For those of you that have done biomechanics lessons where they use performance bands such as these
Have you purchased a set to use on your own?
I was once advised to not ride in them without supervision but I know of people who do just that so I’m wondering about the pros and cons.
Yes, I have a set an have used them on my own. But only after using them with Britta’s instruction first 
As a life-long sloucher, I can state with authority that poor posture causes a weak core, and a weak core causes poor posture. Developing core strength is the answer.
Right. I’m asking specifically about the performance bands to use while riding. Do you use them on your own? Or are they best used under supervision?
Im not sure if you purchased them, but i thought i would comment. I think it depends on a lot of things: your skill level, your horse, if there are others within ear shot etc. I rode a lot for many years and then took about 10 years off. Ive restarted with some babies so iv’e been more focused on the horse in my lessons. Yesterday I took my daughters horse to a lesson and got to use these torture devices and I loved it! I would have never tried on the two babies I ride, but it was really nice to ride a steady horse and focus on me.
I’m with Bristol Bay. time spent on calisthenics that will strengthen your core, is far more beneficial than any contraption.
Top riders are into pilates, others surf. Sadly cleaning stalls and hauling hay doesn’t work. That is unless you carry grain, and hay shoulder high or higher.
Why would you defeat your muscles by relying on a crutch ?
This post got bumped 2 years later to tell me that all the trainers who use performance bands for their students to teach body awareness are using a crutch Thanks COTH.
I do appreciate the 2 people who answered my question!
Lauren Sprieser recommended some non horse ones on Amazon so I’m going to use them as my riding crutch.
I’ve never used the bands, but in the past I’ve been very fit (running and weight lifting, and doing core work I thought would help me in the saddle) but still quite crooked in the saddle. The DRT program uses resistance bands a lot on the ground, and doing that the past two years I’ve evened out a lot (evidenced by improvement in my rider position scores). The rider bands would do similar, but in the saddle. Quite the opposite of a crutch, I think, but rather a really useful instructive/exercise tool because the human body has an amazing ability to compensate, and trick the brain into thinking it’s straight/working symmetrically when that is far from the truth.
I have not tried bands like this, but as someone with a connective tissue disease and terrible posture if Im not paying attention, I have thought about posture contraptions for myself. I view their use for me as more of a reminder to self correct vs something that is going to do the work for me. I guess like anything, results may depend how you use it and what other physical therapy you have ongoing.
Since this was bumped… I have some crookedness issues that became apparent on my young horse. I would love to do a lesson like that (and thanks for the reminder to look for the opportunity again!), but I made my own bands with some input from a PT who used to ride, because $130 seemed a lot to pay for resistance bands. I haven’t used them super regularly but after only two rides in them at home I had a dressage lesson and my coach said I was suddenly sitting much straighter. She didn’t know I had been using the bands. I definitely need to break them out again this winter.
This is what I bought for around $20: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B096VWYKVP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (green, medium resistance). I sat on the horse and had my husband help me cut them to length and tie them in knots to make two long loops.
To answer the question about supervision, it doesn’t seem like something that could hurt to try alone (unless maybe you buy very strong bands and overtighten them). I started a bit on the loose side and then retied the knot to get a little more resistance.
This has a link to some generic bands.
What’s your informed basis for calling it a crutch?
I’ve spent waaaaay too much time in PT to think of resistance bands as a crutch, anything but. Typically they are used to fire up muscles that are not getting enough work even in movements designed to work that group of muscles.
Now I’ve spent about 6mos in PT and am heading for my 3rd back injection in that time, so my core is about as strong as it’s ever been… but guess what? I still struggle with unevenness. Because I’m a rider I’m tuned into little differences in strength, mobility and flexion and my right hip just doesn’t work the way my left side does, even though the left is the weak sciatic side. It makes sense, the right side has had to be stronger but even with 6mos work dedicated to fixing this issue, it’s still an issue. I’m better, but still not even in the tack and something else is needed to engage those muscle groups.
So much for the back story (pun intended), there are all sorts of things I use/could use to develop strength, flexibility and evenness. Let’s run through them so the naysayers can help me learn which is a tool to become stronger and more effective and which is just me be lazy:
Back injections
Dry needling
Exercise ball work
Resistance bands while doing PT
Balance board work
Weight ball work
Resistance bands while riding
Nothing, suck it up you loser
I mean everything I’ve learned about resistance band work is that it’s anything but a shortcut, crutch, gimmick to avoid doing the work, but rather a way to truly engage ALL the muscle groups correctly while doing the physical work. But hey, I’m only the patient so until a licensed physical or occupational therapist chimes in to the contrary, I think I’m down with the peanut gallery possibly not being experienced in this area, but rather, has opinions.
When I ride in the bands with a biomechanics instructor my inability to get out of bed the next morning tell me they’re not a crutch!
Early on in PT, pre MRI, pre injection, I was just cruising through the exercises, because while I might have a really messed up back, I am a horse person, so I’ve got a certain amount of physical strength and range of motion… So all of the stuff they were asking me to do was pretty easy. Didn’t mean my back didn’t hurt but the exercises were easy. And then my physical terrorist added a simple resistance band around my knees while I was doing bridge exercises, which are really very easy for me. My famous last words were “this doesn’t really make me do any extra work”. He responded, “we’re just trying to fire up different muscle groups”. Oh they fired up all right. That little resistance band clean broke me. I was kicked out of physical therapy and sent for an MRI and my first injection. The only crutch that was provided was the gabapentin and steroids that were injected deep into my back 
My husband is doing PT right now and one of the therapists is known as “The Warden.” Apparently she did a career test in high school and her suggested job was prison guard! The nickname suits her really well and he tries very hard to make sure his appointments aren’t with her…
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