An active avenue for your brain, releasing stress and providing a thrill like adrenaline rush. From head to toe, a full body sport requiring strategic planning, resistance and balance. Trusting yourself and your horse, controlling and caring for a large animal takes polo to the next level of wellness. active Quintel said that you have to know how to handle them – your horse – and what to expect. Polo improves balance, coordination and motor function. Hand-eye coor…
An active avenue for your brain, releasing stress and providing a thrill like adrenaline rush. From head to toe, a full body sport requiring strategic planning, resistance and balance. Trusting yourself and your horse, controlling and caring for a large animal takes polo to the next level of wellness.
Quintel said that you have to know how to handle them – your horse – and what to expect.
Polo improves balance, coordination and motor function. Hand-eye coordination is worked to it’s fullest potential while hitting a ball with a mallet on a moving horse. Studies say polo has many benefits relating to cardiovascular and muscle conditioning. For riders like Quintel, she says you’ll notice that you use muscles you’re not used to using so much. You’ll see an increase improvement with your upper body, shoulder and arm strength.
Everyday activities become a bit easier as your flexibility, mobility and range of motion improves. As a rider reacts to the horse’s movements to avoid becoming off balance, the deep postural muscles, pelvis, and abductor muscles of the thighs are continuously being conditioned. Power to your muscles and reduced risk of injuries stem from your core which strengthens through polo. Studies show an hour of activity can burn similar calories to a 30 minute jog or cycle. Increased speed and ride duration will increase the intensity of your workout and burn more.
Quintel added, “it’s kind of fun that you feel as you’re riding already. You gauge what they’re going to do next and you actually have to overcome their natural instinct to let them know it’s safe and be able to steer them in the right direction.”
Polo has many health benefits and life lessons to offer. Get outdoors, run toward your goals and if life ever knocks you down get back on the horse.
The Hawaii Polo Academy provides riding lessons, polo lessons and so much opportunity to have fun and achieve wellness.