There is no doubt that being a horse rider involves the use of your core, legs, and muscles in your body. Not only do you want to be in shape for riding, but it is good to be fit out of the saddle also. Horse riders get a lot of physical activity- moving hay, carrying water buckets, and more. However, not everyday activities will keep you fit. This is where every day workouts come in. Working out regularly can help improve your strength, stability, and be a better rider.
Let me introduce you to Jamie, the owner of Haybells & Barbells. Jamie lives in Phoenix, AZ and has been riding since she was 10 years old. Jamie has ridden different disciplines over the years and has experience as an equine professional. She has been a riding instructor, equine assisted recreation therapist, and a therapeutic riding instructor.
@haybells.barbells on Instagram
Jamie has her Master of Science degree in Therapeutic Recreation. She is also a certified personal trainer and certified inclusive fitness trainer. In 2020, Jamie decided to start her small business, Haybells & Barbells. Jamie's love for both horses and fitness led her to this opportunity. Jamie's goal is to inform riders around the world about the importance that fitness has on riding.
Jamie offers a variety of fitness programs for all equestrians at any level. I interviewed Jamie and asked a few questions about her small business and her fitness journey.
Q: What made you want to start Haybells & Barbells?
A: "As a lifelong equestrian, I did not notice the importance of cross training out of the saddle until I started my fitness journey 10 years ago. When I started strength training, I noticed that I felt much stronger and stable in the saddle and it not only helped with my physical abilities in the saddle, but also benefitted my mental strength too. I started Haybales and Barbells to help equestrians all over the world understand that we are athletes too, and we need to train outside of our sport to get better at our sport."
Q: How has your fitness journey changed your lifestyle and riding?
A: "I started my fitness journey over a decade ago and have tried various training styles from training for hypertrophy, to strictly training cardiovascular endurance, to only training for strength. Over the years, I have realized that the best way to train for the equestrian sport is to include cardiovascular fitness training, muscular strength and endurance, mobility and flexibility training and balance training. As equestrians we do not need to be doing Olympic style lifts, or train like a marathon runner, but we need a blend of training styles to best benefit us as equestrian athletes."
Q: Do different exercises/workouts need to be done by different riders? Does it matter if someone rides English or western?
A: "Generally speaking, the overall concept of horse riding is the same across all disciplines. You need to have decent cardiovascular fitness, core strength and stability, the ability to balance and control your body and coordination of your rein, seat, and leg aids to ride efficiently and effectively. But once you have the foundation laid out and want to train specifically for your discipline, there are different types of workouts that will work better for your specific discipline! For example, barrel racers need to work on their explosive power and fast twitch muscles whereas endurance riders will need to work on their slow twitch muscles and cardiovascular endurance."
@haybells.barbells on Instagram
Q: What is your motivational advice for someone to workout regularly?
A: "Start slow, but just start. Many times, those who want to start a fitness journey start too fast, get discouraged, and then abandon the entire journey within the first few weeks. Setting too high of a goal in the beginning can cause you to feel pressured and discouraged when you don’t hit your target goals in the first couple weeks! Instead of changing up your routine 180 and going from doing zero workouts to 6 workouts a week, start with 2 or 3 a week and slowly start to build from there!"
Q: How do you help riders improve their core stability for in the saddle?
A: "Core strength and stability must be trained in a progressive manner. You cannot go from having zero core training to doing dynamic balance movements right away! I train riders by starting off with core stabilizing exercises, then moving on to single leg/single arm exercises and lastly incorporating dynamic balance movements to their training. My 8-Week Core Strength and Stability Series is a great program for riders that are wanting to improve their core!"
Q: What are some simple exercises that riders can do every day to improve their fitness?
A: "Incorporating mobility exercises daily is something that is so important for equestrians, especially those that spend a lot of time working at a desk! Working on your range of motion is not only beneficial for you in the saddle, to give better and more precise cues, but it can also help you prevent injuries!"
I give a big thank you to Jamie for taking the time to do an interview and share her expertise in equestrian fitness. You can follow Jamie on Instagram @haybells.barbells and on www.haybellsandbarbells.com.
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