# Exercises to specifically strengthen one leg?



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Try riding with just your strong leg in the stirrup. That way the weaker one has to work that much harder to stay in position. It's hard, but it works.


----------



## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Good idea. That might really help. It is definitely getting stronger. No longer having pretty constant hip/knee pain, but I really want to help it along you know?


----------



## 7Ponies (May 21, 2009)

I had a bad fall when I was a teenager and it left a pinched nerve in my back to the extent that when I was mounted on a horse I had no ability to move my right leg. It took me years to get that leg stronger, but it finally did.

Here's a good video that utilizes a lot of the exercises I did back then (and still do today) to strengthen and help with hip flexibility.


----------



## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

I would do some hip/inner thigh training. Have you seen those machines that you squeeze them in and you can reverse it to push them out with your hips? Those would work wonders for you. If no machine is available, you can squeeze a yoga ball with your legs and for your hips, use some ankle weights and while standing straight up, hold onto a chair or something sturdy and swing your leg out to the side no higher than hip height. Or if no weights are available, use a resistance band and wrap the middle of it around your ankle and tie both ends to a pole or something cylinder shaped and sturdy and perform as you would with the ankle weights.


----------



## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Thanks 7ponies. Some of those I'm already doing because of the PT, but I'll incorporate the others. Pechos, I'm already doing a couple variations of those (on the ground and the machine) but I'll add in the standing ones too. 

After yesterdays ride I realized how badly I need this leg to strengthen up quickly. He was a complete nut and my leg gave out/cramped up completely at a very critical point. It wasn't anywhere near fun..


----------



## 7Ponies (May 21, 2009)

When you start getting stronger, add ankle weights while doing the exercises. It helps to gain strength back.


----------



## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Cool, I definitely will. It's really nice to not have constant hip/knee pain and I kind of slacked off when that went away. Then spring came and I started riding more and realized how weak my leg is, so now it's bootcamp for me!


----------

