Chukka Wellness: The Winning Formula

India Parker-Smith founded Chukka Wellness – a company dedicated to helping polo players become fitter and stronger athletes. For several years, India worked as a Personal Trainer at one of Chelsea’s premier private members’ clubs and began to train some of the world’s leading sportsmen and women.

India trains both international and UK polo professionals focusing not only on functional movements and body maintenance, but also advising clients on fuelling their bodies correctly for mental alertness and physical endurance

The Winning Formula Stay supple, stable & strong in the saddle during the season

What is more frustrating than incurring an injury mid-season?

Sometimes injuries are unavoidable and unlucky such as a bad fall or a foul play from the opposition. But what players can control is the level of resilience their body has. If muscles are strong, joints are stable, and the body is supple; you are less likely to injure yourself.

Last year we had the honour of training no. 1 female player Nina Clarkin who understands the importance of staying strong and supple to avoid injury and maintain that competitive edge. During her pre-season training, we focused on joint and muscle stability, functional exercises and of course lots of stretching! These elements all contribute to creating a ‘bulletproof’ body ready for action!

Now we completely understand that during a busy season rider wellness can slip down the priority list and workout intensity drops. It is, however, a clever idea to maintain a certain level of fitness and suppleness throughout the season.

Here are a few simple and easy tips to follow during the next couple of months in order to bulletproof your body for polo just like Nina.

Muscle activation is a key part of warming-up

Tip 1: Warm-Up!

Many players don’t realise that performing an effective warm up routine can help prepare them mentally as well as physically. Research has shown that warming up before a game increases competitiveness, focus and clarity. Polo is such a mental game so it is essential to be calm and clear during chukkas. The warm-up is a great time for some last-minute refocusing, relaxing and re-energising.

An effective warm up should include:

• A Mobility Routine • Activation Exercises • Mental Activation Drills; agility, reaction time, decision making • Some Deep Breathing

A mobility routine should form part of your warm-up

During the season it is important to maintain joint and muscle stability to reduce risk of injury and aid in body recovery post games. This doesn’t require hours of gym time and an effective routine can be a 15 to 20 minute workout three times a week.

A typical stability routine may include … · Superman · Glute Bridge · Single Leg Work · Plank with Single Arm Raise

Glute bridges should form part of your stability routine

Tip 3: Rest

The polo season can be very hectic and worst-case scenario lead to ‘rider burnout’. If this happens mid-season, player performance can decline, and games are lost. Make sure you take time out to recharge, repair and replenish.

Why not start with some of these: · Get your sleep –

Add a Magnesium supplement if you struggle Consume nutrient dense foods with sleep · Consume nutrient dense foods (lean proteins, fruits, vegetables) · Try adding in Turmeric to your diet to reduce inflammation · Contrast showers (hot, cold, hot, cold) to improve blood flow and recovery · Yoga! On your morning or days off, perform a 15 to 20 minute yoga routine focusing on deep breathing

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