By LAURA CRUMP ANDERSON
I was at the Morven Park Horse Trials this weekend and through all the commotions and excitement, one thing stood out to me more than anything else. We riders do not have enough time in our days. Horses are demanding and time consuming–the day usually starts before the sun comes up and ends well after the sun goes down. However, it does’t matter how busy your schedule is, you need to make time for self-care, which includes exercise. Our bodies are so resilient, but they still need to be strengthened and stretched properly outside of the tack.
I truly believe that riders do not need to spend most days of the week in the gym. I have seen great results from clients who work out REGULARLY. Once or twice a week is enough if you make it a priority and work to your max ability each time. In this case one week is seven days. This does not mean a Monday one week and a Wednesday the following week. When you get to the 8-9 day time frame you are really not getting enough stimulus to see results. However, I notice a huge difference in my own riding when I am working out regularly, and when I am not.
Usually I do a yoga routine on Tuesday mornings and a strength training routine Saturday or Sunday. I am also quite active; I take more than 10,000 steps every day, I do my barn every morning, and I ride about 10 times a week (some days I ride three horses some days, I ride one). I find that most riders are meeting the American College of Sport Medicines physical activity guidelines for being active. This is the case to an extreme, with many of my professional riders, I need to emphasize the importance of rest and recovery more than getting in another workout that week. Many of the amateur riders I find need to train twice a week, and they get the best results with this style of training.
Finding the time to exercise can be challenging, especially when your day is packed. A lot of clients ask me when the best time to exercise is. My answer is always the time that you can do it consistently. It is way more important to find a time that works with your schedule then it is to find the time that syncs with your circadian rhythm. For some of my clients that is 6:00 am, for some that is 7:30 pm. For me, I workout in the middle of the day because if I schedule it for first thing in the morning, I will usually blow it off for another cup of coffee. I also struggle with saying, “Oh I will do it tomorrow,” if I leave it for the evening. My piece of advice is to block the time on the calendar and stick with it. This is very important and should not be moved with the exception of an emergency. If you find placing it on the calendar is not enough, consider getting an accountability buddy. You can zoom in with a barn mate and exercise together, because, let’s be honest, who has the time to go to the gym? Need a place to start with what your routine should look like? Check out my book “Ultimate Exercise Routines for Riders”. This is a great place to find the routine for you!
Laura Crump Anderson is a lifelong equestrian and a personal trainer. Find out more about her programs on https://www.hiddenheightsfitness.com/.
