Gina exercises your topline!

This exercise helps riders with rounded shoulders or ‘chicken wing’ elbows – developing awareness of shoulder blade placement and strengthening the muscles that maintain a good ‘Topline’ across the rider’s shoulders.

​It combines two classical Pilates exercises; Dumb Waiter and Cleopatra, whilst challenging our balance.

Start Position – sitting on a gym ball with your spine aligned and your knees level or lower than your hips. Your feet hip distance apart and with the weight evenly distributed them. Place the theraband around your mid back and bring it to the front holding it with a little tension through the band and your elbows by your side with your palms turned up in front of you. Heck you are still sitting with your pelvis and spine in neutral. Set your centre and gently engage your deep abdominals to provide enough stability to maintain your position on the ball when you move your arms.

Dumb Waiter – Inhale to prepare and as you exhale take your hands out to the side, keeping your elbows by your side.  Imagine keeping a small sponge between your elbows and your sides.  Breathe in and return to the start position. Repeat 8-10 times.

Cleopatra – Lengthen the band around your back slightly. Start as for dumb waiter but when the hands are to the side continue the movement to straighten your arms reaching out as wide as you can. Return to the start position – bending your elbows then returning your hands in front of you.  Repeat 8-10 times.

Watch Points – Be careful that as you move your arms

• You keep your shoulders down – make sure your upper Trapezius (top of your shoulders) is not getting overactive
• You maintain your spinal alignment – not allowing your chin to poke forwards or your ribs to lift or your pelvis to tilt.

To Finish – On the completion of the last Cleopatra hold your position and change your hand hold so your thumbs are on top; as if holding the reins. Pause to memorise the feeling of this position with your shoulders open and wide across your collar bones and your shoulder blades gently placed down your back. Imagine yourself on your horse in this posture. Next time you ride remember how this felt and recreate this position.Gina is an Equipilates™ Advanced Registered Trainer and she currently teaches Equipilates™ to five different groups from local Riding  clubs (Bourne valley and Wessex Classical) and Pony clubs (Hursley and Wilton)  as well as livery yards. In addition she has private Equipilates™ clients doing both mounted and dismounted session. As a Hippotherapist (Chartered Physiotherapist working with disabled Riders) Gina also works with Parariders and spends one day a week applying her Equipilates™ principles, with great effect, to help students at the Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy. 

You can contact Gina via her website www.physiogina.com, email info@physiogina.com  or phone 07743 336258.