If you see the videos of my classes you will see sometimes we’re outside in the arena having a great laugh balancing on gym balls and wobble boards throwing stuff at each other, sometimes without looking at the person or saying a different name etc to make it more difficult.

 

Of course there is usually lots of laughing and everyone does enjoy themselves but is there some method in this madness?

 

Of course there is!

 

How many times have you been merrily trotting along on your horse then suddenly you’re going sideways or facing the other direction? Those pesky pony eating invisible monsters!

 

To stay aboard and hopefully maintain some control takes not only good core stability but also super fact reaction skills.

 

The majority of the time you are on your horse your body is reacting to the movement underneath you so spooky horse or not your ability to ride consistently well is affected by your reaction time. Of course spooking and “surprise” behaviour just add an extra test into the mix but your ability to react can make the difference between a minor second of non compliance or a hitting the deck scenario.

 

So that’s what we’re really up to on those gym balls throwing stuff.

 

Why not have a go at training your reflexes and reaction times yourself?

 

You don’t need a group of crazy women on unstable surfaces (although I highly recommend it for the fun element). Instead why not try.

 

• Learn to balance seated or kneeling on a gym ball. It will move underneath you meaning your body has to react to stay balanced.
• Throw and catch a ball with one hand.
• Throw a ball against a wall.
• Try the ball throwing on a gym ball……
• Play with a Reactor ball -it’s an odd shape so when you throw it on the floor it pings off all over the place meaning you have to be sharp to keep up!