Rider fitness is a HUGE part of being a successful rider. I may have a full-time desk job that prevents me from riding everyday, but I still maintain a decent level of fitness to try and prevent myself from looking like a "bouncing monkey" during the medium or extended trot.
Today I will share the top 3 forms of exercise that have helped me improve most in my riding. I'll save the rest of my fitness routine for another day :). I'd like to forewarn you that these are not all inexpensive to do, but they are well-worth it if you want to become a stronger rider.
1. GYROTONIC
I think anyone can successfully do gyrotonic exercises whether they have a crippled body and chronic issues or not. These are extremely low-impact exercises on special equipment that focus on core stability and having equal strength/ flexibility on each side. It's as close to swimming without water that I've ever experienced. Even if I go in with a stiff body and low mobility, I come out feeling loose and limber.
The catch: It's not cheap and can be hard to find studios where it's offered.
To see if it's offered close to you, visit: https://www.gyrotonic.com/studios_classes_and_courses.aspx
2. PILATES
There's a reason this is already the go-to fitness plan for Dressage Divas! It increases body awareness and strengthens weak areas, with a huge focus on core strength and stability. I've found that private lessons with a Pilates instructor are invaluable in fixing huge form issues that I never noticed when I was trying to do Pilates exercises on my own. They are well-worth the investment. The equipment in Pilates studios (such as the reformer, chair, and table) is surprisingly helpful too, especially if you find the mat exercises to be a bit difficult.
3. CARDIO ON THE ELLIPTICAL
Here's a budget friendly one for you! I try to do 30-45 minutes 2-4x/week on the elliptical machine at my apartment complex gym, followed by some light weight lifting. I find I can work on core stability most with it when I put it on a lower resistance at a high incline and pedal backwards without hold onto moving handles. I keep correct posture (shoulders back, shoulder blades down, everything aligned vertically) and try to stabilize my core like I would riding a big sitting trot. This is much more efficient for weight loss but not as good at strengthening as doing GRYOTONIC or Pilates exercises. It is also a fraction of the cost as the other two!
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