CHALLENGE. stretches, exercises & accountability Journal

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Gwendolyn Jenkins
5 years ago
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1 DAYRIDERFITNESS CHALLENGE stretches, exercises & accountability Journal

2 NOTE from LORNA And look at you Week 3 - and officially over half way :) The hard work is done, from here on out, you are beginning to build a more sustainable and lasting fitness routine that will help you with your riding for years to come. As always, this is only a guideline. I am not a fitness instructor or coach, nor am I a medical professional. All exercises are done at your own risk and we highly recommend consulting with your healthcare practitioner before starting any fitness plan. So this week I want you to begin thinking about how you can make this more of a lifestyle, rather than just something you have to 'do for the challenge'. A few differences - less exercises being the big one! ome yoga you can try... And you will notice that we are focusing a little more on your horse as well from here on in the challenge. Please keep in mind that I am not a yoga practitioner - this is simply some stretches that I have found work well for me and other riders Suppleness and flexibility is an important consideration when training your horse and I feel it deserves an equally as important when considering the rider. From how well you can move and 'flow' with your horse, to increasing your actual physical strength, your flexibility will very often determine how well your horse goes, particularly when considering how the energy connects through your horse. On the topic of sustainability... I also want you to begin thinking about how you can reward yourself at the end of the challenge - and beyond! Keep well

3 SETTLING into ROUTINE In week 1 and 2 you really pushed yourself, both from a physical and a mental viewpoint. You have had hard workouts 5 days a week. I know that a lot of riders struggled to find time for the workouts and the added cardio as well.. The good news is that at this point you should be seeing results in your body and we can now begin to start a more of a maintenance program, less workouts, less intensity but still aiming for that strong core, legs and higher levels of stamina. As before, if you are already a runner, please ignore the jogging part of the program and proceed with the workouts, using your own running program instead rather. The same applies for the yoga, which you will see is part of this week. If you are already regularly practicing yoga, keep going with that. I know that you began this challenge so you could improve your effectiveness as a rider and have better communication and 'conversations' with your horse when in the saddle... And you should definitely see the seeds of this beginning to sprout by now. However, in order for the challenge to truly benefit you, we need to begin thinking more long term; past the 30 days... Time wise, the workouts need to fit in with your life. Energy wise, the cardio must be enjoyable enough and 'worth it', if you are to continue on wth this on Day 31. Riding wise, well you will need a plan to keep you moving forward with your progress... So, are you ready to begin making this program a lifestyle choice that you can continue on after the 4 weeks are up? Fantastic Let s crack on!

4 YOUR JOURNEY your map WEEK 3 monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday sunday Choose your days and schedule your workouts THIS WEEK'S WORKOUTS... Day 1 & 4 Workout 1 (Eleanore) Day 2 and 5 Workout 3 (Eleanore 2) 2 circuits 12 reps each 3 circuits 12 reps each Day 3 & 6 Yoga As long as you want... Everyday Plank twice a day 35 seconds each Everyday Squats twice a day 30 reps each 3 days of the week Walk 3km incl 1.5 minute jogs x4 2 days of the week Walk 5km brisk walk

5 YOUR WARM UP week 3 1 a 1 b 1 c hold each stretch 10 to 30 seconds - build it gently 2 Only stretch as far as you can - don't force it 3 4 Complete all stretches on both sides of your body 5

6 WORKOUT #1 Equipment 'Eleanore' Needed Exercise Ball Exercise 1 - Side Flexions 1 a 1 b Exercise 2 - Core Twists 2 a Exercise 3 - Squat & Side Lifts 3 a 3 b 2 b 2 c Exercise 4 - inline crunch 4 a 4 b 5 Exercise 5 - Donkey Kick

7 WORKOUT #2 Equipment Exercise 1 - Side Squat 1 a 1 b 2 a 'Erin' Needed Exercise Ball Exercise 2 - cross crunch 2 b 2 c Exercise 3 - Extended leg 3 a lifts 3 b Exercise 4 - V Pass 4 a Exercise 5 -rotation plank 4 b 5 a 5 b 4 c

8 #3 Equipment WORKOUT 'Eleanore 2' Needed Exercise Ball Exercise 1 - Hip Extender 1 a 1 b Exercise 2 - Twist, Up & Over 2 a Exercise 3 - Wide Squat 3 a 3 b 2 b Exercise 4 - Scissor crunch 4 a 4 b 2 c Exercise 5 - Incline Calf Raises 5 a 5 b

9 YOUR JOURNAL week 3 DAY 1 Side Flexions Core Twists Squat & Side Lifts Inline Crunch Donkey Kick Eleanore 1 SCHEDULED DAY & TIME DAY Eleanore 2 Hip Extender Twist Up & Over Wide Squat SCHEDULED DAY & TIME Scissor Crunch Incline Calf Raises

10 CUSTOMISING your WALK So why keep the walking program up, if we are supposed to be tailoring things to a specific lifestyle plan? Well two reasons Firstly, walking is a great way to boost blood flow and circulation in your body. This in turn helps with EVERYTHING else and I am willing to bet that by now, you have seen positive results from your daily stroll begin to show up in other areas of your life. Things like your mood being more stabilized, your problem solving skills being super charged, to the mere fact that you are probably sleeping better at night. Secondly Remember that goal last week of increasing stamina (for those canters) by running or jogging... Hmmm, yes, it is still there and we are still aiming for it. So, please continue to make the time for your daily walk and if you can go up and down hills Well, even better And on that note, how are you finding the jogging? If you are anything like me, you may be struggling! But the point is to struggle a little Not much, but enough that you can feel you are reaching slightly beyond and out of your comfort zone. When you are finished, you should be able to still hold a conversation. Yes, you may be slightly out of breath and sucking wind, but you should not be about to fall down. That is not what we are after, just that nudge out of the comfort zone As always "do what you can".

11 LOOSE and SUPPLE focus, strength, flexibility, suppleness and relaxation are not just important for your horse - but also for you as well... Share some photos of your yoga journey' #30DayRiderFitnessChallenge your yoga Many riders are under the impression that yoga is 'easy' however you may find you are less flexible than you thought... riding is a sport that requires mental resilience and fitness in order for you to really perform to the best of your abilities On that note, only stretch to the point where you are comfortable; rather slowly increase your range of movement than trying to force things and causing damage or an injury.

12 YOGA SEQUENCE 'suppleness'

13 YOUR JOURNAL week 3 DAY 3 Mountain Warrior II Upward Salute Warrior I Forward Bend left side leading Downward Facing Dog Cat Cow Upward Salute Warrior I Warrior II Mountain left side leading move between cat & cow 7 times right side leading right side leading 1 Yoga SCHEDULED DAY & TIME the future depends on what we do in the present Mahatma Gandhi

14 CARING for your BODY So ideally from now on, you will workout 4 days a week, with 3 days of rest. I would suggest doing two days workout, one day rest and two days workout, with then two days rest. So depending on your schedule and commitments it might look like working out on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. That leaves Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays as 'rest days' Now, we are talking specifically here about strength training and working out, not the cardio or stamina building days where you are walking and running, they are a little different and I think should be squeezed in wherever possible, for fitness, but also to emotional and mental wellbeing too. TREAT YOUR BODY WITH KINDNESS However, if you feel like you still need to push the workout a little, by all means, go ahead, but remember your body needs rest and it is up to you to provide it Take care of your body, it's the only place you have to live Jim Rohn

15 YOUR JOURNAL week 3 DAY 4 Side Flexions Core Twists Squat & Side Lifts Inline Crunch Donkey Kick Eleanore 1 SCHEDULED DAY & TIME DAY Eleanore 2 Hip Extender Twist Up & Over Wide Squat SCHEDULED DAY & TIME Scissor Crunch Incline Calf Raises

16 LISTENINGto your HORSE Knowing where to start is often half the battle... If you have gotten a chance to ride in the past few days, have you noticed any differences with you and your horse s performance? Can you control things a little better? Is your horse becoming more tuned in as you begin to be more clear in what you ask? What you should begin noticing, is that your horse is becoming more sensitive to your basic aids. The reason for this is because you are beginning to cut out all the white noise and distractions that were normal for your horse to experience as you rode before. As you gain more and more control over your movements and become more aware of where and when you are using your aids, due to your increased muscle control, you are no longer nagging your horse. Remember, before you began this, even if you were a competent rider, you would have still been making little movements as your body tried to balance and react to the movement underneath you. Now you are more secure, balanced and aware Meaning your horse is most probably really benefiting from the new, fitter you Make Every Ride Great Lorna Leeson

17 IMPROVING yourriding So, how do you build on this? Well the things that should be improving are:- Your ability to maintain a rhythmic breath while cantering Your aids are more, well, available while riding You can apply your aids clearer and more consistently How about the fact that you have definitely become more 'quiet' in the saddle. This is due to your increased fitness levels, but also an increased body awareness. You can now carry yourself better, use your seat aids more and even become more aware of your weight aids. So it would make sense that you now begin to work on becoming a better rider. The thing is, regardless of how fit you are, if you continue to ride like you always have; well things are not going to change! Yes, you might be more in control in the saddle, but if you are still doing the wrong things or applying aids at the wrong time in the wrong place - does it matter that you have become fitter? I would suggest a good place to start is with any of the following:- Increasing Your Horses General Responsiveness Your Weight Aids Straightness for the Rider These are all full programs available immediately for you inside of Daily Strides Premium. They will take you, step by step, through how to begin improving your riding. What ever you do to improve your riding, keep in mind that if things feel this good for you, imagine how it feels for your horse :)

18 YOUR JOURNAL week 3 DAY 6 Mountain Warrior II Upward Salute Warrior I Forward Bend left side leading Downward Facing Dog Cat Cow Upward Salute Warrior I Warrior II Mountain left side leading move between cat & cow 7 times right side leading right side leading 1 Yoga SCHEDULED DAY & TIME stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible to your approach Tony Robbins

19 WINTER WARMERS Winter temperatures around the world can leave us feeling less than inspired to get outside with our horses... However packing a flask of with a warm beverage of your choice will help make things a little more 'doable 'for you when the weather gets cooler... homemade hot chocolate 1½ Tbsp cocoa powder * 2 Tbsp sweetener * 3 Tbsp water Stir continuously on low heat for 2 or 3 minutes - making sure it doesn't stick and burn... Then add:- 1 cup milk (dairy, almond, coconut, rice) * splash of pure vanilla extract. Mix together and then whisk until it begins to thicken and is completely warm

20 YOUR PLANKS week 3 PLANKS seconds Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 SQUATS Reps Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7

21 CARDIO TRACKER week 3 Distance Terrain Speed Notes M T W T F S S

22 YOUR BODY'S FUEL week 3 M Breakfast Lunch Dinner snacks T W T F S S

MASSAGE TIME lifestyle What does your horse love to do? #30DayRiderFitnessChallenge.com Touch has a memory John Keats The Pre-Requisites A good attitude / mood Time - no rushing!

23 MASSAGE TIME lifestyle What does your horse love to do? #30DayRiderFitnessChallenge.com Touch has a memory John Keats The Pre-Requisites A good attitude / mood Time - no rushing! A quiet, safe space to work in where you won't be disturbed Space to move around your horse in a quiet way without disturbing him A sturdy stool or small step ladder if your horse is a little taller than you! No expectations on what the outcome will be A quick groom to remove any dirt from the coat

24 MASSAGE TECHNIQUE Start by position yourself on the left side of your horse at the shoulder area. Introduce yourself and set the scene by beginning working on his shoulder in long, slow strokes. Use both hands. Complete 20 strokes to relax him. Once he has relaxed, you can then begin to work on his crest area. Begin at the bottom of the crest, by the withers, with some gentle 'Hand Lifts'. Hold each lift for 3 seconds before releasing. Particularly useful when working on crest area, use your thumb, palm and fingers to 'lift' or squeeze the flesh underneath. Hold for a second or two and then release. Work your way up the crest towards the poll. Aim for about 20 hand lifts along this area. Move only a millimeter or two forward each time to make sure the whole area gets attention. MAKE SURE YOU KEEP CHECKING THAT YOUR HORSE IS HAPPY WITH BEING MASSAGED... ITS NOT FUN IF HE IS NOT ENJOYING IT! When you have reached the ears, you can gently massage the left ear by 'pinching' the ear between your thumb and index finger. Keep your thumb on the inside and your index finger on the outside. Complete 3 small 'Finger Pressure' moves before moving to the next area. Only move a few millimeters each time. Applying pressure using the tips of your fingers. Place one or more fingers on the area and apply soft pressure in slow circular movements. When finished the ear, work back down the crest again with Hand Lifts until you reach the withers. Again aim for about 20 in the area. If you horse has enjoyed this (stretching and lowering his head and neck / yawning / licking and chewing), you can work back up the crest again, this time with Hair Tugging. Run your fingers into the mane, close to the base at the crest and gently 'tug' the mane as though you were going to pull it out. (obviously without causing pain!). Hold for 3 seconds and release and repeat. Again, work 20 in and you can this time massage the base of the ear with 'Finger Pressure' when you reach there.

25 MASSAGE TECHNIQUE Continue back down the crest to the withers once more, again with 20 Hair Tugs before moving on. When you reach the withers you can choose to work the neck muscles differently by placing your left hand around the jugular groove (or course without squeezing!) and your right hand on the crest. Simply move the crest from left to right using the right hand. Again start at the bottom, work to the top and then work again all the way back down to the withers. MAKE SURE YOU KEEP CHECKING THAT YOUR HORSE IS HAPPY WITH BEING MASSAGED... ITS NOT FUN IF HE IS NOT ENJOYING IT! At this point you can begin focusing your attention on your horse's barrel and back area. Work 20 strokes over the back, slowly and gently. Keep in mind the aim is relaxation. You can then work 20 'Combing With Your Fingers' movements in the area as well. Comb initially in the direction the hair is growing and then follow it up with 20 in a diagonal direction to this. Think about ploughing a field. Similar to stroking, however make a 'claw' with your fingers and use them to run over your horse's body in long, gentle strokes. You can also begin incorporating some Squeeze and Lift movements in here as well. These often work quite well over more sensitive areas, close to the flank and girth area. Work 20 in over the whole area, using your thumb as an anchor to pivot from for a new position each time. Using one hand at a time, place your hand on your horse and 'cup' your hand and fingers a little, so as to lift the skin and muscle up slightly into your palm. From here you can either move your hand up a few millimeters or use a small circular motion. If your horse allows you, you can also begin Kneading the area that would be under the saddle. Only apply as much pressure as your horse is comfortable with. Place your hand on your horse with your fingers closed (like you are holding the reins) and tucked underneath themselves. Without scratching your horse with your nails, roll the heel of your palm up underneath your fingers. This almost has a 'cat like' action about it..

26 MASSAGE TECHNIQUE And finally, many horses also enjoy some Fingertip Friction here. Then you can move down to the hindquarters area of the horse. It is very important to fully trust your horse before trying anything here. Many horses are happy with some Squeeze and Lift movements initially before working up to other types of touches. You can also work the tail if your horse allows you to. Gently bring the tail to the left side of your horse's body and 'tug' it a little. Be very gentle, you can cause damage if you are too enthusiastic with this movement. You can also lift the tail up and bring it down, working it in a full range of motion. You can finish off the left side of the body by simply placing your left hand on the front of the leg and your right hand behind the leg. Run your hands all the way down, over the hock, cannon bone, fetlock, pastern and to the hoof. Repeat this on the front leg. Quietly move around to the right hand side of the horse and begin the whole routine there again. MAKE SURE YOU KEEP CHECKING THAT YOUR HORSE IS HAPPY WITH BEING MASSAGED... ITS NOT FUN IF HE IS NOT ENJOYING IT! This is a technique I use on my own horses and have had great success with... I am not a professional in this field, and this is purely for enjoyment purposes

27 FEELING GREAT week 3 Wow! Look back at how far you have come You may be feeling tired but hopefully after this week you can begin to see where you can fit this sort of program into your everyday lifestyle, so that you can begin to make plans for next week and beyond. Your cardio walks are a great time to pop on your earphones and listen to your favourite music, the Daily Strides podcasts or the daily audio horse riding lessons over at Daily Strides Premium. They are also great for planning; menus, riding, schedules, outings... My hope is that you begin to look forward to your walks. Block the time out and make it me-time. Then just load up your ipod / phone and off you go. See you tomorrow as we begin Week 4 of the 30 Day Rider Fitness Challenge where, along with a new workout, there are also more ideas on how to 'upgrade' your equestrian lifestyle... Go enjoy your evening and, well done! You have every right to feel proud of your achievement this far one way to keep momentum going is to have constantly greater goals Michael Korda

28 YOUR COMMUNITY inspire as before, search the hashtags & post your own updates What does your '30 Day Rider Fitness Challenge' look like? #30DayRiderFitnessChallenge #MakeEveryRideGreat #FitForRidingFitForLife Share a photo or two of how you are making the challenge work for you (and your horse)

Week 2 30 Day Rider Fitness Challenge

Week 2 30 Day Rider Fitness Challenge Welcome to of the Last week we focused on beginning to build our core and leg muscles with basic exercises designed to be done at the barn or from the relative comfort of your bedroom. This week, while