By Kelli
Make it productive by doing these simple exercises to get your body ready too!
While at your desk…
Sit Tall
One of the best things you can do for your body is to sit properly throughout your day. Sit at the edge of your chair with your feet flat on the floor. Lengthen your spine, gently pulling in your lower abs to support the low back so that your spine is in a neutral position (keeping the natural curve to your spine). Pull your shoulders back gently with shoulder blades down the back. Try to maintain this position for several minutes or until your muscles start to fatigue. Picture yourself in the saddle; building postural strength will help prevent back fatigue/pain while riding, using the natural curve of the spine as a shock absorber.
Calf Raise/Hip Stretch
You get two for the price of one with this exercise! Once again, sit at the edge of your chair with your feet flat on the floor. Cross your right leg on top of the left so that your right ankle is resting on your left thigh, just above the knee. Ahh, a great stretch for your right hip! Maintaining that position, push your left toes down into the floor so that your left heel lifts up off the floor, engaging your left calf muscle. Raise and lower several times until you feel slight fatigue in the left calf muscle. Repeat on the other side. Building calf strength will help you hike up those mountains and hip flexibility will be a bonus in all your activities at the ranch, even barn dance!
Chair Slides
This exercise only works if you have an office chair with wheels. Sit on the end of your chair with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent. Sit up tall and hold on to each side of your chair with your hands. Push the chair backwards so that your legs start to straighten out in front of you but your feet remain on the floor. Next pull the chair forward so that you are back where you began. When pushing and pulling back and forth, keep your core engaged yet stay tall in your seat. A great glute and hamstring workout to prepare for that push/pull on those bike pedals.
Ball Squeeze
Do you have an extra ball lying around the house? Take it to work with you and get those adductors (inner thigh muscles) ready for riding! A 4” ball is ideal but anything close to that will work. Place the ball between the knees and keep the feet flat on the floor. You can squeeze the ball and release several times or squeeze and hold the squeeze for several seconds, then release. As always, sit with great posture and keep your core slightly engaged while squeezing. Believe it or not, this exercise will make you a better communicator with your horse (not sure how it works with spouses!) Slight leg movements and pressure applied with the thighs tell your horse what you want them to do!
Chair Twists
Twisting is a great way to loosen up the torso and squeeze out tension in the body. Plus, it just feels great after sitting at your desk for long periods. It is very important to always lengthen the spine before twisting it, so start off by sitting tall. Keep your feet flat on the floor and start the twist from your belly. As you start to twist to the right, place your left hand on the outside of your right knee and allow your torso and shoulders to follow the twist. If your right hand reaches the back seat of your chair, you can grab a hold, but don’t force the twist by pulling yourself further with your right hand. Just let the twist happen naturally. Make sure to keep yourself tall throughout the whole twist, not collapsing as you twist. Hold the twist for a few breathes, then slowly unwind from the twist. Repeat on the other side. Practicing the twist will help you be more flexible in the saddle, allowing you to chat with the “Dude” behind you on the trail, not to mention enjoying the beautiful 360 view!
Camel Pose
No camels on the ranch, just horses. We are borrowing this pose from yoga class, as it is a great chest opener, something everyone who sits at a desk can benefit from. Once again, sit near the edge of your chair, with feet flat, and posture tall. Place your fists behind each glute and draw your elbows towards each other, shoulder blades coming together too. Lift your chest up towards the ceiling, lengthening the spine, keeping the neck in line with the spine. Breathe into the stretch, holding it for a few seconds, then releasing. Repeat several times during the day, each time imagining all those stars you will be able to see from your hot tub at night.
So enjoy your productive day dreaming and before you know it, you will be here, fit and ready to take on all the exciting activities at VVR. We look forward to seeing you soon!
