Learning the proper horse riding stance

Post questions and tips on making your stretches or your whole flexibility training most effective.
Tomas
Posts: 13
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 12:27
Location: Lithuania

A lot of work to do still...

Post by Tomas »

Hello everyone,

I wanted to ask about horse stance, but now I see that this topic is allready open. I cant do horse stance as it is written in http://www.stretching.info/column_stretch2.html. I mean, I can't keep my back straight ( chest facing farwards, not down). I think, after I will be able to do side split, then I will work on proper horse stance ( keeping my back straight), as it shows in link I gave. I am still about 5 cm to go until completely side split.

Am I right ?. You don't agree with me ? Then please mind post a reply to me.


Tomas

A fool learns his limits, a wise man knows them.

Moe
Posts: 81
Joined: Apr 26, 2005 15:11

Post by Moe »

Well I just noticed something now and want someone to help.
I mentioned before that I am unable to stand in a less than 5-step horse stance without having my back severely bent.
Well today I tried doing a 4 step horse stance and held onto something to hold my back and I felt a stretch just above my ankle on the side.

Which muscle is this, the sloeus? and what can I do to make myself able to stand in a less wide horse stance, I think it is this muscle that is preventing me.


PS: I am now at 2 minutes and 30 seconds on the horse stance. Some progress
"Believe nothing that you hear, and half what you see." -Bruce Lee

Tomas
Posts: 13
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 12:27
Location: Lithuania

Post by Tomas »

Moe wrote:Well I just noticed something now and want someone to help.
I mentioned before that I am unable to stand in a less than 5-step horse stance without having my back severely bent.
Well today I tried doing a 4 step horse stance and held onto something to hold my back and I felt a stretch just above my ankle on the side.

Which muscle is this, the sloeus? and what can I do to make myself able to stand in a less wide horse stance, I think it is this muscle that is preventing me.


PS: I am now at 2 minutes and 30 seconds on the horse stance. Some progress

Hy, Moe

I want to mention one wery important thing in "a way of stretching". There must be no overstretching or stretching with hard pain. Unfortunately, I myself did a lot of mistakes and now, I'm paying for it. You must feel your body and the stretch you have already progressed in. Not to stretch with shaking legs or big amont of pain.

Moe
Posts: 81
Joined: Apr 26, 2005 15:11

Post by Moe »

Hi Tomas thanks for your opinion. Yes overstretching can be dangerous and trust me I have been there and it is ugly!

My aim is to stand at least 10 mintues in the horse riding stance, and also to be able to do isometric stretching for the side split
"Believe nothing that you hear, and half what you see." -Bruce Lee

Moe
Posts: 81
Joined: Apr 26, 2005 15:11

Post by Moe »

This sucks, I'm stuck at 2 minutes and 30 seconds, can't make any more progress. Any ideas?
"Believe nothing that you hear, and half what you see." -Bruce Lee

DanBor
Posts: 180
Joined: Nov 24, 2005 02:27

Post by DanBor »

Hello, I stopped with horse stance for a while so I can't tell about my progress. I perform only front stance and its going great.

Maybe you should back off for a few days and try to forget about it. Try take a week off (horse stance) and do some other exercises. It could help you get motivated again. You will not lose strenght in a week, it could only help you to break that "mental barrier".

Moe
Posts: 81
Joined: Apr 26, 2005 15:11

Post by Moe »

I have took a rest since the day you mentioned it and will try the stance soon again,reallly wanna get up there to at least 5 minutes. Where are you standing at now?
"Believe nothing that you hear, and half what you see." -Bruce Lee

DanBor
Posts: 180
Joined: Nov 24, 2005 02:27

Post by DanBor »

At the moment with front stance 3 min. ( relatively easy). With horse stance I started GTG strenght program, where I hold position 30 sec. every hour.( I noticed I can already slide into sidesplit ).

Moe
Posts: 81
Joined: Apr 26, 2005 15:11

Post by Moe »

Hey Dan, I tried the stance and i'm still at my 2 and 30 seconds, well I might have to push harder. I wonder how you can easily slide into the side split by just doing the normal horse stance, or are you trying the tensng stuff (Isometric) ?
"Believe nothing that you hear, and half what you see." -Bruce Lee

DanBor
Posts: 180
Joined: Nov 24, 2005 02:27

Post by DanBor »

Hey Moe, I can't do the side split from standing position (horse stance). That means my strenght is still behind my flexibility.
I do it with all the weight on my hands and just slide in the split (roadkill split).

Tomas
Posts: 13
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 12:27
Location: Lithuania

Why

Post by Tomas »

Hello,

Why you want to do full horse stance all the time. I can do side splits with only few inches left untill i reach the floor but I cant do horse stance . So would'nt it be a good idea to finish you side stretching ( if not much remains of this stretch to complete ) and then try to make a horse stance ?

DanBor
Posts: 180
Joined: Nov 24, 2005 02:27

Post by DanBor »

Hello, I don't think that been able to do side split automaticly means that someone can perform horse stance. It may help to start from certain position (low enough, or wide enough) but to hold the position for certain time period requires quite a strenght (lower back, hip flexors, adductors,...). If someone achieved relaxed side split it is very little help in practising horse stance.

Moe: you could try GTG strenght method.

Moe
Posts: 81
Joined: Apr 26, 2005 15:11

Re: Why

Post by Moe »

Tomas wrote:Hello,

Why you want to do full horse stance all the time. I can do side splits with only few inches left untill i reach the floor but I cant do horse stance . So would'nt it be a good idea to finish you side stretching ( if not much remains of this stretch to complete ) and then try to make a horse stance ?
Hi Tomas, I've tried the side split through relaxed stretching for over 6 months with very little resutls this is due to an injury in my hamstring. So while I am healing I thought it would be a waste not to do anything, for this reason I am practicing the horse stance in hopes of being able to do isometric tensions.

And Dan does GTG mean doing bits of tension exercise over a long time?
"Believe nothing that you hear, and half what you see." -Bruce Lee

DanBor
Posts: 180
Joined: Nov 24, 2005 02:27

Re: Why

Post by DanBor »

Moe wrote:
Tomas wrote:Hello,

Why you want to do full horse stance all the time. I can do side splits with only few inches left untill i reach the floor but I cant do horse stance . So would'nt it be a good idea to finish you side stretching ( if not much remains of this stretch to complete ) and then try to make a horse stance ?
Hi Tomas, I've tried the side split through relaxed stretching for over 6 months with very little resutls this is due to an injury in my hamstring. So while I am healing I thought it would be a waste not to do anything, for this reason I am practicing the horse stance in hopes of being able to do isometric tensions.

And Dan does GTG mean doing bits of tension exercise over a long time?

Basicly you practise horse stance throughout a day - whenever you have few minutes of time. It is important not to overtrain yourself. I myself only started with this and so far it feels good.
I do it every hour for 30 sec., you could do longer if you are stronger than me. It is important to be stronger after each workout. If you feel even the slightest fatigue then you are doing too much.
Try it and see for your self - experiment a little. Every few weeks test your self. With this method you should make progress.

Tomas
Posts: 13
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 12:27
Location: Lithuania

yes

Post by Tomas »

Yes, there are many ways of stretching and exercises. But it takes wery much time to practysing horse stance every hour. I do dynamic stretching (10 minutes) when i wake up and about 110 minutes of full stretching and dynamic and static stretching ( and so on )program, i modified and designed for myself , including sometimes push ups and ather exercises in the afternoon about 16:30.

I see results of that. It works.

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