Chukka Wellness: Glute Bridge & Superman Pose

India Parker-Smith is the founder and owner of Chukka Wellness which provides the leading training and movement methodology designed for the equestrian athlete to enhance suppleness, stability and strength in the saddle. India is a Personal Trainer who offers online and offline fitness training designed to elevate the well-being of the equestrian athlete. Using her knowledge of seven years she has created a series of masterclasses, a virtual membership hub and online training programmes all designed to complement the equestrian’s health and wellness both in and out of the saddle. You will find more information on India’s services on her website www.chukkawellness.co.uk and Instagram page @chukka_wellness

We continue with our ‘how to’ series focusing on the Glute Bridge and the Superman Pose.

You may be a ‘keen bean’ exerciser but are you sure your technique is correct? If it’s not you may be doing more damage to your body than good.

Hence why we created this ‘how to’ series to educate riders on the basics of simple but effective exercises.

We will be looking at the dos and don’ts of the Glute Bridge and Superman Pose with British polo player, Tommy Severn.

This exercise is very useful in a warm-up routine as it activates the posterior chain muscles and fires up the Glutes improving control in the saddle when you are in rising canter, ride offs and rotating. By activating the posterior chain you are also helping to strengthen the muscles surrounding the back region which in turn takes pressure off the lower back.

• Avoid overextending through the lower back as you raise the hips • Don’t place the feet too far away from your hips as this activates the hamstrings more than the glutes • Avoid letting the knees fall in or out as the hips raise and lower • Avoid thrusting the hips up and down as this puts a lot of pressure on the lower back

• Keep the core engaged during the movement • Ensure feet are hip width apart • Push up through the heels and not the toes • Roll the vertebrae up off the mat one at a time in a controlled movement as you raise the hips and reverse this movement during the lowering phase.

Try 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps

Photography by Chukka Wellness

Don’t overextend through the lower back

We have mentioned this exercise numerous times in our articles as it is an essential movement for riders. Not only does it activate the muscles, improve joint stability, engage the core muscles but improves balance. Despite being a simple movement there are a few common mistakes people make.

• Avoid collapsing through your planted hip and shoulder • Don’t raise the back leg too high as this will unbalance you • Don’t arch the lower spine to avoid injury in the back • Avoid over rotating the raised leg outwards as this will unbalance you and put pressure on the wrist

• Ensure your wrist is directly under the shoulder and your knee is directly under your hip • Engage your core to maintain control during the movement and to protect the back • Fully extend the back leg out keeping the foot in line with your hips • Stabilise through the planted shoulder blade and focus on raising your body up towards the sky as opposed to sinking down into the mat

Note: You can focus on holding this movement or add some leg pulses in, or crunching the elbow to the knee underneath your stomach.

Tommy Severn demonstrates how not to do the Superman Pose

The correct Superman Pose

Chukka Wellness are launching their very own fitness App which offers follow along pre season, on season and off season programmes, mobility warm ups, stretching routines, tutorials, masterclasses from top nutritionists and mindset coaches, nutritional tools, motivational tools to ensure you stick to your fitness goals. Check out more info at www.chukkawellness.co.uk