Pilates for Riders Classes & Courses

These pre-recorded classes & courses offer a series of exercises designed to help your body function better. The classes focus on the skills needed to be a good rider – good alignment, core stability, flexibility and balance. Although we concentrate primarily on strengthening the deep abdominal muscles that support your spine, the exercises work progressively on all your other muscles as well. They strengthen the weak muscles and stretch those that are tight. Over time correct muscle balance can be restored and asymmetries corrected. All exercises can be modified or progressed to suit any level of fitness or age.

Equipment needed: Exercise Mat

Swiss Ball

Ball classes are becoming increasingly more popular and are absolutely ideal for riders as even sitting on a ball requires good posture and anything we do on it requires balance. They are also great for our general fitness, strength, core and flexibility. Balls open up a whole new repertoire of exercise options and add an extra challenge to mat work exercises. All exercises can be modified or progressed to suit any level of fitness or age. A number of the pre-recorded courses include a session of the Swiss Ball.

Equipment needed: Exercise Mat & Swiss Ball

Ball size guide

Your Height	Ball Size
Under 4′11″	45cm
4′11″ – 5′4″	55cm
5′4″ – 5′9″	65cm
Over 5′9″	75cm

Proprioception Training

Proprioception is the sense of knowing where your body part is in space. Age and injury have the potential to decrease your proprioception and subsequently your balance. This can be a difficult concept to grasp until you lose it, because so much proprioception occurs subconsciously.

Your proprioception capabilities can be impaired:

• by age
• when joints are injured, such as with ligament sprain
• sitting incorrectly (such as perching at a desk, slouching or driving)
• carrying a bag on one shoulder

One of the most common symptoms of reduced proprioception is one hip or shoulder either higher or in front of the other – a bane for riders. But poor balance is also a result of reduced proprioception, and this is particularly common in the elderly.

Even  your spinal posture has a proprioception component telling you whether or not you are sitting or standing upright. Good posture, for example, could be thought of as perfect spinal balance!

Private Proprioception Training is offered at Pengraig.

Equipment needed: Close fitting clothing.

A private half day session includes posture analysis, a 45 minute session on PI and 1 hour of Pilates and Swiss Ball exercises. £90.

Whole Body Vibration Training

One of the latest new trends in the fitness industry is the use of whole body vibration training (WBVT). Athletes in all kinds of different sports, including Olympians are using WBVT because it gives them an extra edge.

WBVT consists of standing, sitting or exercising on a platform that vibrates. The body reacts to the vibrations of the platform with involuntary muscular contractions or relaxation- depending on the frequency of the vibration platform.

Working out on a vibration plate improves muscle power and helps balance and postural control. It has been shown to increase strength and flexibility in athletes, and is particularly good for that all important core!

Now you can combine a 10-minute session on a WBVT plate, along with an off-horse postural assessment.

Posture Assessment and WBVT.  £35 per person per half-hour. Includes assessment, report and 10 minute session on the WBVT.

This half hour session can be combined with a 45 minute session on PI  (£80).