How to Stretch and Warm Up for Polo

*Guest Blog Post*

India, founder of Chukka Wellness shows us a quick warm-up routine (perfect for when you’re pushed for time).

It is essential to warm up and cool down your ponies before a match, so why do so many of us forget to prepare our own bodies for the game?

Just like the ponies, we need to warm up our joints and muscles for the high impact game and eliminate the risk of straining a muscle or damaging a wrist

Reasons to stretch before a game of polo:

• Increases blood flow circulation to the muscles, therefore, reducing the risk of injury
• Allows time for mentally preparation
• Allows time to focus on any problem areas in the body
• Increases delivery of nutrients and oxygen to your muscles preparing them for high impact

A warm-up is traditionally low impact, low Intensity and involves some cardio and dynamic stretches.

Each exercise should be performed for a minimum of 30 seconds

Gentle jog on the spot

Start by jogging on the spot and progress up into high knees and jumping jacks

 

 

Dynamic back stretch

Place feet wide apart and slowly bend down to touch one foot with the opposite arm, hold and then switch sides.

Walking lunges

At the bottom of the lunge raise your arms and tilt over to one side to feel the stretch in your hip. Then switch legs

 

Standing Glute Stretch

Grab a foot mallet for balance here if needs be, take one foot and rest it on the opposite knee, bend forward from the hips and feel a nice stretch in your glutes.

Mobilise the Wrists

Interlink your fingers together keeping both palms touching and slowly move the wrists in small circles. Afterwards bend the fingers down and up.

 

Mobilise The Ankles

Elevate one foot up and slowly move it round in circles, up and down and side to side

 

Shoulder Rolls

Slowly raise up your shoulders and roll them back into small circles and then again in the opposite directions

 

Arm Swings

Extend your arms out and gently circle them around, change direction.

 

About Chukka Wellness

Chukka Wellness is a newly launched fitness company aimed to improve polo player’s fitness and strength to enhance polo play. They focus on 3 elements; fuel, flexibility and functional training.

Founder India says “We focus on these 3 elements as it is important to fuel your body with the correct nutrition, mobilise joints and muscles to prepare them for the high impact play and strengthen the body with polo specific exercises”.

Chukka Wellness has partnered up with Argentina Polo Academy to provide players with fit weekend workshops in the beautiful Argentine countryside

For more information on the workshops please visit by clicking here.

 

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