WORK OUT LIKE A PRO

WORK OUT LIKE A PRO

Workout by Adrian Chavez, Drew Luplow, and Marshall Rosenberg

Photos by Monique Brooks

Polo is a grueling sport that makes very unique demands of the body. To help you take your game to the next level, polo pro Drew Luplow and Houston polo player Marshall Rosenberg demonstrate some basic work outs to improve core, strength, and functional mobility to support your polo game at every level.

KETTLEBELL SQUAT

LEGS, CORE

Level 1: A squat holding a kettlebell will strengthen your legs, glutes and core. If you have ankle mobility problems, the block under your heels allows for a more neutral spine posture and better loading of the legs.

Level 2: Holding and squeezing a ball between the elbows challenges the core to aid with stability.

PALLOF PRESS

HIPS, CORE, STABILITY

Level 1: Kneel on one knee and hold one end of a resistance band to your chest. Extend your arms, keeping the band taut with shoulders facing forward. Repeat

Level 2: Perform the same motion in a deep lunge (split stance).

DEADBUG WITH REACH

CORE

Hold a foam roller between your extended arms and knees, engaging your core. Extend and straighten alternate legs while keeping the foam roller in place.

FRONTAL PLANK

GLUTES, CORE, ADDUCTORS

Level 1: Lie on your side and raise yourself onto one elbow, creating a straight line from your heels to the top of your head. Hold.

Level 2: In your plank, bend your bottom knee and extend your top arm in front of you, engaging hips and core and strengthening the adductors.

GLUTE BRIDGE

GLUTES, CORE, ADDUCTORS

Level 1: Lie on your back with your knees bent. Raise your hips to form a straight line and hold. Extending your arms to the ceiling will help maintain a neutral spine.

Level 2: Squeeze a ball between your knees to challenge the adductors.

STRETCHING: To advance from a totally beginner rider to a novice rider, it’s all about your ability to be flexible. After stretching, you are so much more relaxed and flexible. When you get on the horse, you are not spending the first chukker just trying to warm up.

—Marshall Rosenberg, polo player

Key exercises: pilates, yoga

CARDIO: When I do sprints on a heart monitor, running as fast as I can, my heart rate gets up to 175 beats per minute. In polo, every chukker, my heart rate would be 180–190 beats per minute. I was burning 1600–1700 calories per game in 2 hours.

—Drew Luplow, polo pro

Key exercises off the field: running, squash, racquetball, swimming.