How would one begin to train an athlete for bull riding?
I had a potential client come up to me for a tour (teenager) he is a three sport athlete and one of the sports he does is Bull Riding. How might a trainer go about training someone for that. I figure to work on a lot of balance techniques but still trying to come up with a unique way to train him for this activity.
Hi Mitchell,
I derive my ‘authority’ from having watched it, and it sounds like an interesting challenge.
The things that come to mind are core (maybe battling ropes), hip adduction, grip strength and flexibility. I would also work on shoulder girdle and neck stability.
I wish you (and him) good luck.
Karin Singleton]
www.meltnc.com
In addition to Karin’s suggestions I would also include deadlifts, squats, lunges, kettlebell exercises (swings, squat & presses, snatches, bear crawls), a variety of core strengthening movements, sledgehammer exercises and battling ropes. You might also want to consider some hill and stair running. Rope climbing would be another exercise you can incorporate into his training (in addition to the battling ropes). I hope this helps.
Great answers so far In addition to what’s already been said, I’d consider the following..
First of all, I’d teach him how to fall, or since he probably already knows that because of his sport, I’d make sure he has the mobility in all of the ranges of motion he needs to fall.
I’d challenge his balance in as many ways possible, with unpredictable changes in it. IE balancing on the BOSU and perturbing his position.
I like where Karen was going with hip adduction. I wonder if you can find an unstable surface that he could sit on and hold on with adduction, then do med-ball toss and catch to simulate having to positionally stabilize with force away from center of gravity.
Another thing that he might already do, but you could also do, is take a look at some clips of him riding. See if you can figure out if there’s a “tell” that he’s going to fall, and whether there’s a balance, strength, quick reaction that you could help him improve on by creating a set of related drills.
Maybe compare his films with films of professional or winning riders, and see what is different about their movement than his. Are they more fluid? Are they better at keeping their centers of gravity aligned with the bull? etc.
What does he think he needs to work on?
What is the body type of a world class bull rider (I have no idea, but that might give you some sort of clue)?
This is an interesting question. I have two ideas. My first thought was to have him do squats on a BOSU while holding only one heavy dumb bell in his right hand and then a second set holding the dumb bell in his left hand. Then Nancy gave me this idea. If you have a large enough Swiss ball, have him sit on the Swiss ball as if he is sitting on a bull with his adductors squeezing tightly on the ball. Then have him hold on to the handles of a fully lengthened TRX while you gently pull on the other end of the TRX straps in different directions trying to challenge him to stay on the ball without falling off.
Denny