From the Top Down

I have been able to take a few more biomechanics lessons, and my instructor has encouraged me to write down my thoughts so I can look back.  Of course that's the primary purpose of this blog, and though I haven't felt very inspired for the past several months I'll try to follow her advice!

I've been working hard to practice correctly when I ride Cupid, and the good news is the "new" is starting to feel normal.  Or at least, when I get on I am starting to naturally just assume the correct position and hold it okay at the walk but of course it goes to #$@% as soon as I try to ask for anything other then just ambling around at a sedate walk!  

I took a before and after picture from the same angle - on the left is how I used to position my leg (!! I know right!!) and the right is the "new normal."  My instructor told me I shouldn't be looking down - but if I were to look down I want my leg to look flat (lying against the saddle) not rounded (upside down U coming off the saddle). 

Before (left) and after (right)

It's funny, I've spent so long trying to get my lower leg still and heels down.  It seems dumb now, but I didn't really focus much on my upper leg at all.  It seems obvious now that that's what I actually need to fix, and then the lower leg almost just follows.  But without the top being correct, there is almost no way the bottom can be.  And I'm sure my regular trainer has been trying to tell me that for years and I just didn't put it together. 

Now I just have to re-learn how to use my leg effectively from this position, then make some tweaks to the upper body and of course continue the struggle with bending my elbows and keeping my hands closed.  Maybe in another 25 years I'll have this riding thing figured out!