Simply moving faster and longer than one usually does will create sweat, but that is not enough to prevent injury or increase facility. Warm up sessions must be carefully designed to increase stamina, strength, stability, and stretch. They must engage the heart, mind, and soul to inspire super human ability. They must build speed, range of motion, and agility. Effective warm-up sessions are more than a regime of stretching and light calisthenics for 20-30 minutes. They involve starting with gross motor skills that advance to fine motor skills patterned after the anticipated activity. They aim to improve balance, breathing, and reflexes. Creating a sense of inner alertness during the warm up session is key to productive activity.
Everyone, every day, needs to warm up for their day-to-day activities focusing on proper alignment and mechanics; otherwise, the body will accumulate poor motor habits that create wear and tear injuries over time. Targeted warm up needs to be incorporated into any (recreational or competitive)physical endeavor, such as sports, dance, hiking, biking, skiing, etc. Don't take your body for granted. You have only one.
While warm up sessions consume energy, they make the main activity easier and safer, ultimately consuming less energy. Athletes can run and jump, dancers can turn, leap and balance without warm up, but their bodies will be less willing, requiring more effort and risking sudden injury. If working on a team or within a cast, an individual who is not thoroughly prepared through warm-up risks hurting others with poor balance, speed, spatial awareness, and more. A thorough warm up is necessary for all involved.
It is the responsibility of the individual to pay attention to how their body feels and do additional individualized exercises to prepare. There are many reasons why an individual may need to start earlier or stay longer than their counterparts in the warm-up session. Anyone going through a growth spurt or change of size and weight will need added time to connect with their changing physique. Anyone who is coming back from time away will need extra time to get back in shape. Anyone who is advancing in age will need more time to move in and out of full range motions. Plus, anyone who has experienced an injury will need added time to devote to their weak areas.
Sometimes an individual may need to re-warm-up if the body had been still for a period of time. With all the things we need to do these days, who has time for another full warm up?! Fortunately, the second warm up usually requires less time. This is the best argument for morning work-outs. A full warm-up, work-out, and cool down, makes the rest of the day more mentally efficient, and physically productive.
Specifically to dance, a warm up is the tune-up for the instrument of expression...the body! A dancer continues to increase every ability competing with oneself. The warm up is essential. Ready? Let's do it!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Can Your Town be Healthier? Can you Be a Part of That?
The city of Somerville is doing something GREAT, not revolutionary, but still I applaud them for reinstating healthy, traditional ways of living. They are in the process of updating their infrastructure to encourage 'walk-pools' to work, and 'walking buses' to school (a parent or two walks the route picking up children on the way). Somerville is taking measures to eliminate trans fats from restaurant menus, add more fresh produce to school meals, and is investing in educational literature for their citizens.
Should we be thankful for the rising increase in obesity to launch such actions? I guess, but it would be better if, as a society, we could just do what is right and not wait until a problem occurs. Many human beings ignore good advice until bad habits are entrenched, and problems require monumental effort to unravel (usually costing more than an individual can bare, so that it falls to government to fix it). Choose to be different. Choose to be a trend setter, like Somerville and its citizens.
Look in your town. What does it already provide for a healthier lifestyle? Sidewalks? Bike trails? Dance programs? Sports teams? Clean water? Are the restaurants and stores selling healthy options and minimizing the junk? If so, spread the good word. Are the activities increasing the stamina, strength, and coordination of the town's folk? Make the good news travel so that the usage goes up and the service grows. If the health of your community is not such and needs improvement, take action!
Look at your way of living, also. Do you already have regular physical activities and healthy meals on which you can build? Be the example. Do what you think others should do. Take the stairs, park further away and walk the distance. Dance and play sports with your family.
Send the message that vegetables are yummy and they are not something we need to sneak into foods and drinks. Vegetables add color, texture, and nutrients, and are not just to counterbalance the junk food. The advice from my aunt rings true today: 'you can eat all you want if you just eat the right things.' Family gatherings can be just as joyous around healthy food. Celebrations can lead to a life of many more celebrations if good eating and physical activity are part of our every day life.
We all do better if we have a support system to sustain our endeavors. Rally your town government. Clear areas for outside play, walking, and biking. Petition the town bylaws to support healthy living standards. Gather your family around some basic action steps: Grocery shop and eat out better. Organize walk-pools and walking buses to your destinations. Get into dance class! These are simple ideas that Somerville, Ma has already started. Don't wait until there is a problem, or count on someone else to take action. Our society's trend toward obesity and low muscle tone did not happen in recent years. It has been a growing problem. It can be reversed if we continue our efforts over as much time. Creating a healthy lifestyle for your self is contagious and will lead to others following suit. Start today!
Should we be thankful for the rising increase in obesity to launch such actions? I guess, but it would be better if, as a society, we could just do what is right and not wait until a problem occurs. Many human beings ignore good advice until bad habits are entrenched, and problems require monumental effort to unravel (usually costing more than an individual can bare, so that it falls to government to fix it). Choose to be different. Choose to be a trend setter, like Somerville and its citizens.
Look in your town. What does it already provide for a healthier lifestyle? Sidewalks? Bike trails? Dance programs? Sports teams? Clean water? Are the restaurants and stores selling healthy options and minimizing the junk? If so, spread the good word. Are the activities increasing the stamina, strength, and coordination of the town's folk? Make the good news travel so that the usage goes up and the service grows. If the health of your community is not such and needs improvement, take action!
Look at your way of living, also. Do you already have regular physical activities and healthy meals on which you can build? Be the example. Do what you think others should do. Take the stairs, park further away and walk the distance. Dance and play sports with your family.
Send the message that vegetables are yummy and they are not something we need to sneak into foods and drinks. Vegetables add color, texture, and nutrients, and are not just to counterbalance the junk food. The advice from my aunt rings true today: 'you can eat all you want if you just eat the right things.' Family gatherings can be just as joyous around healthy food. Celebrations can lead to a life of many more celebrations if good eating and physical activity are part of our every day life.
We all do better if we have a support system to sustain our endeavors. Rally your town government. Clear areas for outside play, walking, and biking. Petition the town bylaws to support healthy living standards. Gather your family around some basic action steps: Grocery shop and eat out better. Organize walk-pools and walking buses to your destinations. Get into dance class! These are simple ideas that Somerville, Ma has already started. Don't wait until there is a problem, or count on someone else to take action. Our society's trend toward obesity and low muscle tone did not happen in recent years. It has been a growing problem. It can be reversed if we continue our efforts over as much time. Creating a healthy lifestyle for your self is contagious and will lead to others following suit. Start today!
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