What Exercises To Do Before Playing Polo: Prepare Like a Pro

Before stepping into the saddle and gripping your mallet, it’s essential to prepare your body for the physical intensity of polo.

Often described as a sport that demands the agility of a gymnast, the strength of a weightlifter, and the precision of a tennis player—all while riding at speed—polo is a unique athletic challenge.

Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced rider, incorporating a structured warm-up routine can dramatically improve your performance and help prevent injuries on the field.

Unlike other sports where the playing surface is stable and predictable, polo adds the complexity of working in tandem with a horse, which introduces an entirely different dynamic.

For this reason, the warm-up must not only focus on flexibility and activation but also on balance, stability, and coordination.

In top training environments such as those found at institutions like the Argentina Polo School in Mar del Plata—players are trained to treat their warm-up as seriously as their stick-and-ball sessions.

So, how should you prepare before a chukker or training ride? Below is a complete warm-up guide designed specifically for polo players.

These exercises will help you loosen up, engage the right muscle groups, and get both you and your horse ready to play with confidence.

1. Dynamic Stretching: Mobilize Your Joints

Polo involves rapid changes in direction, long reaches during swings, and high-speed reactions.

Static stretching might not be ideal, your body needs dynamic stretching that mimics the motions you’ll perform during play.

This helps activate your muscles, increase circulation, and enhance your range of motion.

Here are a few essential dynamic stretches to include:

• Arm Circles and Swings: Loosen the shoulders and prepare for the mallet’s swinging motion.
• Leg Swings (Front-to-Back and Side-to-Side): Improve hip mobility and balance.
• Torso Twists: Mobilize the spine and wake up your core muscles.

These movements warm up the joints and muscle groups that will be most engaged during a match.

Focus on control, not speed, each repetition should feel smooth and purposeful. Spend about 5–7 minutes on this section of your warm-up.

2. Core Activation: Build Balance and Stability

Balance is everything in polo. A strong, engaged core allows you to sit deep in the saddle, absorb the horse’s movements, and strike the ball without losing your posture or falling off balance.

Many riders underestimate just how crucial core strength is until they realize how much control and stamina it provides.

Include these simple but effective core exercises:

• Planks (Front and Side): Hold for 30–60 seconds each to activate deep abdominal muscles.
• Bird-Dogs: 10 reps per side to promote cross-body coordination.
• Dead Bugs: 3 sets of 10 reps to build pelvic stability and control.

As emphasized during player preparation, a well-activated core not only improves riding efficiency but also reduces the risk of back pain or overuse injuries over time.

3. Leg and Glute Warm-Up: Strength for Riding

When you’re on a polo pony, your legs act as both shock absorbers and steering tools.

You use your thighs to maintain your seat, your calves to cue the horse, and your glutes to absorb the force of galloping and turning.

Warming up these large muscle groups is essential for control and endurance during gameplay.

Try this sequence:

• Bodyweight Squats: 2–3 sets of 15 reps to engage your quads and glutes.
• Walking or Static Lunges: 10 reps per leg to activate hip stabilizers.
• Glute Bridges: 2–3 sets of 12 reps to strengthen your posterior chain.

These exercises will help you stay anchored in the saddle, especially during high-speed chukkers when sudden stops and directional changes are common.

4. Shoulder and Wrist Mobility: For Controlled Swings

Upper body mobility is vital in polo. The repetitive motion of swinging a mallet can strain the shoulder and wrist joints if they’re not properly warmed up.

Flexibility here also allows for smoother, more accurate shots—especially during quick, under-pressure plays.

Incorporate the following:

• Shoulder Rolls (Forward and Backward): Loosen the deltoid and rotator cuff muscles.
• Resistance Band Pull-Aparts or Shoulder Pulls: Strengthen and mobilize the shoulders.
• Wrist Circles and Gentle Stretches: Improve range of motion and prevent stiffness.

Spending even five minutes on these movements can make a difference in the power and accuracy of your swings.

5. Short Cardio Burst: Get Your Heart Ready

Polo is an anaerobic sport—it involves short, explosive bursts of effort followed by brief rest periods. To match this, a short cardio warm-up helps raise your heart rate and oxygen delivery before you even start riding.

Here are a few options for a 5–10 minute cardio session:

• Jumping jacks
• High knees
• Skipping rope
• Light jogging or shuttle runs

This step not only primes your cardiovascular system but also enhances your reflexes and mental focus—key elements for reading the game and reacting to plays in real time.

6. Warm Up with the Horse: Build Connection and Readiness

No warm-up is complete without acknowledging your teammate: the horse. Riders are trained to understand that the warm-up is as much for the horse as it is for the human.

Taking a few minutes to walk and trot together before getting into drills or a match builds trust and ensures both of you are physically prepared.

Use this time to:

• Check your own seat, stirrup length, and contact
• Let the horse stretch its muscles through gentle movement
• Synchronize your cues with their responses

A calm, progressive warm-up with your horse reinforces the partnership needed for effective play and minimizes the risk of injury or miscommunication during the match.

Conclusion

Polo may be one of the most glamorous sports in the world, but make no mistake it demands the grit and discipline of any top-level athletic pursuit.

To play well and stay safe, you need to treat your warm-up as a non-negotiable part of your routine.

Flexibility, core control, strength, cardio readiness, and horse connection all play equal roles in setting the stage for success.

The Argentina Polo School in Mar del Plata incorporates a holistic approach to training that blends physical conditioning, technical mastery, and horsemanship.

Students are encouraged to approach each game not just as a ride, but as an athletic performance.

This focus on full-body readiness gives players an edge—whether they’re picking up a mallet for the first time or fine-tuning their skills before a high-goal match.