ABOUT CROSS-TRAINING
CROSS-FIT Training
What is it?
Cross-training is the use of more than one athletic discipline in order to improve fitness and performance for a main sport.
Athletes use this approach to build strength and flexibility in areas not addressed by their main discipline.
For the Equine Team, cross-training involves experimenting in other disciplines from your main sport. For example, the dressage rider might need to do some trail work or ground work to improve their horses ability to handle new situation, stress, and improve suppleness/rhythm/balance outside of the ring. A barrel racer might need to create better mental collection in their horse so they might dabble in Mountain Trail challenges. For the rider who has lost their confidence or is fearful, try polo at the walk to improve balance, suppleness, and mental distraction from fear by cognitively engaging in a job! Is your horse sick of jumping in a ring? Try the Spanish style La Garrocha for bette turns and balance! Options are endless and address every area of need, from physical issues, behavioral difficulties, to partnership building.
Cross-training prevents repetitive motion injuries and stress, remedies behavior issues related to boredom or fatigue, and improves the equine parternship as a whole in ways that one sport alone cannot do.
Studies show that stepping outside of one's typical routine, enhances suppleness, strength, and longevity.
Cross-Fit Equestrians
How can you use it?
By incorporating cross-training into your regular schooling routines, you will be able to take your riding to the next level.
Imagine getting our horse to have a more expressive motion, calmer more engaged attitude, and a wilingness to work with you.
If your horse is experiencing repetitive stress injuries, poor behavior or attitude, or is just plateauing in your discpline, Cross-Fit can help.
If you are fearful of your horse, lack confidence, or feel like there is a gap in your regular training program, Cross-Fit can help.
What you need to do:
1. Reach out for an evaluation of goals and issues
2. Work with Great Heights Stable to create an individualized program
3. Incorporate Cross-Fit into regular training routine
at least 1 Day a Week for results.
A Cross-Fit
Program
At Cross-Fit Equestrian, we create an individualized program to help you achieve your goals. Depending on the needs of the rider/horse, Robin (trainer at Great Heights Stable) adjusts the types of training variations needed.
Some general examples of training variations include:
-Ground work using natural horsemanship approaches that focus on getting the horses mind aligned with you
-Ring work focused on building suppleness, straightness, balance
and coordination
-Applying 12 basic principles to all your work with your horse to identify the holes in your routines
-Cavalletti to improve balance, top line, and range of motion
-Mountain Trail Challenges for coordination, mental
collection, flexibility, and trust
-Trail riding for confidence, partnership, problem-solving, and
improved whole body conditioning
-Jumping for the non-jumper
-Simple Roping or Barrels with a no-body stress emphasis
- La Gorracha for beginners
-Meditation, Mindfulness, and Yoga
-Slow Rider's Polo
-Riding bareback and/or bridleless
-Liberty work
Examples
Travel or Trailer
How can I get this?
There are many options for incorporating Cross-Fit into your equestrian lives.
1. Trailer to Great Heights Stable to work with the trainers at the facility.
2. Have our trainer travel to your barn and show you how to add variation using elements within your existing location
3. Send your horse to Great Heights Stable for either weekly or monthly time periods for training on site.
(This program includes follow-up coaching to help you carry over training elements successful to the horse. This can be done through video sessions, email, phone conferences, or in person depending on the needs of the riding team.)
4. Remotely Train via Weekly or Monthly Consults. After the evaluation and goal setting, keep in touch with your trainer in weekly or monthly contact sessions. Sessions can be remote now due to amazing technology. We utilizing technology, such as using Pivo, to provide instruction across the country. Contact sessions include your specific weekly goals targeting a particular skill with it broken down into easy to understand steps so you have confidence to implement it independently- knowing what to look, feel, and wait for, as well as what typical problems you might encounter and problem solving strategies to continue moving forwards. Additionally, weekly or monthly update opportunities let you tell us what is working, areas of struggle, and receive feedback so that you and your horse can continue moving forwards towards your goal.