Have you ever tried to ride a horse, twist sideways, hit a ball, steer, and avoid getting knocked off by another horse/rider juggernaut? You should try it sometime.
I certainly hadn't until I decided to take up polo literally a few weeks ago. While I had to benefit of a lifetime of riding horses in just about every discipline imaginable polo had always been more of a spectator sport on my radar. But after my first practice I was HOOKED. And the next day I was SORE.
“After my first practice I was HOOKED. And the next day I was SORE.”
Now, I'll be honest when I saw I pride myself in being in pretty good shape. I teach yoga several times a week, play tennis, and am an active person in general. But Polo much like any other sport be it riding, soccer , or ballet, uses a very specific set of muscles. Which makes sense considering you are squeezing your knees for dear life to grip the saddle, holding reins (and sometimes having to really HOLD if you have a feisty pony), winding your core up so you can smash through a ball with a weighted mallet all while moving at speed.
Can you say micro-muscles?
Strengthening + Lengthening.
The reason yoga has been such a life changer for me personally is that it helps to lengthen your muscles out while you make them stronger. We call this strengthening and lengthening. If your muscle fibers are short you have a higher chance for injury because when stretched they tear rather than flex and they put unnecessary strain on attachment sites and tendons/ligaments because they cant move with the motion. Yoga is the perfect blend of building long lean muscle that is adaptable. And don't even get me started on the benefits of linking breathe and mindfulness.... but, I digress.
Pre-Ride Stretch.
"[I like to] ... be aware of how my body is influencing my position on any given day and how its influencing my horse when I hit the tack.”
Whenever I get to the barn whether I am getting ready to go on a hack, stick+ball, or take a jump lesson, I like to do a few basic stretches. I do this not just to gain some flexibility and warm up, but also to check in to see where I'm tight and where I may be uneven (yes, our bodies usually have a side that is dominant). It helps my body limber up all around, but it also lets me be aware of how my body is influencing my position on any given day and how its influencing my horse when I hit the tack.
The Routine.
Start with ragdoll to release the hamstrings, lower back, and loosen the spine. Then I find triangle pose to open the hips and upper body, next I move into pyramid pose to revisit the back body, then I go for revolved pyramid to get some extension in the torso and upper back (especially if I am about to play polo and swing a malette). Come to standing and lift your arms up overhead stretching tall to finish. Take a few deep breathes in each of these and take as much time as you need! Check out the video (Coming Soon) for step by step instruction.
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