Simple Steps to Training the Rider's Core

You are better to train a little but consistently five days a week than to do big core workouts sporadically the big sporadic workouts place you at more risk for overload leading to injury. Small incremental increases in daily core training over time will have a positive impact on your riding in the first week without you risking injury or making major lifestyle changes to get results. Riders who do some core training on a regular basis get the added benefit of better posture and spine health and better back support for any activity they do.
You can find core exercises almost anywhere these days. Knowing how to put them together effectively for your riding requirements makes all the difference. Here is the formula I use for designing core workouts
1. If you are just starting out train for just a few minutes each day. When your core workout starts to take 15 to 20 minutes you can drop it to several times a week. When you reach a good base of core fitness you can maintain it with just a couple of core training sessions a week because you will have also taught your body to integrate core stabilization into everything you do.
2. Include a mix of active movement exercises and isometric exercises. The active ones force your core muscles into greater range of motion than when you are riding. This is what allows you to build supple strength along the full length of the muscle whereas just riding causes your body to strengthen in short segments under pressure these become knots. Isometric exercises require you to hold a position for a period of time stimulating your body to integrate all layers of core stabilizing muscles. You need to train both movement and isometric capacity in your muscles because when riding you need to both hold your posture for a long period of time and change position on purpose and in the moment when you want to.
. Train endurance. As noted above you need endurance. Thirty crunches on a ball or your floor are more useful training for a rider than a set of 10 to 15 repetitions using an abdominal crunch machine at the gym with weights. You do not need to use your core to powerlift just support your own body against constant pressure the horses movement for an extended period of time. Building endurance in muscles is about more than just repetitions. It takes time to change the muscle fibres so that they are capable of greater endurance.
4. Train eccentric and concentric motion. This means training through both the up and down phases of an exercise. Resisting motion is just as valuable for strength training as creating motion most of what your torso does in the saddle is resist motions so your body doesnt block your horses movement and so that it can apply only those motions you need to give aids to your horse. An example of eccentric and concentric training is doing leg rising then lowering on the floor. Most people think of the leg raise part only. Lowering your legs slowly while keeping a neutral spine on the floor actually builds your lower back and abdominal strength more than the lift phase does.
5. Train all four sides and rotational movement. Select exercises that train your abdominals back muscles and obliques and also train rotational movements.
6. Train the full length of your back and abdominal muscles. Select exercises to cover lower middle and upper back and abs.
7. When you get more advanced in your core training mix it up for variety and layer your exercises for