riderstrengthcoach

Most riders think their gym work should look like riding…

Balancing on unstable surfaces
Pulling bands like it’s reins
Doing random “core” exercises that feel specific

There’s a good reason rugby players don’t chase a ball around the gym and footballers don’t practice stepovers between sets.

They build strength, power, and the solid foundations, so they can express it on the pitch

Riding is no different.

The gym is where you:
– Build strength to stay with the horse
– Develop power to react quickly
– Improve endurance so you’re not collapsing under fatigue

Not where you try to recreate the sport badly.

Specificity matters… but don’t get it the wrong way round.

Ok, not my usual but I felt compelled to make my view (no shade!). I think riders don’t need more reasons to avoid or be scared of training… and this kind of messaging doesn’t help.

The idea that strength training or cardio will make your riding worse just isn’t backed by evidence.

We have consistent research showing strength training improves performance, reduces injury risk, and helps you maintain position and control under fatigue.

Can training be done badly? Absolutely

If you’re constantly fatigued, not progressing, or not following sensible plan… you might feel worse.

But that’s not a problem with strength training. That’s a programming problem.

As riders, we need to be strong enough to produce force, absorb force, and maintain position when it counts.

Avoiding training isn’t the answer. Doing it properly is.

Doing the wrong kind of rider fitness
Is like training your horse a brilliant walk pirouette for your 160km endurance
yes it’s time spent training, but there’s not the performance outcome that you actually want

Rider actions and decision making can directly influence equine welfare and performance - which is why it’s important that you understand the demands of your sport and therefore how fit you need to be to support your equine partner.

Usually we’d use research to know exactly the demands of sport but much of the research has been done on the horse rather than the rider, so we don’t have exact data for endurance, they’ve taken data from other disciplines and drawn conclusions from that. Jane Williams has done a useful research paper on this.

Research also tells us that just riding is not enough to prepare equestrians for the demands of riding. Its widely misunderstood how fit you need to be to complete this well as a helpful partner to your horse

Endurance is a broad discipline with distance going up to 160km, so the demands of your endurance ride is going to depend on your distance.

Here’s heart rate data from research in other disciplines so it’s considerable cardiac strain

Heart rate increasing through the gaits, so the faster the gait , the higher your heart rate.

Long durations of 2 point requires ability to sustain a high heart rate and blood lactate in the legs - so conditioning will offset early onset of blood lactate concentration.

Research suggests your chosen seat will impact energy expenditure - rising trot expends more energy than sitting or desert seat.

Janes paper outlines the importance of compound lifts, trunk training, training in a full range of motion to prevent injury, shoulder complex work (like rows and scapular work), hip mobilisation and posterior chain strengthening. It recommends maximal isometrics, squats with pulses to improve stability mechanics.

Follow along for part 2.

Here’s the link to Jane Williams research paper on the Performance Demands in the Endurance Rider:https://pure.hartpury.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/21090025/Performance_demands_in_the_Endurance_Rider.pdf

1️⃣ Bar position: secure on your upper back, not pressing into your neck
2️⃣ Grip: tight and controlled to create upper body tension
3️⃣ Brace: ribs down, core engaged before you move
4️⃣ Feet: set your stance so you can sit between your hips, not tip forward

This gives you:
✅ Stability under load
✅ Better depth without losing position
✅ Power through your legs