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Horse & Hound Podcast; Event Rider Fitness Series

Recently I featured on the Horse & Hounds podcast on their "ask the expert" segment on the weekly podcast. The 8-week mini-series covered everything from why riders should be strengh training to hip mobility, how to get your nutrition & diet back on track, designing your own core workout, building your 2 point seat & much more!


It was a privilege to be asked to take part & share my expertise on all things rider fitness & hopefully it's helped many of you riders begin your own fitness journeys.


I wanted to share the mini-series on here & all the episodes so you can catch up or if you wanted to rehear any of the episodes you can do so & find out more information!


Episode 1; Getting your fitness back on track>>>>YOU CAN FIND THE EPISODE HERE

This episode was all about getting your fitness routine back up & running following the winter break. We’d probably been out of training for a week or so, done nothing & most probably after all the extra food weren’t feeling getting back to it or at our bests! I discuss the common mistakes I see when riders restart their journeys & go too hard too soon & then struggle to maintain their routine. I discuss finding your routine & making sure what you do is sustainable & realistic for your lifestyle!

Episode 2; Getting your diet back on track>>>YOU CAN FIND THE EPISODE HERE

This episode was also following the festive period & heading into the New Year which is when many of us can struggle to regain control of our diets & eat well to fuel our bodies. At this time of year you’ve over consumed, drank too much alcohol, feel rough, bloated, de-energised, not eaten well, overeaten those goodie/treaty, high-calorie foods & are feeling sluggish, slow & not good in your physique or performance riding & fitness-wise. Then panic sets in & drastic, unsustainable actions are taken. In this episode, I help you to focus on the solution which is adapting your behaviour towards your diet habits!

Episode 3; Hip mobility & getting on from the ground>>>YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE EPISODE HERE

Hip mobility & being able to get on from the ground is a basic need for all riders & in my opinion a safety necessity as well. If you can't get on from the ground by yourself safely then what happens if you were to fall off hacking alone? It is essential you have the fitness & mobility to be able to safely get on. We know as we age our mobility can worsen so even more reason to keep building it up & working on improving our ROM which will only benefit our riding & horses. So I discuss improving your hip mobility & then once you've starting to improve your mobility how you can then build your strength from there! Remember your hips are the powerhouse in the saddle so you need to work on them


Episode 4; Designing your own core workout>>>YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE EPISODE HERE

Without a doubt, core strength is what everyone wants to work on whatever their discipline or riding level! Rightly so as core strength is a key strength that riders need but equally alongside a balanced programme that hits your full body too. Many riders struggle with back pain, tipping forwards, having a weak seat, an inability to hold yourself up on landings, poor posture to name a few. But then you have no idea of how to actually construct your own core training whether that be from home or the gym. So I discuss what movements you should be focusing on, how to construct a balanced core programme alongside your other weekly training & how to build a stronger core once & for all.

Episode 5; Improving your 2 point seat>>>YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE EPISODE HERE

Your 2 point seat is responsible for your stability & strength in the saddle in your jumping & fast work position. You might feel unstable, your horse pulls against you, you struggle with tipping forwards, getting fatigued & then ultimately your riding becomes ineffective. I run through the movement patterns & muscles that you use for your 2 point seat & what specific exercises you want to be doing to build your strength & stamina in this position. The end goal is having a strong lower body & core so you can maintain your position out of the saddle without relying on your hands or pushing all of your weight onto your horse's forehand. I also discuss why resistance is the best option to help you build this strength so check it out now!


Episode 6; Boosting your riding confidence>>>YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE EPISODE HERE

I am a huge advocate that physical & mental confidence go hand in hand when it comes to riding. If you're lacking physical strength your performance & reactions are going to be slow, you'll be quicker to fatigue & be far less effective on your horse when riding or competing which in the long run is only going to negatively affect your confidence in the saddle. Riders can struggle with a lack of confidence when riding as you know if your physical capability is lacking if something bad happens or a situation occurs you’re going to struggle to keep control & ride through it. Your horse then knows he can take the mick & then problems arise & your confidence takes a dive. You can hear my top tips on how to start building your confidence in this episode!

Episode 7; Why riders should be strength or functional training>>>>YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT HERE

I explain how you actually get stronger, move through the strength movement continuum & build to more technical movements just like you progress your horse from leg yield to shoulder over time. I discuss why strength training can build your riding performance so much & what exercises & compound movements you should be focusing on & how to get progression over time. All riders, whatever your discipline need to hear this episode! Functional & strength training can build your stamina, reduce fatigue, have you riding more effectively & help to reduce injuries.

Episode 8; How to balance your lifestyle & juggle horse, fitness, social life>>>YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT HERE

I know first-hand how hard it can be to fit everything in & juggle it all! I'm not going to lie it's hard to balance everything & make time for your horses, your own training, your family, your partners & it can be exhausting trying to make it all work! Life is all about balance & that is again why being realistic with what you can expect yourself to do is key but it's important to make time for all the important parts of your life else you will hit burnout. I advocate this hugely as a coach to all my clients, yes fitness is important & needs to be a priority but so does your social life & spending time with your family! Balance is key.



I hope this mini-series helps you & gives you some information to move forwards with your own fitness journey & hopefully helps to dispel some of the fitness myths out there & guide you in the right direction of what you actually want to be focusing on & putting your efforts into.


If you have any questions feel free to reach out,

Katie

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