Getting riding fit (long)

["Tracey" <tracey@tbt.co.za>]

Hi, all,

 

 

I've not been riding much over the past few months, for various personal reasons, and have also had to get rid of PG, leaving me with just Satan's Spawn to ride from now on.  As a result, I've lost almost all my riding fitness and suppleness.

 

Now that I'm moving into my new place, and Toccy will be stabled on the premises, which have a flood-lit arena, I'll be able to ride daily again.  Both he and I will need to get fit slowly, and I've worked out a programme for him.  He's the easy one : he gets fit quite quickly.  It's I who am the problem!

 

Here's the scenario : there's nothing like a divorce to make you lose weight REALLY quickly, and I've dropped about 6 kilograms over the last couple of months.  I wasn't really over-weight before, and much of the "weight" I've lost is in fact muscle.  I need to find a way to become :

 

1.  Aerobically fitter (because I want to event again this summer); and

 

2.  Physically stronger - I need to tone by abdominal muscles, upper thigh muscles, calf muscles and back muscles, in particular.  My upper arms have stayed fairly toned from lugging around my suitcase, out of which I've been living <g>.

 

3.  More supple - My hips are locking again, and I'm finding that I'm holding tension in my lower back and across my shoulders, probably because of the stress I've been under.

 

As you all know, Toc isn't the easiest of horses to ride, and one has to stay alert and physically fit at all times in order to achieve the most out of him.  Notwithstanding that, it's just not my style to be a passenger on my horse.  I've had to sell my jumping saddle, so my riding will be done exclusively in my dressage saddle, apart from the odd occasion when I'll borrow a jumping saddle to do jump training with him in.  I'm planning on focusing on dressage for the next six months, incorporating some road work to keep him fit. I may do the odd Show Jumping show, but I'm hoping to event him again from next Winter.

 

Okay, so here's what I've decided to do, and I'd appreciate any feedback anyone can give:

 

 

1.  Cycling : I'm going to cycle every evening, and try to work up to about 15 kms per day.  I'll be doing gentle hills and dirt roads on my mountain bike.  This should increase my aerobic fitness, tone calves and work my abs.

 

2.  Swimming : Unfortunately, the pool at my new place isn't suited to swimming "laps", but I'm going to try to swim three times a week and do some exercises under water.  This usually helps with all-over muscle tone as well as aerobic fitness, without unduly straining my back.

 

3.  Dumbells : I really miss having firm boobs (sorry to all men on the group) as mine have definitely become a tad sad since I lost weight.  I figure that I can exercise pectoral muscles and arm muscles every night doing this.

 

4.  Calf stretches : standing on the step of my patio and dropping my ankle down should stretch my calves. 

 

5.    Walking.  I plan to try to walk my dogs four times a week, and hope to get up to a brisk five kilometers each time.  Reckon this will help aerobic fitness and overall body tone.

 

6.  Yoga : for suppleness.

 

How does this sound?  Does anyone have any other suggestions.  I'm not overly concerned as I'm not terribly unfit.  I recently had an evaluation at a gym, and according to the Testosterone-Overloaded instructor, I have 18% body fat, and am "moderately" fit.  So if I start Toccy on a lunging / roadwork / gentle schooling regimen, and start myself on this fitness regimen, we should both be fairly fit in about two months.  Does that sound accurate?

 

Tracey

(who can't believe that she's so motivated to do physical exercise!)