Inhibitor #4

You lack flexibility and mobility.

The Solution: Prep before and recover after your ride.

Strength and endurance increase as you exercise, but if your muscles are tight and inflexible, it inhibits your riding. Just like a horse with tight shoulders can’t move freely, muscle tightness reduces your range of motion. If your hips are tight, it’s difficult to move your legs to cue your horse well. Or, if your back is tight, it tires quickly and you lose the stamina needed to drive your horse forward in a gait.

To avoid this, stretch before you ride. It alleviates stiffness and soreness, and preps your body to work. The single-leg chair stretch demonstrated on page 70 is my preferred pre-ride, hip-opening stretch. A quick bodyweight warm up also reduces pre-ride tightness and post-ride soreness. Complete three sets of five air squats before you saddle up to warm up your body, set your hips evenly, and activate your muscles. To perform a controlled squat, start with your feet hip-width apart, and lower yourself as deeply into the squat as possible while in the correct position. Like riding, your heels are down (in contact with the ground) and your chest is upright. As soon as form breaks down—your chest caves in, your heels come up, or your back rounds—you’ve reached your squat-depth stopping point. Over time the depth of your squat improves, as will your comfort in your riding seat.

Allow yourself time to cool down and stretch after each ride or workout session. This speeds up recovery and saves you the discomfort of your muscles shortening, tightening, and then cramping.