Keeping in Shape while Away from Horses?

[Kairoshorses]

I am going to help someone recover from pretty major surgery for about two weeks in July.

I'm not a runner, alas. I've been riding one, sometimes two horses a day for about 5 days a week. I know it's not much, but at my age, it doesn't take long to lose what I've built up.

What do you all do??

[subk]

I actually find it easier to stay in shape when I'm not riding because I have more time! Just about anything keeps me fitter than riding, but generally I either bike or swim. Can't run, I've got bad knees.

[wsmoak]

I am going to help someone recover from pretty major surgery for about two weeks in July.

I'm not a runner, alas. I've been riding one, sometimes two horses a day for about 5 days a week. I know it's not much, but at my age, it doesn't take long to lose what I've built up.

What do you all do??

Cardio and strength training (whether or not I'm riding... I don't ride enough for it to really "count" other than _always_ finding a few muscles I haven't used at the gym!)

I assume you can find something for cardio. For strength you can do plenty with your own body weight (pushups, sit-ups, hold your body in 'plank' position on your elbows and toes.) If you can bring along a stability ball (Swiss exercise ball? The big ones you can sit on.) you can do even more.

For example... to work the muscles you use for two-point, lie on the floor with your feet on the 'equator' of the ball. Lift your hips off the floor. Hold for two counts, then lower hips slowly. repeat.

Practical Horseman has had a good exercise series going for the last several months... I recognize a lot of the exercises from what I do at the gym with a trainer.

--
Wendy
http://pbase.com/wendysmoak

[Speedy]

Swimming and/or walking are great. If you walk, be sure to march, not meander, use hills, and add hand and/or ankle weights if possible. Lunges are a perfect supplement.

[scubed]

www.healthclubs.com to find a gym close by. You can take spinning or aerobics classes, do yoga, lift weights. If there is a community pool or Y, swimming is a good option. Hopefully, other help and scheduling will allow you to get away a couple times a day for an hour or two, which you could use to work out. I agree that I am fitter when not riding as much, because getting the same amount of exercise riding takes more time than lifting, spinning, swimming, running or yoga.

[AzuWish]

Yoga really helps with overall strength and core balance. You stretch muscles and use muscles you thought you never had before. When my horse was unable to be ridden during her hoof rehab process, I relied on yoga and running to keep fit, but I bet doing swimming and yoga would be great in combination.

It's no impact too :)

But go to your local gym and take classes. The yoga on video tapes is not as affective since it can't critique you and help you understand the concept (much like trying to learn to ride form a video tape lol)