Knowledge
Chukka Wellness
India Parker-Smith is the founder and owner of Chukka Wellness which provides the leading training and movement methodology designed for the equestrian athlete to enhance suppleness, stability and strength in the saddle. India is a Personal Trainer who offers online and offline fitness training designed to elevate the well-being of the equestrian athlete. Using her knowledge of seven years she has created a series of masterclasses, a virtual membership hub and online training programmes all designed to complement the equestrian’s health and wellness both in and out of the saddle. You will find more information on India’s services on her website www.chukkawellness.co.uk and Instagram page @chukka_wellness
Stay Accountable & Become the Best! Accountability: “the quality or state of being accountable; an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility for one’s actions.” Everyday people are required to be accountable for their actions, whether it is completing their gym session, turning up to a meeting or something as simple as returning a phone call. When playing in a game situation, it is important to establish your role within the team and stay accountable for your actions whilst working cohesively with your three other teammates. For this process to work smoothly, there are a few crucial components: - Mental Alertness and Clarity - Physical Fitness and Strength - Clear goals – own your responsibilities and ensure their execution - Communication - Fundamentals in practice - A strong game plan!
Photography by Chukka Wellness
Being accountable is not making excuses, not blaming others or whinging and complaining. It’s about analysing your individual performance and reflecting in order to achieve better results next time.
Improving your fitness is crucial
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Polo Times, June 2021
Polo is a physically demanding sport but it still requires a clear and calm head. We see many players losing their temper and blaming others which can lead to losing the game and/or low team moral. This is where accountability takes centre stage; It’s about doing what you say you’re going to do and executing the task to the best of your ability. It’s being able to put your hand up and say ‘this is what I need to do better’ if you don’t get it right. Mental Skills Coach Nick Dann reminds us, “we play polo to have fun and that we all have to lose or have a bad day sometimes. Set yourself goals, be accountable to yourself, go into every game as if it’s your last, but don’t forget the feeling of fulfilment you get from polo. Exercise is great for our mental health, so work on yourself and your fitness, enjoy moving your body and playing an amazing sport.” Focus on the process not the outcome.
Ways to stay accountable:
1. Ensure you are physically ready for action We all know that fitness is a brilliant tool to improve mental health as well as motivation and competitiveness. Adding in a fun and effective fitness regime
can aid in mental focus and strength as well as overall control in the saddle and quicker recovery. Revise your fitness programme every six weeks to ensure you stay on track with your body goals. 2. Start your day off with a productive morning routine How you start your morning can have a huge effect on the rest of the day. I find a good way of starting my day, is with some celery juice, spirulina, task setting, reading, visualisation and of course coffee!
A productive morning routine is crucial
Having this morning routine enhances my mood and gives me clarity for the day ahead! I find that if I skip it, it completely offsets me for the entire day.
3. Reflection Part of being an athlete is analysing past performances. This can be a useful tool for game days, ask yourself how did my last game go with this team? Did I feel strong and energetic? Was I suffering from brain fog? Did I communicate well with the team?
Reflect on your performance and take it on board
www.polotimes.co.uk
