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Why I Start with Small, Controlled Exercises Before Global Strengthening
I love a good squat, lunge, or deadlift when working with athletes, and riders are athletes! These exercises are fantastic for building general strength and improving performance across many sports. However, when it comes to riders, I believe the focus needs to start on small, controlled exercises with purpose—especially when wanting to work on improving riding position and body control in the saddle.
One discussion I recently had with a rider physio centered around the idea that lower-level exercises don't help us move a half-tonne animal—a resistance band, for example, isn't suddenly going to give you the strength to control such a powerful creature. And that’s true. But that’s not the point of my approach.The focus of these exercises isn't about instantly becoming strong enough to overpower a horse; instead, it’s about learning movements, improving body awareness, and getting stronger than you currently are. This sets you up to be in a better position, both physically and mentally, to progress.
Take, for example, the rider on the left of this photo. She didn’t have the body awareness or control to sit in a better position in the saddle. In fact, when she tried to correct her position, all she did was exaggerate what she was already doing. Now, this isn’t a beginner rider who doesn’t understand what her position should look like—she simply wasn’t capable of moving her body differently at the start of the session. So, we worked on exercises out of the saddle, focusing on helping her understand how to move her pelvis and connect her rib cage to her pelvis with abdominal exercises. After that, when she got back in the saddle, she was able to sit in a better position.
It will take time for her to maintain that new position consistently and even more time to control it as the horse moves, but it’s a great start. And this is exactly what the rider physio video subscription aims to do. It helps riders build awareness and improve body control out of the saddle so they can apply it when riding.
For riders, the goal is to build a solid foundation first. By mastering these smaller, controlled movements, you develop the essential coordination, balance, and core stability that translate directly into a better seat and position in the saddle. From this foundation, we can build strength that’s functional and specific to riding. This approach ensures that the strength you develop is meaningful—it will help you ride more effectively, rather than just making you stronger in isolation.
Once that foundation is in place, then we can start layering on more traditional strength work—getting stronger, and eventually, more powerful, in athletic terms. It’s a step-by-step progression. First, we learn the movement and stabilise the body. Then, as you get stronger, you’ll be able to move with more fluidity and control in the saddle, which naturally improves your position and balance. Ultimately, you’ll have the strength and power that translates into better performance with your horse.
In short, while a resistance band won’t make you strong enough to move a half-tonne animal, it's the foundation-building that matters. You need to have the right control and awareness first before focusing on building strength. Once you’ve mastered the basics, that’s when we start focusing on increasing your strength and power as a rider, ensuring that every bit of it enhances your performance in the saddle as your rider biomechanics improves.
That’s where the rider physio video subscription comes in. It provides detailed, step-by-step guides on how to do these exercises correctly, explaining why they are important to help your riding. Not only do you learn what to do, but you also understand why you’re doing it—how each movement translates into better control, balance, and strength in the saddle. Plus, the videos emphasise proper technique to make sure you’re getting the full benefits of each exercise, ensuring your work out of the saddle helps you ride better in it.
New exercises to be added later today!
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