Balanced sitting: how to sit perfectly straight?

We all know that the rider must sit straight in the saddle. But any person, just like a horse, has asymmetry in the body, which is the norm. In living nature, as well as in the material world, there are neither absolutely symmetrical nor absolutely asymmetric objects.

When working on horseback, your interaction with the horse is important – the way you sit is the main guide and “control center”. When riding, the “curvature” of the rider can vary from an obvious tilt of the body to one of the sides to an imperceptible transfer of weight to one of the ischial bones. However, this curvature has consequences ranging from difficulty in performing elements correctly to pain in the lower back and back for both the athlete and the horse.

Photo: from the athlete’s Instagram

German athlete, two-time Olympic dressage champion, European champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl believes that the success of a rider lies in the right base for training a sports couple. Also in many interviews, Jessica talks about the importance of landing and concentration while riding. In addition to equestrian sports, the rider is engaged in yoga, running, doing breathing exercises, as well as exercises to increase concentration.

«A set of these additional activities will help make your ride more confident and calm.‘, adds Jessica.

It is possible and even necessary to engage in “work on mistakes” not only on a horse, but also on the ground. Given the incredibly high pace of modern life, not all of us manage to find time to train in the gym, but even 10 minutes a day devoted to your body at home will give a noticeable result.

Shoulder stretch

If the rider’s most common problem is trying to turn their shoulders inward, leaning too far forward and losing balance, then try this exercise:

Stand in a doorway and spread your arms to the sides, bending at the elbows, palms forward. Place your palms on the doorway and lean forward slightly, pressing lightly on your hands. You should feel a stretch in your chest muscles.

Relaxed shoulders and an open chest provide a stable and correct upper body position.

Press curls

Sometimes, the rider may not have enough physical fitness to properly perform the exercises during training and control their own position in the saddle.

Lie on the floor (it is better to use a yoga mat), slightly raise your knees and spread your feet. Tighten your abdominal muscles and slowly lift your upper body until your shoulder blades are no longer touching the floor. To begin with, it is worth doing the exercise 5-7 times, and later increase to 10-15 times per set.

As a result, the landing will become more confident, controlled, it will be much easier for you to keep balance and a straight back in all gaits.

Body turns with load

If an athlete raises one shoulder higher than the other, then the problem can be solved by strengthening and aligning the body.

To complete the exercise, you will need two small dumbbells up to 5 kg (can be replaced with water bottles). Lie on your back, bend your knees and take a dumbbell in your left hand. In this case, your palm should be turned towards the body. With your right hand along your body, raise your left hand towards the ceiling. Slowly, keeping your arm straight, turn to your right side and then return to the starting position. Perform the exercise 8 to 10 times in each direction.

After this exercise, the muscles are formed so that over time it will be easier for you to return your shoulder to its place and you can maintain an even position all the time without much effort.

Correction of incorrect head position

Another common mistake in landing is excessive tilting of the head down.

To fix this problem, you do not need to perform any special physical exercises. It is enough just to put the book on your head and try to move without letting the book fall. Pay attention to the correct position of the head for 5-7 minutes a day and develop a habit for life.

After you have found the balance in the saddle with the help of exercises and corrected the mistakes, don’t forget about them. At first, you may fall back into old habits.

Make it a rule mentally check your fit every few minutes. As a result, the correct position in the saddle will become familiar to you.