On Sunday I did a workout with a friend that we finished with a short run interspersed with a couple of exercises. 

The aim wasn’t to do it as fast as we could but to do it with enough effort to be tired but be able to maintain form throughout.

We did a ½ mile run then 10 press ups and a 30 second plank, repeated x 3. 

This helps to improve both cardio endurance and muscular endurance. 

This style of training is especially useful if you are an Eventer. During a cross country round you need to be able to maintain your breathing and your stability throughout. 

If you start struggling for breath it will affect your concentration and decision making skills-not helpful when you’re in the thick of it!

If your muscles tire after a short time you won’t be riding well right up to the finish. This affects yours and your horses performance as well as potentially increasing your risk of a fall. 

This is why I emphasise the need to maintain form in this workout. To ride well right to the finish you need the endurance to be strong enough right to the line. Just having the lungs and stubbornness to get you through isn’t enough, you need your muscles to be strong enough to do their job too.

The workout doesn’t have to be complicated or involve equipment-mine didn’t. Just the basic principle of getting your heart rate up then performing some resistance moves with good form, repeated a few times. 

Here’s a couple of other examples using other cardio equipment if you were in the gym or had a skipping rope etc. You could add a slightly longer circuit on the end if you wanted, mix the exercises up and do anything from 3-6 rounds whatever feels right to you. 

Bike-Side Plank-mountain climber

Row 200m -Plank up downs-Side Lunges

Skip 2 minutes-Squat-Press Up