Getting fit - for the rider!?!?

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Obilicious

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So I've suddenly become determined to get fit:o. My horse is needs a rider to sit correctly and I'm not sitting correctly as I need to exercise my core and become more fit! I have been searching Google and I cannot find any sort of fitness plan for the rider. I know the more you ride the fitter you get but I cant ride during the week. I also know Pilates helps but is there anything else to do to get fit other than just doing stretches??? I want to create some sort of fitness plan to build up all my muscles and parts of me that need building up but I don't have any idea where to start and not really any idea of what parts to build up first :o:p. Any help ? :D
 
I started doing some cycling earlier this year - as a vague attempt at getting a bit fitted and to increase the strength in my legs (which are where I am weakest). I do enjoy it, but have to say I haven't done as much as maybe I should have done.

Otherwise swimming is a good allround exercise - and the good thing with both cycling and swimming is that they are no impact sports - running is an obvious and cheap choice, but the impact of running can be horrible on your joints :)
 
I have just started 'Insanity' which is a 60 day programme using DVDs (I am on week 2). It is great for me as I have a small child so can't get out of the house in the evenings to run/cycle. There is plenty of legs/core work in there so good for riding fitness. Search on here there has been plenty of discussion about it. Don't be put off by how hard people say it is. It is basically circuit training so it is as hard as you decide to push yourself.
 
There is a lady near my old yard who does rider specific Pilates- she's also a riding instructor so will do half our Pilates and strengthening work and half hr riding lesson. You would be surprised what hard work Pilates is, it seems like slow stretches but you use a lot of different muscle groups and will come out seriously aching! :)
 
I've just started the NHS 12 week fitness plan, I'm halfway through week two.

It alternates running (using couch to 5k so very friendly running) and strength and flexibility exercises.

I started as I wanted to get fit for riding as I was coming out of lessons exhausted, and with the BUCS season starting that's not a great position to be in. I also only ride once a week max so needed to do something more. I lost 1k in my first week, I will be interested to see what happens this week as weight loss wasn't even my intended outcome. I'd recommend the podcasts though, they are free too.
 
There is a book on exercise for riders, I think it is a j a allen one, those little thin ones......

But, yes pilates is great for riders
 
if you have sky, watch channel 282, just up from horse and country haha! Fitness TV theres normally some good workouts on there! but don't ever think Pilates is "just stretching" i'm very fit, do a lot of running, cycling and gym work, my mum dragged me to pilates and it was killer and I knew it the next day!!
 
Sprig said:
I have just started 'Insanity' which is a 60 day programme using DVDs (I am on week 2). It is great for me as I have a small child so can't get out of the house in the evenings to run/cycle. There is plenty of legs/core work in there so good for riding fitness. Search on here there has been plenty of discussion about it. Don't be put off by how hard people say it is. It is basically circuit training so it is as hard as you decide to push yourself.
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... I was put off by people's reactions in the office when I mentioned it! But you may have convinced me to give it a go.... Swimming is incredibly good for fitness, as is pilates/yoga as others have said - you don't feel like you're doing much at the time, but the day after you cannot move if you've been doing it right!
 
Swimming, cycling, fast walking, as everyone says those things are great for trimming up :) Yoga will give you a really solid core, I absolutely love it and have been doing it for years! But my favourite for working tummy and back muscles has got to be sitting on a pilates ball while at the computer/watching TV :) If you can sit and balance crosslegged it's even better.
 
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