Exercise to Improve Hip and Abdominal Stability for Riders

When riding, the muscles that control the movement of our hips play a big role in our overall stability.

These exercises will help you gain better strength, stability and control over your glutes, inner thighs, quads and hip flexors, lower core, obliques and smaller stabiliser muscles, all of which have their role to play in movement (and controlling excessive movements) in your hips and lower spine.

Riding is a balancing act between being mobile and supple enough to move with the horse (without flopping around) and also stable enough to guide and direct your horse (without bracing or blocking.) When it comes to our hips, we need the ability to move our seatbones with the horse, give controlled and clear aids with our seat and legs, and also direct the movement of the horse to not be bounced out of position.

Try these exercises to improve your strength and stability through your hips:

Glute Bridge with Abductions

Place a band above your knees. Raise your hips up off the floor, with your hips tucked to neutral and lower abdominals engaged. Push out against the band, using the side of your glutes, keep hips up as you do this.

Block Glute Bridge

Place a block between the knees and lightly squeeze to engage muscles along your glutes and inner thigh. Raise and lower hips.

Deadbug: Leg Lowers

Lift legs up to 90 degrees. Keep head and shoulders on floor and relaxed, and hips tucked so lower abdominals are engaged. Extend one leg at a time, making sure not to arch your back.

Side Plank

Lay on side and stack your knees and hips in line with body. Lift up, using side of your abdominals and glutes. Hold.

Static Lunge

Start standing, and then step back with one leg onto a tip toe. Place your balance in your front leg, feeling even pressure through the big toe knuckle, pinkie toe knuckle and heel on the front foot. Lower down by bending your knees, staying upright through your body, opening up through your back hip. Drive up through the front leg.

Band Cha Cha

Place band above your ankles. Stand on one leg and soften knee (keeping in line with toe). Step back and diagonally, keeping weight through front leg.

*Make sure to maintain diaphragm breathing through each exercise

If you need help with your fitness for riding, you can start your journey by applying for coaching.

Happy riding!

- Kirsty