of your stomach is pushing them back in.

the reason my instructor says bear out - is i have to push my bear out towards the horses neck and down reins - its all terminology that my brain understands.

Ride with your mind can be a bit odd with wierd terms but tbh its best instruction i've had. I am a far better rider because of biomechanic training. My instructor is denise o reilly.
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Kezimac....thanks, I am also told to push down the reins.....its like another lanuage but when you get it, it really does work!
 
My instructor described it as the feeling of squeezing out a fart - works for me.

I've heard the one about pushing your innards against the inside of your stomach too.
 
Be careful - it is also an action that can slow your heart rate down and make you faint!! :eek:
 
This is a great thread. I've been having trouble with my core muscles ever since I started suffering with my bad back, and having to sit at a desk all day isn't helping.

Any advice for some good techniques to strengthen the core muscles. I keep meaning to start pilate classes, or buy a book or a video about it to get me started, but I haven't got round to it yet.
 
Ruthnmeg said:
But in honesty, its all about tummy muscles - wether your emptying your bowls or your womb - its much the same thing!!
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Quote of the year nominee! :D

Its your core muscles - you engage them when sweeping the yard etc. Act like you're trying to push a good fart out and you're probably going to be there :D

I think a bit more of a polite way of putting it is to bear down when holding your rib cage with both hands - your sides under your rib cage should go out and firm, your six pack (or whatever is there!) should go flat, and the two logn muscles either side of your spine will protrude.

Easiest way of working out which bits are supposed to be doign what is to watch a horse poo. ;)
 
Misinterpreted said:
This is a great thread. I've been having trouble with my core muscles ever since I started suffering with my bad back, and having to sit at a desk all day isn't helping.

Any advice for some good techniques to strengthen the core muscles. I keep meaning to start pilate classes, or buy a book or a video about it to get me started, but I haven't got round to it yet.
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While you're sitting at your desk you can work them by sitting straight, clenching your arse and tucking your tail in (as if you're holding a fart in ;) )and then pulling your tummy button towards your spine (as if you're holding a wee in) Try and hold this for 30secs whilst breathing normally....you should be able to get into a habit of sitting their clenching whilst working - abs of steel are not far away :D:D

If you have a Wii fit all the muscle exercises on there are Pilates based and those combined with the yoga and balance games ahve fixed my back injury in record time - will be back to work next month :D:D
 
I think the bear towards the neck is the best desciption. You are not trying to be tense, as in pulling IN your tummy (although if you practice that you will exercise the muscles), you are working on stablising your core muscles. If you pull your stomach in you will be lessening the space for your lungs and getting short of breath and that is the last thing you need.

Apart from Mary Wanless I have heard this expression from a Saddle Seat instructor - more of connecting yourself to the ground through the horse's back. Since in saddleseat you hold your lower leg below the knee away from the horse, sit very upright and further back in the saddle and should be keeping the hands still and elevated above the elbow, the only bits of your body left to communicate with the horse are your seat and thighs (you can give a canter aid with the outside leg), so if your stomach flops about you loose your position.

For those of you who ride saddle seat, I hope I have given a good description as I haven't done very much of it.
 
JoG said:
While you're sitting at your desk you can work them by sitting straight, clenching your arse and tucking your tail in (as if you're holding a fart in ;) )and then pulling your tummy button towards your spine (as if you're holding a wee in) Try and hold this for 30secs whilst breathing normally....you should be able to get into a habit of sitting their clenching whilst working - abs of steel are not far away :D:D

If you have a Wii fit all the muscle exercises on there are Pilates based and those combined with the yoga and balance games ahve fixed my back injury in record time - will be back to work next month :D:D
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Ha ha, Thanks. I'll try to make sure no ones watching me while i'm doing it. LOL!
 
Think of it as doing a half halt....then if they ask you can say your practising your dressage and hopefully they will ask no more questions due to not being "horsey"!!
 
Archie73 said:
Kezimac....thanks, I am also told to push down the reins.....its like another lanuage but when you get it, it really does work!
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it really does work doesnt it!! - i also think of arms from elbow to hands like a cafietiere and pushing the energy down the arms towards to horses mouth. and also pushing my plunger down - again think cafietiere and my torso is the main part of cafietiere push the plunger down so engaging my diaphragm and that helps my low down bear down.

I have had friends come watch my lesson and not understand anything me and instructor ar talking about as we have our own language for stuff!!!!
 
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