The workouts are in the form of exercises performed during timed intervals and they are grouped in a circuit style where you complete a few exercises and then may repeat based on the level.

The app announces the exercises, times exercise and rest periods for you, and can stop any time, save progress and continue later. The app also plays a video demonstration of the exercise, but you can click any exercise to see full instructions before beginning as well.

The programming to move exercises around the body means there is minimal rest built in - this can get the blood pumping, burn energy and improve cardio fitness as well! If you need more rest, you can simply hit pause.

This is an 18 week program with 3 x 6-week phases. This is our general rider fitness program which most people will like to start with, but it assumes some experience with exercise or human movement. Although the exercises aren't super advanced, they are programmed for maximum effectiveness in the minimum time - as we know riders are super busy - and involve elements to enhance riding such as balance or coordination combined with muscular endurance, mobility or stability.

For example, you may be doing one lower body and one upper body exercise on opposite side of the body at the same time. This can also increase your heart rate during the session for cardio fitness benefits as well.

There are three workouts per week scheduled at the start but this increases to four after a month - but don't worry, we mix it up for variety. Also, you can delete workouts if you only want to do 2 per week AND you can also add workouts if you'd like to do more!

It is designed to challenge riders - for results - and there are progressions built into each phase as well as between phases. If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you!

If you start or look at this program and decide you'd like a gentler introduction to exercise, you can change it to our Rider Fitness Foundations program any time!

If you want something more challenging, you can start this program and add more workouts on more days, add on demand videos, increase the weights/ band resistance you use in the exercises or look forward to our more advanced program coming soon :)

We like to consider this our 'back in the saddle' or more introductory program, that focusses on developing excellence in human movement focussing on one exercise at a time, and building the foundational fitness elements to both enhance riding and to progress to more challenging fitness training. It is designed for those:

- with little or no recent (or ever) exercise or human movement experience

- returning to riding after a long break requiring rider conditioning

- returning to exercise or riding after illness or injury (with medical clearance for this sort of training)

- wanting a gentler program than the main rider fitness program

- who want a less demanding supplement to an already physically demanding lifestyle

This program starts off nice n easy with just 2 days per week, but we'll challenge you to increase that we go along. But, as always, what you do is up to you - so you have the ability to delete and add workouts to suit your goals and lifestyle.

The habit change program is added to your calendar automatically and will start usually the day you sign up. Fitness programs start every Monday - so when you select one, it will start the Monday after you add it to your calendar, to harness the evidence-based motivational effect of the 'fresh start'.

Phased programs start every Monday & you need to sign up by Sunday to start the next day.

If you sign up on Monday or any other day - your fitness programs will be delivered to your calendar the following Monday.

This is by design to harness the 'fresh start effect' of a new week, but also so the set program (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 etc) is set out logically in your calendar. You can move the workouts around to other days if you want.

On the Monday your program starts, you will be able to see 2 weeks of pre-scheduled workouts in the calendar on your FITSCIENCE EQ app. If the days don't suit, you can drag and drop them to a different day to reschedule.

You can try workouts in the video library to get ready for your new program.

You can access the programs and features offered on our app for as long as you have an active subscription. If you cancel or subscription payments fail, you'll lose access to the materials but still have the basic app access. Restart subscription payments to gain access again.

This gives enough time to start creating habits around the program, and getting benefits from the physiological effects in response to the specific exercise stimulus.

To get the desired effects, it's important to repeat the same program consistently for a period of time and in most cases, it won't happen much faster than about 6 weeks, so this really is a minimal time frame to work on something before changing exercises. It can take 2-3 weeks or more to even get into a routine with a new workout.

However, you can make progress within a 6-week phase (making exercises more challenging) such as:

- by increasing weight/resistance

- decreasing speed at which they are performed

- increasing repetitions

- performing a more difficult version of the exercise (e.g. full push ups vs on knees; one legged squat vs two)

There's only a one month financial commitment, so essentially, you can just join until you finish a fitness program, then cancel - so this is like buying one program. And that's totally fine :)

But, it's really important for me to promote the approach that exercise isn't something you go 'on' for a select period of time. Because that implies there's an ending where you go 'off' it!

My system is designed to create riders who exercise, who focus on training the human in the equestrian team as well going forward for life. This is the ONLY way to achieve lasting results that will enhance your whole life, not only your riding. This involves creating the exercise habit and that takes as long as it takes and that's different for everyone (not just 12 weeks because someone decided to write a 12-week rider fitness program...).

Of course not every exercise in every program will suit everyone. It is important that you personalise anything to suit your particular needs and consult your own medical or allied health professional to ensure what you are doing is appropriate for you.

If one exercise doesn't suit you, modify or substitute with something else (browse our exercise library or ask you own trainer or physiotherapist for an alternative).

The programs are designed to be done in any convenient location. Each program may require some basic equipment to help you progress.

For example, the Foundations program only requires bodyweight for the first two phases, then introduces some dumbbells (your choice in weight) and an exercise band (the thick loop type). Other programs may require other equipment - such as a long stick or exercise ball, roller - listed on the program in your app.

Yes of course :)

Just return to the programs page on the FITSCIENCE EQ website and select a new one. It will be delivered to your schedule.

You can delete the sessions of the unwanted program in your calendar as they pop up by swiping left but you can still access the program to add on-demand sessions for extra workouts if you choose.

At the end of the prescribed program length, the program will drop off your calendar to allow you to select a new program. So long as your membership is still current, you will continue to have access to all the other features on our app. When you are ready, you can select another fitness program to be added to you calendar, you can redo the one you just completed - if you enjoyed it, why not?! - or you can use our resources to create your own workouts (make a WOD - workout of the day) or enjoy our on-demand library.

As this is included with the FitScience EQ membership as a launch bonus, you will keep access to all the app features so long as your membership is current. You can redo this program as many times a you like, working on building many different habits :) Just go to the Programs page on our website and select the Habit Hacks program to add it back into your schedule and to get the reminders.

A lot depends on your current fitness level and what you're currently doing.

The programs in FITSCIENCE EQ are a starting point, the minimum sports specific work to do to support your riding. The programs are phased and progressive within the phases as well.

You can increase the challenge to increase your fitness more or reach your specific goals by:

- adding more circuits within the workouts.

- adding more resistance to make exercises harder (heavier weights or bands)

- adding more repetitions (or more time) to exercises.

- adding cardio sessions to your schedule.

- adding on-demand workouts to your schedule.

If this is a new way of working out for you, I'd rather you start with fewer weekly sessions, and build on the success of checking those off your list, building the habit and adding more over time, rather than start with a really heavy schedule and not get it done.

At this time I don't offer personal coaching due to commitments to bringing accessible fitness to as many riders as possible (& also research and academic commitments).

But I encourage riders to reach out to their own health and fitness professionals who are across their individual circumstances to personalise anything within our programs or to advise on their particular case.

At the bottom of the page on the app, click the kettlebell icon. You'll see all the workouts in your current program and also the on-demand video libraries below that. You can start or schedule into your calendar one of your rider fitness workouts or an on-demand video workout. 

You can also access these to start now (but not schedule) by clicking the + sign at the bottom right, selecting 'Workout' and scrolling through. 

You can also access programs by signing into the web platform here. But the platform is optimised for mobile use, so the app has more features, such as the calendar will not appear on the web version. However, you can print your programs from the web platform. Select 'training programs', select the program you want, hit the print icon (top right) and a printable version with an exercise tracker will be generated! You can 'print to pdf' to save a digital version or print on paper if you prefer.

Come back to the Membership page on the FitScience EQ website, select whichever program you'd like to do, click the link, and follow the prompts to add the program. (Remember, rider fitness and specialty programs start on Mondays, and you need to sign up by Sunday to start one the next day).

If you're not interested in tracking weight, just enter 0 on the app setup. (We have built MUCH more useful assessments to track what's actually important for riders into the programs!).

If you've already entered it on set up, you can go to My Account > My Profile in the app to change it.

It is entirely up to you to which metrics you would like to pay attention.

You do need to leave the in-app messaging on to receive the Habit Hacks program activities and other important messages. Same with emails, especially if you want to type the responses on a bigger screen than your mobile device.

You'll also get messages about fitness assessments due that week and what programs you might like to try as your current one winds up.

You can turn off app notifications of courses, but we recommend leaving those on as well, because workout reminders will pop up and this forms part of your accountability and is a great driver for adherence. You can always turn the sounds off and just see the reminders :)

We promise we're not sending you junk via these channels, only vital tools, information and steps to enhance your success!

The app is run on the Trainerize platform. They have a great help page here, just search the issue:

https://help.trainerize.com/hc/en-us 

Or contract them through that website.

Also, ensure you have the latest version of the app (in case you don't have auto updates switched on for your mobile device)

At the moment we've kept it SUPER simple, with one monthly subscription or a year (for the cost of 10 months) and you can cancel any time :)

Our payments are handled by Stripe - safe 'n' sound in their hands only.

Please see our refund policy (link in the footer of this page).

While we don't offer free trials of our premium programs - because it's value-packed it and the most you have to commit to is only one month - we have plenty of free content to peruse to understand what FitScience EQ is about on our podcast page on our website or our social media accounts (links in footer).

You can cancel anytime by either:

- logging into the app. Click on the 3 dots bottom right, under My Account, select 'Purchases'. Click the 3 dots next to your membership, select 'Cancel Auto renew'.

- logging into our web platform. Click on your name (top right), go to 'My Account', then 'Purchases' and you'll see a button next to your subscription that says 'Cancel Auto-renew.'