Athletes

Rodeo Training: El Paso Back Clinic

Share

Rodeo Training: Rodeo has become a sport that is now open to anyone, and there are even programs for weekend warriors. Like all sports, it can offer a rewarding experience but can be dangerous. As the sport grows, individuals and spectators realize the importance of being strong, mobile, and durable. Individuals need to assess their health and ability and be in top shape due to the demands this sport places on the body. Here we look at the muscle groups needed in this sport.

Rodeo Training

Fitness has always had a place in rodeo and all equine sports, but it wasn’t paid much attention. Professional rodeo instructors recommend incorporating a strength, conditioning, and personal training regimen, to keep rodeo athletes, including bull riders, steer wrestlers, and calf ropers, in top form. Even for weekend warriors and hobbyists, increasing strength and mobility will make the hobby much more enjoyable.

Body Strength

The core strength of the abdominals and lower back is very important. The connection between the upper and lower body and groin strength has to be strong for the athletes to stay on the animal and control their bodies as the animal runs, shifts, and jumps. The focus should be on every muscle needed to move with proper form and control and learning how your body moves.

Upper Body

Scapula Stabilizers

  • These muscles help control the shoulder blade and maintain a healthy posture.
  • These muscles aid the rotator cuff and deltoid muscles to upwardly or downwardly rotate the shoulder blade/scapula while the shoulder joint/arm is moving overhead, behind the back, or reaching away from the trunk.
  • Strengthening these muscle groups prevents the rounding of the shoulders and provides strength when dealing with a strong animal.
  • Roughstock riders use these muscles to maintain pressure when lifting their rigging, reign, or rope while maintaining a square posture.

Back and Spine Muscles

  • The Erector Spinae Group and Quadratus Lumborum muscles play an intricate role in coordinating movement between the upper, core, and lower body.
  • These muscles support stabilization, rotation, and side flexion of the spine, which is very important when positioning in a saddle.
  • If the balance is shifting, these muscles help the body recover quickly.

Chest Muscles

  • This group is known as Pectoralis Major and Minor.
  • This muscle group needs strengthening, but it is equally important to ensure they’re flexible throughout the chest.
  • Many individuals have strong chest muscles, but there may be an imbalance of strength and flexibility, causing unhealthy posture.
  • The spine and stabilizer muscles cannot work to maintain proper posture or stabilize if the chest muscles are too tight.
  • The focus is maintaining balance in the chest’s mobility while ensuring they are strong enough to handle the force.

Core

Abdominal Muscles

  • Four major groups comprise the abdominal muscle group, including the rectus abdominis, internal and external oblique, and transversus abdominis.
  • These muscles work together with the spine and back muscles to help create core stability.
  • Core strength is not as important as core stability in rodeo sports.
  • The core fundamentals of riding require the hips, pelvis, and low back to move with the animal.
  • These muscles coordinate with each other to produce stability.
  • Focusing only on strength causes rigid or stiff riding.
  • Being excessively rigid through the abdominals and back muscles prevents shock absorption and can lead to lower back symptoms.

Lower Body

Hip Adductors

  • These inner thigh muscles include the gracilis, obturator externus, adductor brevis, longus, and magnus.
  • These muscles should typically be the strongest because of their natural riding use.
  • Problems with these muscles happen because the athletes generally don’t ride horses recreationally and don’t know how to strengthen them.
  • This leads to various injuries throughout the pelvic floor and hips.
  • Balance is required as the muscles can be too weak or too strong.
  • Where riders begin to depend/rely too much on them can lead to imbalances with the upper and lower body muscles.
  • Too much use/gripping with the adductors can lead to over-rotation of the hip, resulting in the toes-out walking gait and musculoskeletal issues.

Hip Abductors

  • The outer thigh/hip muscles are the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae/TFL.
  • They move the leg away from the body and help rotate at the hip joint.
  • The abductors are necessary for staying stable when walking or standing on one leg.
  • They help stabilize the hip and pelvis and maintain proper leg alignment, allowing correct leg movements without excessive shifting in the saddle.
  • Sitting in the saddle with more pressure on one side or leaning to one side when jumping will cause an imbalance in the hip abductors.

Hip Extensors

  • These are the posterior/back and hip/thigh muscles and are made up of the gluteus maximus and the hamstrings.
  • These are the most powerful muscles in the body and are responsible for giving the horse the cues to perform what they need to.
  • Strong hamstrings and glutes allow the rider to exert appropriate pressure through the legs to move the horse from a walk, trot, lope, run, and direction change.
  • The gluteus maximus acts as a buffer between the hamstrings and the lower back muscles.
  • Weakened gluteus maximus muscles can cause tight hamstrings that shift the pelvis and begin pulling on the low back muscles.
  • Building strength and mobility throughout the hip extensors will prevent injury.

Understanding which muscles are responsible for each part of the movements needed to compete in this sport is essential. However, rodeo sports are learned by doing, and it is recommended to go to a rodeo school or rodeo clinics as there is no substitute for experience. Some schools hold numerous classes around the country. These are usually taught by championship athletes and are a great way to try rodeo in a safe and controlled learning environment.


Rodeo Training: What It Takes


References

Meyers, Michael C, and C Matthew Laurent Jr. “The rodeo athlete: injuries – Part II.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 40,10 (2010): 817-39. doi:10.2165/11535330-000000000-00000

Sinclair Elder, Amanda J, and Rachel Tincknell. “Epidemiology of Hip Injuries in Professional Rodeo: A 4-Year Analysis.” Orthopedic journal of sports medicine vol. 8,10 2325967120959321. 27 Oct. 2020, doi:10.1177/2325967120959321

Sinclair, Amanda J, and Jack W Ransone. “Physical activity and its relationship to rodeo injury and success.” Journal of strength and conditioning research vol. 18,4 (2004): 873-7. doi:10.1519/14623.1

Watts, Melinda, et al. “Characteristics of Injury in Collegiate Rodeo.” Clinical journal of sports medicine: official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sports Medicine vol. 32,2 (2022): e145-e150. doi:10.1097/JSM.0000000000000904

Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "Rodeo Training: El Paso Back Clinic" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Related Post

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

We are here to help you and your family.

Blessings

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
My Digital Business Card

Dr Alex Jimenez

Welcome-Bienvenido's to our blog. We focus on treating severe spinal disabilities and injuries. We also treat Sciatica, Neck and Back Pain, Whiplash, Headaches, Knee Injuries, Sports Injuries, Dizziness, Poor Sleep, Arthritis. We use advanced proven therapies focused on optimal mobility, health, fitness, and structural conditioning. We use Individualized Diet Plans, Specialized Chiropractic Techniques, Mobility-Agility Training, Adapted Cross-Fit Protocols, and the "PUSH System" to treat patients suffering from various injuries and health problems. If you would like to learn more about a Doctor of Chiropractic who uses advanced progressive techniques to facilitate complete physical health, please connect with me. We focus on simplicity to help restore mobility and recovery. I'd love to see you. Connect!

Published by

Recent Posts

Lumbosacral Joint L5-S1: Key Facts and Tips for Health

For individuals trying to retrain their body movements for back health improvement, what is the… Read More

Unlock a Pain-Free Body with Pilates

Can individuals with body pain incorporate Pilates to reduce general aches and pains while strengthening… Read More

Maintaining Adequate Sleep: Why It’s Crucial as You Get Older

Sleep is vital at all ages, but what is the amount of sleep for older… Read More

Unveiling the Beneficial Properties of Turmeric for Joints

Can individuals dealing with joint pain incorporate turmeric as part of their treatment to reduce… Read More

Improving Mobility and Emotional Health with Recreation Therapy

Individuals who have been injured or ill or have a chronic disability may be having… Read More

Achieve Optimal Vitamin C Levels with These Strategies

Can individuals incorporate ways to increase their vitamin C levels to boost their immune system… Read More