Hello, I hope you had an enjoyable Easter or otherwise long weekend! Last weeks' blogpost generated a great question from a Barnmice member. I thought I'd repeat her email below because her question is actually something I hear all the time: how do I do exercises to improve my riding fitness when I have hardly any time and space is tight?

The Question

Thank you SO much for all of these tips Heather!!! I have a little bit of a twist on a "fitness for riding" type of question: What kind of exercises can be done at work to benefit my riding? My job requires me to spend a lot of time sitting in front of my computer, but I try to get up every half hour/hour and move around to keep from getting stiff and to clear my head. I have been incorporating some pushups off the edge of my desk, tricep dips off my office chair, and simple feet together and touch toes stretching into some of my breaks, but what else can I be doing? Specifically, I would appreciate any ideas for lower body and core strength, as well as any other types of stretches I can do in limited space. (limited space as in I won't lay down on the dirty floor! haha!) submitted by DancesWithHooves .

What You Can Do

Getting up from your chair every hour or more is a really good idea if you have a desk job. Getting a complete workout right in your cubicle or office, might be a little difficult. I would definitely stretch regularly through the day: hamstring stretches with your foot up on your chair or desk, or touching your toes are fairly easy to do, as are quadricep stretches, side bends, and trapezius stretches (bend neck over so ear to shoulder). Other ways to undo the tightening effect of long hours in your chair could be leaning back on your chair with arms behind you and fingers locked together. You can find a stairwell to do a good calf stretch on a stair, or chest stretch with your arm on a wall. You probably have enough space at your workstation for a little side to side lunge (inner thigh) or runners' lunge (hip flexor). All that stretching will help keep you from tightening through the day in a way that will negatively impact your riding posture. Plus, you'll boost circulation and reduce stress.

As for strengthening, I really would make a time to do some at home or at the barn. At work you could stair walk, a few stairs at a time, and you could do a wall sit for your quadriceps. Sitting up straight in your chair and correcting your posture so you are sitting evenly on both seatbones with a tall spine and no slouch will engage core muscles- don't let yourself slouch at work. You can do knee extensions seated in a chair as well.

At home or barn, side crunches and regular crunches can be performed standing up, lifting your leg while crunching with your waist. They have an added benefit of working your glutes (side crunches) and hip flexors (forward leg raise with crunch).

At home, office, or driving in the car, you can also hold one arm up at shoulder height and perform small circles for a minute or two to strengthen your deltoids (shoulders) while you are concentrating on something else.

I hope these suggestions are helpful. There do not seem to be any photo submissions for this week, so please go ahead and send in your photos and questions for next week. Just attach them as comments to this weeks' blog.

Until next time, happy riding!

Heather Sansom
Equifitt.com