Horseback Riding With Balance and Ease

How can you tell if you’re riding in balance or not? Here’s a hint: is your trainer always after you because you have more contact with one leg than the other? Do you hear that you ought to “sit down in your saddle more” or “drop one heel?” Did you ever wonder about that?

When you stand in front of a mirror, is one shoulder higher than the other, or one hip? Can you look farther over your right shoulder than your left? A rider needs to be perfectly balanced on her horse because when she’s out of whack, she throws her horse off. Plain and simple.

Competitive riding is a team sport. When both horse and rider are supple, balanced and have access to their full range of movement, it’s a joy to watch them work and the partnership blossoms. A horse’s center of gravity is pretty high. That central balance point is about five feet above the ground and balanced on feet that are about 12 inches apart.

If the horse has structural imbalances, getting him to move gracefully may be difficult. By the same token, if the horse is structurally balanced but the rider is not, the rider will hold the horse back. Most riders have enough history of bumps, thumps and hard landings to compromise anyone’s body.

Nobody wants to hurt their horse, but I suggest that perhaps an impediment to your horse’s ongoing development might be you. Under saddle, a rider’s imbalances easily transfer onto the horse. Imagine carrying a bowling ball on one side of your body while you try to dance. If you did that a few times a week for a year, no doubt you would create ways to compensate for the imbalance so that you could be as graceful as possible. It’s easy to imagine, however, that you wouldn’t dance with as much skill or balance as when that weight is equally distributed.

When a horse has an unbalanced rider, he has to exercise in a compromised state. Over time, this drives imbalances deep into the horse’s structure and affects his movement and style. A structurally misaligned body experiences gravity as excess stress. Movement and flexibility become limited and cause energy loss, aging and deterioration. A body in alignment with gravity experiences gravitational forces as supportive and is able to move with greater ease, flexibility and strength.

How can you become a more balanced and powerful rider? Through the experience of structural bodywork, chiropractic spinal alignment, effective stretching and with specific strengthening exercises.

3 Factors that will help you Run better

There are those who have characterized posture as “the constant struggle to remain erect against the force of gravity.”  Aristotle saw Homo Sapiens as a “mass of matter”.  Ida Rolf saw us as an “energy field”. In both viewpoints, the greater, and more overpowering force is that of gravity.  It is our constant goal, however momentary, to push away from this incessant force and fly, unencumbered from the earth’s force field.  To run. To glide. To fly.

            Your posture has a lot to do with how easily you move.  There are three elements for maintaining balanced posture which you should be aware of: 1) skeletal structure, 2) soft tissue integrity, and 3) neurological control.  Studies show that when these three factors are in harmony with each other, there occurs what is known as “intrinsic equilibrium” or “tensional integrity”.  Your skeletal system contributes to your size and shape.  Problems can develop when there is asymmetry of shape or changes in joint function, reducing mobility and creating motion fixations (stiffness and decreased range of motion).

            Soft tissue integrity is what holds you together and allows you to move.  If there is a shortening or weakening of the connective tissues (muscles, fascia, tendons and ligaments), then your posture is altered and function is impaired.  With neurological control, you have a complex alliance of several neurological factors, including reflexes, pain, learned behaviors and acquired habits.  Add to this a history of injuries, occupational stresses and psychological makeup.

            Another postural factor you must be aware of is the influence of your spinal curves.  The four normal curves of your spine create a biomechanical advantage for shock absorption.  Studies have shown that “optimal balance of these physiologic curves creates effortless, non-fatiguing posture that is painless to the individual.”  Running, walking, standing, jumping, anything we do in an upright position will be more efficient and allow for greater endurance in all endeavors.

            Finally, as a runner, you must consider that the forces you create with each stride have been estimated to be up to 200% of your body weight.  The wear and tear on your joints will only be magnified when there is imbalance or restriction.  Strategies abound on how to prevent injuries and improve performance, but certain principles remain constant:  maintain a properly aligned spine, stay flexible with daily stretching of all muscle groups, make sure you are adequately hydrated and eat appropriately.  Watch your posture, particularly during the mundane actions like sitting, lifting, and bending.  Your training doesn’t end when you stop running, but your performance can benefit if you consider your posture as an integral part of your training program.

How To Have a More Powerful Golf Swing

There are those who have characterized posture as “the constant struggle to remain erect against the force of gravity.” Aristotle saw Homo Sapiens as a “mass of matter”. Ida Rolf saw us as an “energy field”. In both viewpoints, the greater and more overpowering force is that of gravity. It is our constant goal, however momentary, to push away from this incessant force and fly, unencumbered from the earth’s force field. To run. To glide. To fly.

As a golfer, you want to utilize your power and flexibility to unleash a force that will propel your golf ball to great distances and with consistent accuracy. You must have a physical “vehicle” that is both resilient – able to withstand repetitive motion, and reliability – able to harness your strength and coordination with every swing.

Your posture has a lot to do with how easily you will move and play your game. There are three factors for maintaining balanced posture which you should be aware of: 1) skeletal structure, 2) soft tissue integrity, and 3) neurological control. Studies show that when these three factors are in harmony with each other, there occurs what is known as “intrinsic equilibrium” or “tensional integrity”. Your skeletal system contributes to your size and shape. Problems can develop when there is asymmetry of shape or changes in joint function, reducing mobility and creating motion fixations (stiffness and decreased range of motion).

Soft tissue integrity is what holds you together and allows you to move. If there is a shortening or weakening of the connective tissues (muscles, fascia, tendons and ligaments), then your posture is altered and function is impaired. With neurological control, you have a complex alliance of several neurological factors, including reflexes, pain, learned behaviors and acquired habits. Add to this a history of injuries, occupational stresses and psychological makeup, and it is any wonder you can swing a club and hit the ball consistently.

Another postural factor you must be aware of is the influence of your spinal curves. The four normal curves of your spine create a biomechanical advantage for shock absorption. Studies have shown that “optimal balance of these physiologic curves creates effortless, non-fatiguing posture that is painless to the individual.” Walking, standing, jumping, twisting; anything we do in an upright position will be more efficient and allow for greater endurance in all endeavors.

Finally, as a golfer, you must consider the forces you create in your spine and joints with each swing. The wear and tear on your joints is only magnified when there is imbalance or restriction. Strategies abound on how to prevent injuries and improve performance, but certain principles remain constant: maintain a properly aligned spine, stay flexible with daily stretching of all muscle groups, make sure you are adequately hydrated and eat appropriately. Watch your posture, particularly during the mundane actions like sitting, lifting, and bending. The influences that affect your golf game do not end at the 18^th hole. They are with you 24 hours a day. Your performance will benefit, however, if you consider your posture and your habits away from the golf course as an integral part of your training program.