The muscles around the pelvis
  • Lean forward until you can’t get any further due to the stretch on the hamstring. Move your upper body back and forth in the stretch area. Repeat 10 times.
  • Stay as far forward with your upper body as possible and move the pelvis from side to side. Be careful not to lift your hips or rotate. Repeat 10 times.
  • Stay in the same position and let the front leg act as a wind-shield wiper. Rotate the leg from side to side as much as possible. Repeat 10 times and then change legs.

Starting position 

Kneel on the floor, place one leg straight in front of the other. Lean slightly forward with a straight back until you can feel a stretch in the hamstring of the front leg. You can bend the front knee a bit, to
avoid an overstretched knee. The foot of the kneeling leg should point straight backwards.

  • Tuck your buttock while keeping the tension in the abdominal muscles to avoid a sway in the back. The stretch should be felt on the front of the hip or thigh.
  • Move you pelvic and body forward until you feel a stretch. Keep the body straight and the buttock tucked in and move your hip slowly back and forth in the stretch area 10 times.
  • Stay in the stretch area and move the pelvis straight from side to side 10 times.
  • Still in the stretch area. Bend to the side away from the knee positioned on the floor. Place your arm over the head and tilt the neck to the side. Be careful not to lean forward. Do this 10 times and then change legs.

Mobility of the hip flexors and the quadriceps

The cause of an unbalanced seat is often related to the muscles around the pelvis. If a muscle has been subjected to a hard blow, prolonged use in a shortened position or stress, it may contract. It takes extra effort to get the muscle to relax again and thereby regain full mobility in the saddle.

Lene Theill's exercises will help you gain a better muscle balance around the pelvis, so your ability for a balanced seat will improve.

HOW TO IMPROVE THE BALANCED SEAT
5 EFFECTIVE EXERCISES 

Starting position 

Kneel on the floor as if you wanted to propose to
someone. The front foot and knee facing straight ahead, and the rear leg facing straight back.

By Tina Bjerre Nielsen //  Photo: Victoria Binder Photography

Many riders have an unbalanced seat, which can make it close to impossible for the horse to move straight and balanced. To help you obtain a balanced seat, physiotherapist, and Master of sports, Lene Theill from Fit4you, offers you five exercises, which you can easily do at home.

Mobility of the hamstrings

Starting position 

Stand with your forearm in shoulder height horizontally up against the wall. Place your feet together and about 40-50 centimetres from the wall. The knees should be stretched.

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  • Move back and forth with your whole body in the stretch area. 
  • Gently repeat this movement 20 times.
  • Stay in the position where you feel a good amount of stretch and move your hips from side to side. If you can’t really move in that position, find one that feels a bit more comfortable and try there. 
  • Repeat 10 times on each side. 
  • Remember to take deep breaths until the tissue starts to relax.

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Starting position 

Lie on your knees and elbows stretching your knees as far apart as possible. Relax the
muscles in your buttock and inner thighs.

  • Lean the hip as far towards the wall as possible, keeping the body and knees completely straight and without rotation in the pelvis.
  • Take a deep breath and then gently push yourself back to the starting position. 
  • Repeat 10 times and then change sides.

The frog

  • Take steps that are long enough for you to feel a stretch in the front of the thigh on the back leg. Make sure your upper body is straight and your core muscles are engaged. 
  • Repeat this up to 10 times on each leg.

Lunges

Starting position 

Do deep knee bends while walking.

Mobility of the lumbar muscles

Mobility of the hip flexors and the quadriceps

  • Lean forward until you can’t get any further due to the stretch on the hamstring. Move your upper body back and forth in the stretch area. Repeat 10 times.
  • Stay as far forward with your upper body as possible and move the pelvis from side to side. Be careful not to lift your hips or rotate. Repeat 10 times.
  • Stay in the same position and let the front leg act as a wind-shield wiper. Rotate the leg from side to side as much as possible. Repeat 10 times and then change legs.

Starting position 

Kneel on the floor, place one leg straight in front of the other. Lean slightly forward with a straight back until you can feel a stretch in the hamstring of the front leg. You can bend the front knee a bit, to
avoid an overstretched knee. The foot of the kneeling leg should point straight backwards.

Mobility of the hamstrings

  • Tuck your buttock while keeping the tension in the abdominal muscles to avoid a sway in the back. The stretch should be felt on the front of the hip or thigh.
  • Move you pelvic and body forward until you feel a stretch. Keep the body straight and the buttock tucked in and move your hip slowly back and forth in the stretch area 10 times.
  • Stay in the stretch area and move the pelvis straight from side to side 10 times.
  • Still in the stretch area. Bend to the side away from the knee positioned on the floor. Place your arm over the head and tilt the neck to the side. Be careful not to lean forward. Do this 10 times and then change legs.

Starting position 

Kneel on the floor as if you wanted to propose to
someone. The front foot and knee facing straight ahead, and the rear leg facing straight back.

The cause of an unbalanced seat is often related to the muscles around the pelvis. If a muscle has been subjected to a hard blow, prolonged use in a shortened position or stress, it may contract. It takes extra effort to get the muscle to relax again and thereby regain full mobility in the saddle.

Lene Theill's exercises will help you gain a better muscle balance around the pelvis, so your ability for a balanced seat will improve.

The muscles around the pelvis

Many riders have an unbalanced seat, which can make it close to impossible for the horse to move straight and balanced. To help you obtain a balanced seat, physiotherapist, and Master of sports, Lene Theill from Fit4you, offers you five exercises, which you can easily do at home.

By Tina Bjerre Nielsen //  Photo: Victoria Binder Photography

HOW TO IMPROVE THE BALANCED SEAT
5 EFFECTIVE EXERCISES 

Mobility of the lumbar muscles

  • Move back and forth with your whole body in the stretch area. 
  • Gently repeat this movement 20 times.
  • Stay in the position where you feel a good amount of stretch and move your hips from side to side. If you can’t really move in that position, find one that feels a bit more comfortable and try there. 
  • Repeat 10 times on each side. 
  • Remember to take deep breaths until the tissue starts to relax.

annonce

annonce

annonce

Starting position 

Lie on your knees and elbows stretching your knees as far apart as possible. Relax the
muscles in your buttock and inner thighs.

Starting position 

Stand with your forearm in shoulder height horizontally up against the wall. Place your feet together and about 40-50 centimetres from the wall. The knees should be stretched.

The frog

  • Take steps that are long enough for you to feel a stretch in the front of the thigh on the back leg. Make sure your upper body is straight and your core muscles are engaged. 
  • Repeat this up to 10 times on each leg.

Starting position 

Do deep knee bends while walking.

Lunges

  • Lean the hip as far towards the wall as possible, keeping the body and knees completely straight and without rotation in the pelvis.
  • Take a deep breath and then gently push yourself back to the starting position. 
  • Repeat 10 times and then change sides.

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