When someone thinks about “training” their core, most people think of someone laying flat on their back doing endless amounts of sit-ups and crunches.
In reality, our core needs to be trained from an upright position to battle the effects that gravity, mass, momentum, and ground reaction forces place on our bodies on a daily basis.
Very rarely do we stay on our backs for a prolonged period of time throughout the day.
As an Adult Dressage Rider, your core training should look and feel like how your body moves when you are riding. This will enhance your posture, take away aches/pains, and provide much needed core stability to help you maximize your performance in life and on the horse.
Seated Med Ball 3D Vertical Core Exercise
Begin in a seated position. Take the med ball and reach forward allowing your spine to flex. Then take the ball and reach overhead and behind extending through your spine. Make sure to not hyper-extend your low back. Perform 8-15 reps.
Keep the ball overhead with your elbows extended. Reach side to side allowing the rest of your body to follow. Perform 8-15 reps.
Take the ball and stick it out at chest height. Rotate to the right and left. Make sure to keep a tall spine not allowing your back to flex. Perform 8-15 reps.
Resistance Band Pallof Press
This is a great exercise to build core stability, get rid of low back pain, and improve your posture.
Begin with your body perpendicular from the anchor point. Have plenty of tension on the band and start with the handle at chest height. Push straight ahead at chest height not allowing the band to rotate. Perform 8-15 reps on each side.
Make sure to keep a tall spine and not allowing your low back to hyper-extend.
