It’s no secret that for grooms, self-care is often pushed to the bottom of our priorities. Our job is physically demanding and mentally taxing, to say the least. With often early mornings and late nights working on the road, it can feel impossible to find the time and energy to stick to any sort of wellness routine for ourselves.
Physically Demanding Daily Tasks
The physical demands of all day walking, driving, riding, loading and unloading the truck, stall mucking, lifting heavy bales of hay and bags of grain, pushing full wheelbarrows, and the numerous other physically demanding daily tasks that we are required to complete can take a huge toll on our body. In particular, it’s very common to hear grooms suffering from back pain and tension.
Care And Consistency
Our body is highly intelligent, and its tissues adapt to the tasks it is asked to perform regularly. Unfortunately, this can result in muscle imbalances, dense fascial adhesions or knots and eventually injury if we don’t support our bodies with exercises and stretches to counter these imbalances. The good news is that because the body is highly adaptable, with care and consistency, there is always a possibility to help it return to a healthier state.
Namaste
Yoga is an accessible practice that grooms can do from home, in the barn, in the truck, in a hotel room, or before a long flight to relieve back tension and simultaneously support their nervous system and overall well-being.
The benefits of yoga are too great to list, but most people enjoy:
* less stiffness
* improved core strength
* better sleep
* more energy
* and brighter moods, to name a few.
Yoga is complimentary as a warmup or cooldown if you already have an exercise routine, or it can stand alone as your primary choice of movement.
Yoga Is A Highly Personal Journey
You do not need to be flexible to do yoga! Yoga is a highly personal journey that will continuously support your body and mind through many years and stages of life. I have included a video of five of my favorite exercises all grooms can do to improve back pain that can be done anywhere and with little time.
Log onto the HorseGrooms Community to watch Sarah Pyrda’s video and learn her five favorite exercises!
Not a member yet? Joining the HorseGrooms Community is completely free! As a member, you’ll gain access to a hub of resources, including training tips, job postings, forums to connect with other grooms and more. It’s an awesome place to learn, share and grow during your grooming career. Click here to set up your free profile in just a couple minutes.
Sarah Pyrda is an FEI show jumping groom for Andrew Bourns Sport Horses and a 500-hour certified yoga teacher with specialties in fascia release and the nervous system. She is passionate about inspiring others in the horse community to improve their quality of life by taking a proactive role in their wellness. She teaches stretching for riders and grooms, stress management and mindfulness techniques through her online offerings and in-person sessions in Wellington, Florida. To learn more and stay connected, you can follow her on Instagram @sarahpyrda where you can also find a link to join her email list for current news and offerings.
Photo courtesy of Four Oaks Creative.
