Equibody Offers Full-Body Fitness for Equestrians

By Hannah Warne After over a decade of dressage riding, Jack LaTorre was preparing to compete in the 2021 Grand Prix. But a few weeks before the competition, something unexpected happened: His muscles became so tight in the saddle that he couldn’t compete. Thanks to a background in full-body fitness, LaTorre began restructuring his fitness routine and using it to help his body be able to ride better. View the Winter 2023 Edition. “I got so tight in my hips and legs that I couldn’t physically do what needed to be done to ride. About a month out from the competition, I wrote a new workout routine that changed everything,” LaTorre explained. “My flexibility improved so much that I even lowered my stirrups and was able to compete.” Using his own personal experience, LaTorre founded Equibody to help other riders approach their riding and fitness in a more holistic way. Instead of only striving for achievements in the saddle, Equibody provides a roadmap for riders to improve their flexibility, mobility, and muscle tone to increase their range of motion, creating soft muscles in the saddle. “The whole structure of the Equibody Fitness workout is designed to help riders ride better—not just to get in shape,” LaTorre said. “Tightness is what plagues most riders, and Equibody focuses specifically on structural balance that works towards full range of motion in every muscle and every joint.” While most riders focus on hitting certain milestones in the saddle, LaTorre’s program instead helps address common problem areas outside of the saddle by balancing the quadrants of the body. Equibody is also designed to be customizable for riders of all ages, skill levels, and fitness levels. When a new client signs up, they first complete an online course custom-designed by LaTorre to help them understand the theory behind the workouts. From there, clients have a guided digital workout experience that can be adjusted to suit their individual fitness levels and overall goals. The app-guided workouts allow clients to record themselves completing the workouts so that LaTorre can give personalized feedback to help them progress even faster. While LaTorre is based out of Florida and North Carolina, he has clients all over the world who are seeing results. Most riders begin to feel looser and more toned within just three weeks and many can expect to see a drastic improvement in just three months. “If it’s just working out, it’s not worth it for riders,” LaTorre said. “They don’t just want to work out—they want to ride better. When there’s an imbalance of strength between muscles and muscle groups, the stronger muscles will pull on the weaker ones and create tightness,” LaTorre explained. “Stretching is a huge component, but we also have to strengthen that weaker muscle.” To learn more about Equibody Fitness, visit their website at equibodyfitness.com or follow along on Instagram @jack.equibody.fitness .