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Warming Up
Warming
up is an essential component of injury prevention. Contrary
to what many dancers and athletes think, stretching in and of
itself is not a complete warm up. Recent research even
suggests that stretching before activities does not help
prevent injuries. Warming up literally means
to warm up the body - to elevate body temperature and to
increase the heart rate. This includes a general warm up in
addition to exercises that target specific body areas that
will be used during the rehearsal and/or performance.
Spend more time warming up(and cooling down) areas that are
particularly prone to soreness or tightness and areas recovering
from an injury.
A warm
up should begin with exercises that work on alignment, What we
call skeletal exercises(PAPT's Skeletal Scale™).
If proper alignment and posture are not obtained prior to
exercising, you will only further strengthen your habitual imbalances in the
musculoskeletal system.
After finding proper alignment, you must work both on power muscles and the
control muscles. The control muscles are particularly vital in avoiding injury
and are also the muscles that tend to be the most imbalanced. Many of the exercises
that Mr. Gallagher has developed for the performing artist incorporates
both power and control and so closely relate to the functions and activities
that performers will be subjected too in rehearsal, practice or performance.
For example a basic injury prevention program
for the dancer should consist of foot and ankle exercises, core abdominal/low
back exercises and shoulder/upper body exercises. Then add all dance specific and anatomy specific
exercises based on the particular needs of the dancer. these needs are
individual to the dancer's body, habits and choerography.
The following three sections on
the right below warming up- Alignment, Strength power,
strength control have examples of some of the many specific exercises
developed at PAPT to warm up the body. It does not
take many sets or even repetitions to get a certain body area
warm. You do not want to fatigue any muscles. Keep in mind
that you are preparing for a performance that requires your
energy. Save your heavy duty body conditioning for your off
time.
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