Yoga Medicine for Equestrians

Yoga Medicine for Equestrians

One of the most important aspects for an equestrian to consider in their fitness routine is recovery. Like any athlete, your muscles need time to repair, recover, rehydrate and rest. Given the position of our body and the use of our adductors (inner thigh muscles) and external rotators in the hips it’s essential to help those muscles release.

When we think about our seat and having a stable seat in our ride our core, hip and leg muscles are usually at the forefront. Stability of our core assists in stabilizing our pelvis, stability in the pelvis helps to stabilize and keep the legs quiet while we ride. When you think about the position of your seat, our external rotators are working constantly to keep us stable and to help create power and strength through our legs. These muscles work hard, even when we aren’t doing anything particularly challenging. They contract to keep the pelvis and legs stable, and releasing those muscles can be a real game changer for recovery. 

My favorite way to get a deep release through the hips is to utilize self myofascial release (MFR). I like to use the RAD roller recovery rounds, but any myofascial release ball you have will work. Avoid using really hard balls like a lacrosse or baseball, because this will make it challenging for you to relax into the ball and diminish some of the effectiveness of this practice. We will also use a yoga block and blanket for the practice.

MFR practice for HIPS

Adductors

Adductor MFR

We begin laying on our side, a yoga block parallel to the body. Place the top leg over a block resting the leg on it. The block will be about halfway between the top of your femur and your knee. If you aren’t feeling much with just the block, place one of the balls on the block and rest the leg on it. Working through the adductor muscles you can bend and straighten the knee, rock back and forth, or simply arrive in stillness. Move the block about half way up to the hip, from the knee you will be about three quarters of the way up the thigh. At this point you might turn the pelvis toward the ground just a bit, if you want to explore how that changes sensation through these muscles. Find a point you can stay with and use your exhale to release. Spend some time on the first side, (about two minutes or longer) before rolling to the other side. After releasing the adductors on both sides, take a moment to lay on your back and notice the sensations you observe. 

Piriformis

Piriformis MFR

Laying on your back, plant the soles of your feet on the ground with your knees bent, and lift the hips up just enough to place a ball under each glute. You want to target the bullseye of your butt, as we make our way into the piriformis. This muscle is definitely one that can feel spicy, so stay with your breath and take your time finding a spot you can relax into. The piriformis connects from the outer edge of your sacrum to the greater trochanter (upper thigh bone), it crosses over your butt. You might find a gentle roll from side to side, maybe you come up on to your elbows to add a bit more pressure. 

Decide from here if you want to walk your feet out a little wider and drop the knees in to rest on each other, this can bring some heightened awareness to that piriformis muscle. 

If you’re still not feeling much here, cross your right shin over your left thigh and lean your weight over to the right myofascial ball. Find a spot you can relax into and stay here for several rounds of breath, until you feel an easeful exhale. 

Gluteus Medius & Minimus + TFL

Lift your hips up and move the myofascial ball an inch wider than your sacrum, straighten your right leg, and start to lean over onto the right side. You won’t have any weight on the left side ball. At this point we’re working into the gluteus medius and exploring some of the trigger points that are pretty prominent in this area. We’re on the lateral side of the hip here, and you can start to sway the hips forward and back. 

Before you roll all the way over to your right side find one spot you can stay with, about half way between laying on your back or your side. You can adjust by wiggling up or down as needed to find the constellation of points around this gluteus medius. Find something you can stay with for at least 4-6 breath cycles. As you’re here you can lift and lower that right leg, then allow the leg to drop down and really connect to that stabilizing layer on the outer hips. 

Start to roll more toward the side of the hip as we make our way into the gluteus minimus points, pick a point you can stick with for a few breaths and soften. Again, you can lift and lower that leg. As we move into TFL, you’ll find it by starting at the frontal hip bone (ASIS) and go an inch inferior, and one inch lateral to arrive in the pocket zone. One inch below and lateral to your ASIS. 

Start to roll forward a bit, not facing the floor yet. For most people, when you find this point you know. It’s like a five chili pepper spice level for most people. You’ll feel it when you find it. 

Quadriceps

Quadriceps MFR - Rectus Femoris & Sartorius

Next we’re rolling the top of rectus femoris and sartorius. Move the ball just about two inches right below the ASIS, below the inguinal crease (hip crease). On the meaty part of the quadricep. Rock side to side here. You can bend and straighten the knee if you like as well. As we move on to the right side you might grab a pillow for your head, take the ball about halfway down the thigh to roll through vastus lateralis. Keep that right foot grazing the floor as you roll back and forth on that outer right leg.

Roll on to your back and take a moment to notice any asymmetries you feel side to side, maybe you notice one leg feels longer, or more connected to the ground. After taking a moment to observe the sensations present, we repeat the practice on the other side. 

Savasana

To complete the practice, arrive on your back in savasana. Using any props to feel comfortable and supported, let your body integrate the work you just did. Arriving in a moment of rest is the best way to seal an effective recovery practice.

Enjoy the feeling of fluidity and ease through your hips in your next ride!