what do you do to stay fit?

[goin4thebigtime]

Hey everyone-
I was wondering what you guys to to stay fit for riding... like running and excersizes to build strenth etc...

[Showjumper]

There's a whole load on this page: http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2745&highlight=Fitness

[jUmPingIsLifE]

i stay pretty fit this is what i do during my week

RUN--4miles twice a week
BIKE 8miles twice a week (once a week...i try to do this at least lol)
ROLLERBLADE---8miles twice a week sometimes more (i play hockey so i have to rollerblade, its good for legs)
SWIM--i try to go swimming a lot in teh summer its really good for staying fit
WIEGHT LIFTING---50minutes twice a week during gym i lift
stretch--10-20minutes everymorning and before i run or rollerblade and like for 5minutes before i ride i stretch my calves
BOWL--my granddad owns a bowlin center adn you may not think so but it IS excersize for your arms and yo do get tierd after a while its not as easy as it looks (kinda like horseback riding but not as hard)

[myEllie]

I run ten miles a day four or five days a week. Weight trainging one hour everyday (unless I'm away at a show). Yoga for at least half an hour, preferably an hour a day. I do about twenty laps at the pool one or two nights a week, and rollerblade when I have time. My friends are mostly all skaters, so I get some exercise and socialize at the same time. :D Plus, the greatest exercise for riding is RIDING. :p

[Princess]

I find that just doing all the genereal yard work that comes with owning a pony keeps me pretty fit mucking out,carry heavy buckets, lunging,and of course riding. I also walk where I can (ie, to the shops, to work etc) espically in the summer when the weather is nice. In fact, in the summer (mainly at weekends) I bike down to the stables and back again. I try to go to he gym, but I never seem to have the time or when I do have the time ... I can't be bothered!!!

[Ikon]

I find that my chores keep me pretty fit. Also I tend to ride my bike alot with out using my hands just to keep my balance good.

[Piaffe]

Am I the only one here that doesn't do any exercise exept when I'm up the stables?!!

I feel really quite lazy - but then again, I don't have any time in the winter to go to the gym or run etc!!

[Mehitabel]

i never exercise except at the yard - hay bales for weight lifting, taking walkouts and longreining for jogging and power walking, making feeds for stretching, trying to catch copper for sprinting (with long boots on through ankle deep mud) what more do you need? now i'm not there full time anymore my stomach's starting to get a bit wobbly, so i do crunches when i remember to. not very often though. i also ride more without stirrups when i do ride, that's great for stomach muscles.

[Lucy J]

I have put on a stone in the last 6 months because I eat too much and don't exercise, I just do not have the time. I only exercise when lunging/long reining riding and giving my horse a very thorough groom. Oh and I will walk to the shops occassionally, you lot put me to shame!

[BlueSky]

I don't actually do a lot! I help out at the stables roughly 20 hours a week, and that mostly involves leading small kids in lessons, or general stable work. I have a 45-minute ballet lesson once a week, and though I do that because I enjoy it, it keeps me fairly supple as well. And there's two dogs to walk!
But I eat quite healthily, and don't have sugary/fatty foods all that much, so I am reasonably fit.

[Princess]

He He! I forget to mention walking my over active dog George twice a walk for over 3 hours in the countryside!:D :D

[Ame]

Yoga! (Great for increasing flexibility and fitness - mental, emotional and physical).

I also go running with my horse. We saddle up for a ride and a couple of times a week, rather than ride the whole way, I jump off and run along-side her. Heaps of fun! It works on your fitness as well as your horses.

If all else fails - lifting hay bales :o)

Best wishes,

Ame

[Piaffe]

Lucy J - just like me!!

I put on a stone over the last year or so when I wasn't working and the horses were living out, so less to do!! And more lazy me!!

I'm thinking of joining a gym for six months for the summer when the horses are out again, otherwise I won't be able to move off the sofa if I do what I did last year, which was very little!!

[lamprellsarah]

my goodness some of u are fit as anything i walk about 17 miles a week, work flat out on a suday, looking after 10 horses pretty much by myself, and ride 4 times a week, but some of you are streaks ahead of me!!

[james]

I cycle (on roads) about 120 miles a week which gives me very strong leg muscles and good balance (the good points), but a lot of problems with stirrups (the bad point). Cyclists develop very short, tight calf muscles (we ride with toe from horizontal to down), which makes riding a horse heel down very difficult. I am always getting criticised for my heel being up and frequently loose stirrups. However, the balance (and confidence in my balance) from cycling means I can loose a stirrup cantering or jumping and it makes no difference.

[HorseDancer]

What I would like to know are specific exercises that work particular areas, like the back, the calves and the thighs. Also, exercises that make you more aware of how to use those areas for instance when trying to use just one side of your butt to make the horse halt squarely etc.
Since I have gotten older and had children and therefore gotten out of shape I find that my back tends to be sore after riding a good bit.

[Lucy J]

I am no good at cycling or running up hill/up stairs because my knees get very very sore, I do not know if this is because I am unfit or my knees are in bad condition from years of dancing and riding. I am currently waiting for our local swimming pool to reopen. Swimming is a great way to stretch and is also aerobic exercise and doesn't put any strain on your muscles.

I find the gym really expensive and I don't really have the time.

Skipping (with ropes) is very good exercise, cheap and doesn't take a lot of room, its good for arms and legs.

To tone up 'Callenetics' is good you can get videos and books on this. I used to do 1/2 an hour in the morning.

I run with my horse sometimes, but that usually happens when I have to dismount on a hack if she plays up as its the only way I an get home :eek:

[Lgd]

Work full time - I'm a clinical pharmacist so I spend most of the day on my feet running around the hospital (lots of stairs).
Look after two horses on DIY livery.
Ride at least once a day, often twice.
I swim occasionally but don't have time to do as much as I would like.

[Bebe]

I used to do far more, but that was before I got the horse. Now I'm lucky if I fit 10 minutes of exercise in during the day. I've gained 4lbs in the last month (probably due to not riding and eating too much) so I've started skipping. I'm up to 6 minutes (remembering to change leading leg halfway through so I don't overwork one side) and I can sing/talk for most of it without keeling over now. Once I can sing to the radio for the whole 6 minutes I'll increase to 8 minutes.

Other than that I fetch in 3 horses out of a 43 acre field every day. That can be a workout in itself, its a 15 minute uphill walk to the top of the field and I'm usually in a hurry so have to jog parts of it. At weekends I often do 3-4 trips up and down the field which can be really tiring.

I'm fairly strong from all the lifting and carrying that I do up at the yard so I don't tend to do any weight type exercise. I try to do yoga once a week also, really helps to stretch everything out.

Amanda

[suze]

I used to do Karate but gave it up after 2 gradings.
I have to take care of a 3 storey 5 bedroom house, disabled hubby, 4 kids and the 2 horses.
I do a lot of works in the field, poo picking, weeding and such.
Also do a lot of weight lifting with bales of hay and bags of shavings. Also got one of them exercise machines, like an ab roller but you can do 15 excersizes on it. If only I had the time and energy:rolleyes: