by Kenny Hall, B.Sc., TPI-CGFI
I asked Kenny Hall, who is my personal trainer as well as the coach for our Riders Fitness classes, to say a word about getting in shape. He offers a general perspective here, and I hope in the future will give tips on exercises of special interest to riders. I recently watched a great video of Annie Kursinski, a world class rider, Olympian, and trainer*, who emphasized exercise for herself and all riders. She said that in a fitness class or with a personal trainer, we get to 'become the horse' feeling something of what they experience when we work them. An interesting thought! -MG
In a simple word, the answer is "YES!" Whether you are young, old, beginner or Olympic athlete, exercise is for everyone. The benefits of exercise far outweigh the consequences of non-exercise. How important to you is controlled blood pressure, strong muscles and bones and good posture? You do not have to be a body builder to get into the gym or to join into a group training session. What is important is to stay moving. We apply Newton's First Law to fitness. A body in motion tends to stay in motion. A body at rest tends to stay at rest. What type of body do you want to be?
And what type of rider do you want to be? A passenger? Or a support to your horse whose balance, strength and fitness are an asset to you both?
It has been great to work with Mary and the folks from Freedom Farm in our two Rider Fitness classes at Anytime Fitness, Sequim, 7 am on Saturdays and Mondays (see class listing below). These and our other classes are designed to boost your metabolism and to build a stronger core. I have seen great successes coming out of this special group training. And we all have a lot of fun!
If you have any questions, just ask Mary or me.
kenny.anytimefitness@gmail.com
(Originally published January 2014)
