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Fitness on the Road Made Simple

By Wrangler Network contributor Miss Rodeo America
This blog was written by Brittney Truman- Miss Rodeo Arizona 2013! Currently Brittney is a Health Coach at Nutrition Head 2 Toe.

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Originally, I started off writing this blog in great detail on things like: carbohydrate/protein/fat intake, how the body breaks down and uses specific nutrients, and how lifting weights affects athletic performance. As I started to proof read I thought to myself “Wow, if I was reading this while I was already stressed about preparing for the Miss Rodeo America Pageant… I would definitely be extremely overwhelmed.” So I decided to then simplify…

GET FIT. RIDE BETTER.

Fitness is about 80% what you eat and 20% physical activity. Which means you can do as many sit ups as you want, but if you are not fueling your body correctly that six pack is not going to make an appearance. It’s quite possibly going to stay on vacation in Chicago, right behind that slice of pizza you ate from the gas station at 2am. In short- eat less CRAP [Carbonated drinks, Refined sugar, Artificial sweeteners and colors, Processed foods] and more FOOD [Fruits and veggies, Organic lean proteins, Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, Drink more water].* The key part to staying fit on the road is mindset. It is very easy to stay on track once you have decided that there isn’t another option; but you need to set a goal and stay focused. It is no secret that the more convenient choice is sleeping in [because getting ready for that radio interview already got you vertical in time to watch the sun come up] and grabbing a $5 Taco Box, but remember your goal: GET FIT. RIDE BETTER.

We all research, ask questions, call vets, and spend hundreds or thousands of dollars a month to make sure our equine partners are fed and exercised properly so they can perform to the best of their abilities. We really are doing them an injustice by not doing the same for ourselves. Conditioning and working out will lead to improved posture, better cueing, a more solid seat, and more importantly an overall confidence boost. You will feel great, look great, and that will translate into a better you in everything you do- including happily smiling for 346 autographs at the end of the North Platte Nebraskaland Days parade.

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*I wish I came up with this, but thank you Dr Messer for a fabulous Exercise Physiology class filled with Pinterest worthy quotes.

Simple meal fixes while on the road:

    • Most hotels offer a breakfast, even a super limited breakfast will usually have oatmeal and hard boiled eggs. Have some PLAIN oatmeal [t. Remember your goal] cinnamon is a great way to add flavor! Skip out on the yolks in the hard boiled eggs, just have the whites.
    • 24 hr solution to meal problem: you can find a Dennys in almost any town [or some form of a 24 hr diner]. PLAIN chicken [must specify no salt, no butter] and steamed broccoli [or any other form of dark green veggie, I just know you can always get steamed broccoli at Dennys]. To get your carb to make it a full meal, it is very hard to find sweet potatoes or brown rice at a diner type place, so Minute makes these awesome “ready to serve” brown rice cups [$2.39 at Walmart for a pack of 2] and I just always make sure I have one in my bag so I am never stuck without a full meal- finding chicken and veggies is easy.

Working out on the road is beyond easy. There are numerous ways to work out in your hotel room, at a local park, hotel gym, rodeo grounds, fair grounds, parking garages, the list goes on and on. I will share workouts for both upper body and lower body with you here, but if you would like constant new workouts that you do not have to go to a gym for, I do add new ones to a group on Facebook that you are more than welcome to take advantage of- along with easy/healthy recipes.

Upper Body [posture, balance, core strength]: No more slouching and better balance will improve your horsemanship immensely!

100m down and back run [or a lap around the warm up arena, or something approx. 200m]

5 sets mountain climbers [10]/push ups [2]

10 4 count flutter kicks

5-10 biceps pull ups

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24 raised leg sit up and twist [12/side]

10 decline push ups

3 min rest

Repeat 4 times

50m down and back run

24 commandos [12/side]

10 sets in and out push ups

30 crunch

20 stationary bicycle crunch [1 side at a time]

15 triceps dips

3 min rest

Repeat 4 times

Lower Body [leg strength, control, flexibility]: conditioning the lower body will improve leg cues and give you better control of what you are asking of your horse. Working out also decreases muscle tension, allowing you to be more relaxed and overall more pleasing to watch in the saddle.

400m run
15 sets walking lunges
15 ab crunch leg extensions on bench
15 cross overs on bench (more challenging glute crossover kicks)
15 sets knee up
15 sets x jumps
Rest 3 mins
Repeat 4x

50 m down and back run
15 squats
15 jump squats
15 sumo squats
15 burpees
15/15/15 Fire hydrants
Rest 3 mins
Repeat 4x

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Write down your goals, and make decisions every day towards achieving them. Excuses may sound nice to other people, but don’t make excuses to yourself on why you cannot achieve the things you want. Success in anything comes down to this: how bad do you want it? Don’t stop because it’s hard, don’t stop because you’re tired, and don’t stop until it’s done.

Please feel free to reach out to me if there’s anything I can help you with.

Brittney Truman

Miss Rodeo Arizona

Health Coach- Nutrition Head 2 Toe

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