Chukka Wellness: The Offside Backhand

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.

In this series Chukka Wellness founder, India will be suggesting specific exercises required to complement each type of shot in polo to give players a more accurate, controlled and powerful swing.

India recommends adding in exercises that aim to stabilise the shoulder and hip joints, strengthen the surrounding muscles and improve core control

The Offside Backhand

The Chukka Wellness polo-fitness series

Polo is a very physically demanding sport and requires a high level of athletic prowess in order for players to perform at their best! Players need to be strong, stable and supple in the saddle to win in ride offs, complete effective shots and control the horse effectively.

Recommended Exercises (three sets, 1520 reps per exercise) This type of shot requires

• Balance • Shoulder Mobility • Strong Inner Thighs • Strong Obliques

Balancing Squats (Improves balance)

1. Grab a balancing aid (Bosu, wobble board or stand on one leg) 2. Hop on to your balancing aid in either a half squat position or on one leg (depending on what balancing aid you have available) 3. Open up your toes, squeeze your glutes and ensure your knees are not wobbling all over the place! 4. Engage your core and slowly squat up and down trying to keep the balancing aid as still as possible.

Balancing squats

Banded Shoulder Floss (Improves shoulder mobility)

1. Attach a resistance band to a stable base and put the other end around your shoulder joint. Move away from the base until you have a good amount of resistance. 2. Keeping your arm as close to your ears as possible, floss the arm up and down 3. Every time you lower the arm, relax and allow the band to pull your shoulder back out of the joint a little.

Ball Squeezes (Strengthens the inner thighs)

1. Start in standing position and put a Pilates ball between your legs 2. Lower your hips back and down into half squat position 3. Squeeze the ball with your inner thighs in a pulsing motion (15-20 reps)

Ball squeezes

Oblique Twists (Strengthens the obliques)

1. Attach one end of a band to a stable base and hold the other with both hands 2. Stand adjacent to the base and soften the knees 3. Keep your shoulders back and down and slowly rotate away from the base 4. Keep a slight bend in the elbows 5. Exhale as you rotate away from the base, inhale as you return to the start position

Oblique twists

Chukka Wellness is a company dedicated to helping polo players become fitter and stronger athletes. Their services include: • 1-2-1 and team training in the Sussex and Surrey areas • Online Training (They have an array of clients all over the world) • Polo-Fitness Holidays and Clinics (Sotogrande and Argentina)

CW have also recently launched a Virtual Equine Membership Hub where players can gain access to a range of polo-specific workouts, mobility routines, nutritional guidance and much more! ‘Train like a pro’ and check out the Virtual Equine Hub at: www.chukkawellness.co.uk india@chukkawellness.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 1842 862 068 Fax: +44 (0) 1842 861 936 Email: info@greenheath.co.uk Website: www.greenheath.co.uk

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