Alright so now that you’ve learned about Left-Right Symmetry and Antagonistic Muscle Symmetry, it’s time to learn about a third aspect of muscular balance: Postural Symmetry!

POSTURAL SYMMETRY

Postural symmetry refers to the balance of alignment and posture throughout the body. Poor posture and alignment can lead to compensations and imbalances that negatively impact riding performance. Our horses are very sensitive to our posture as it impacts their movement as well. If you’ve ever leaned out to a fence and had your horse slam on the brakes and/or been yelled at to sit up from your trainer to better fit in another stride in, you know! Seemingly small shifts in weight have a huge impact.

Postural issues can be caused by muscle imbalances where one side is stronger than the other, but they can also be caused by one side being tighter or overactive and overpowering a weaker side. So not only is it important to strengthen all sides of your body evenly, especially those that are weaker, but it’s also really important to stretch those that are tighter to be able to achieve that balance.

COMMON POSTURE ISSUES FOR EQUESTRIANS

• LOWER CROSSED SYNDROME: Characterized by excessive extension of the lumbar spine and anterior (forward) pelvic tilt - simply put this looks like an over-arched lower back. In the saddle, this causes a lack of suppleness through your seat in the saddle which then can cause your horse to hollow his back to escape the increased pressure.

• How to address this:

• Stretches:

• Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

• 90/90s

• Downward Dog

• Cat-Cow

• Strength Exercises:

• Glute Bridges

• Planks

• Bird Dogs

• UPPER CROSSED SYNDROME: Characterized by hunchback spine, forward shoulders and a jutted forward head and neck. In the saddle this throws your weight forward and pushes your horse onto their forehand.

• How to address this:

• Stretches:

• Plié Squat with Chest Opener

• Bent Over Chest Stretch

• Side to Side Neck Stretch

• Shoulder Circles

• Strength Exercises:

• Reverse Flys

• Scapular Retractions

• Renegade Rows

Note: If you work a desk job and find yourself sitting hunched over a laptop for many hours a day or looking down at a phone a lot, these stretches and exercises can help counteract those positions and reinforce good posture, even if you’re not seeing the signs of upper crossed syndrome.

If you don’t identify with one of these patterns, you can still do exercises to reinforce good posture!

EXERCISES TO REINFORCE POSTURAL SYMMETRY

• CORE EXERCISES: Core strength is essential for maintaining good posture. Exercises like planks, crunches, and leg raises can help improve core strength and stability.

• BACK EXERCISES: Strong back muscles are also important for good posture. Exercises like rows, lat pull-downs, and back extensions can help improve the strength and flexibility of the muscles in your back.

• POSTURE EXERCISES: Specific exercises that target postural muscles, such as the upper back, neck, and shoulders, can also be helpful. For example, scapular retractions (pulling your shoulder blades back and down) can help improve the strength and stability of the muscles in your upper back.

• STRETCHING: Tight muscles can contribute to poor posture, so it's important to stretch regularly to improve flexibility and mobility. Pay particular attention to muscles that are tight or sore, such as the hips, hamstrings, and chest.

Add these to your workouts today! And of course, let me know if you need help. All of our programs incorporate these strategies to help you accomplish more symmetry in the saddle.

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