# Your Riding Training Outside Riding



## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

Hey guys!

As you can see, this is long. Not all of it is important so feel free to skim through it 

I'm not sure if people ACTUALLY do this but I've seen it in movies and stuff a lot and I'm in this phase right now where I'm set on becoming a professional rider. I think it's a decent goal :wink: lol 

Aaaaaanyway. I wanted to know what you guys do for excersize and training that benefits your riding. I hear that running and running up and down the stairs are useful, along with yoga and stuff like that.

Now here's my issue. I have this thing called Osgood Schlatters Disease. ( Osgood ) In other words, fractures in my patellar tendon. (Which is basically under my knee.) OSD is a condition that is formed generally under my knee. It's found in teens who are growing and you get OSD if your tendon doesn't grow fast enough. When this happens, the tendon gets over stretched and becomes extremely inflamed and irritated; especially after any type of excersize, bending the knee, and overall, extention of the knee in any type of jumping motion or anything that causes pressure.

Because of this condition, I'm not really supposed to be riding because as you riders know, you do a LOT of work with your knees especially when you're posting or doing two point or even just sitting down in the saddle, your knees bend and extend a lot! So my knees often pop and give out and become VERY uncomfortable after I ride and I have to ice them to take down the swelling and inflammation. Of COURSE this does NOT stop me from riding! MOST people grow out of it anyway. Not everyone, but MOST do so I'm looking forward to when I stop growing so that I don't have to deal with this any more! 

Back on topic, I'm wondering what you guys do for excerisises for your riding. I used to LOVE running and I'd run every day if I could but my knees can NOT take that one bit. Same with any type of jumping, or excersizes that involve too much bending and pressure on the knee. Other than that I'm VERY open to any ideas! lol

I decided today that I wanted to get abs so I went without stirrups in my english saddle and tried to see how many laps I could do of trot and canter without stirrups. I was disappointed to realize that it got boring going around and around at the trot and canter and I gave up after 4 laps even though I wasn't near being tired yet. In my defense, we have a big arena! So that's the start to my training is going without stirrups every time I ride.

I'd like to get into some other stuff other than riding though. Things that strengthen your core, legs, stomach, back, posture, etc etc. Do you guys have any suggestions? I will NOT go to a yoga class. I don't have the money, OR time for that lol Thanks but no thanks!

Anyways thanks for reading! Give me what you've got!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Well, it certainly does help my riding but that isn't the main reason I do the workouts I do, I just love being wickedly fit. I do kickboxing, with lots of cardio, plyometrics, caliestetics and some weight training, I work out 5 or 6 days a week for about 45 minutes to an hour, with a power yoga cool down. Any kind of exercise that does not cause me to have sweat running into my eyes is considering an "activity" not exercise.


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

waresbear said:


> Well, it certainly does help my riding but that isn't the main reason I do the workouts I do, I just love being wickedly fit. I do kickboxing, with lots of cardio, plyometrics, caliestetics and some weight training, I work out 5 or 6 days a week for about 45 minutes to an hour, with a power yoga cool down. Any kind of exercise that does not cause me to have sweat running into my eyes is considering an "activity" not exercise.


Haha wow you're crazy! Sounds great though!


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

Hey I have that too! Its so bad now I'm not even allowed to run for PT anymore and it caused a lot of other problems....

But aanywayss even if you can't run the elliptical and bike can become your best friends.

If that hurts (it does for me) swimming. Its like the ultimate cardio work out.


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## Cheyennes mom (Aug 6, 2010)

Roperchick said:


> Hey I have that too! Its so bad now I'm not even allowed to run for PT anymore and it caused a lot of other problems....
> 
> But aanywayss even if you can't run the elliptical and bike can become your best friends.
> 
> If that hurts (it does for me) swimming. Its like the ultimate cardio work out.


Whoohoo I'm not alone  Apparently it's pretty common but I don't know many people who have it...There's a few people with different forms of it that I've found but.

Swimming...that's convenient considering that I have an endless pool in my house...


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## Cynical25 (Mar 7, 2013)

I dealt with that growing up; as an adult, ton of stairs or hiking too steep a trail will still cause some issues. Swimming or water aerobics are your most gentle options.

Work on strengthening the rest of your body with ab work (try an exercise ball for variety,) arm work, pushups, planks, heel/calf raises if your knees allow. The punching bag or boxing-type arm moves are a good option for cardio when your lower body can't handle the impact of dancing, running or jumping - you'll still get your heartrate up.


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