Conditioning Review

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SG1: main purpose of Conditioning for dancers

SG1: main purpose of Conditioning for dancers

to help dancers maintain a healthy lifestyle + peak physical performance through education and understanding; a resource that contains other resources

SG1: What are the seven physical capacities?

Alignment, Coordination, Flexibility, Strength, Aerobic Endurance, Relaxation, Body Composition

SG1: Alignment

body placement or posture, balancing the bones, allows dancers to move with efficiency

SG1: Coordination

the ability to use different parts of the body together smoothly and efficiently, connection between body and mind

SG1: Flexibility

a broad range of motion in one's muscles and joints

SG1: Strength

the body's ability to produce and exert force; includes muscular strength, muscular endurance, and power

SG1: Aerobic Endurance

the body's ability to sustain high-level physical exercise for an extended period of time through a steady supply of oxygen to muscles

SG1: Relaxation

the ability to release unnecessary tension in the body

SG1: Body Composition

the percentage of fat, muscle, and bone in the human body, a healthy comp optimizes a dancer's performance

SG1: What makes dance an especially demanding physical activity?

dancers are required to have a high ability in all of these physical capacities, as opposed to some other athletes

SG1: What benefits might dancers receive by improving these capacities?

reduce injury risk, optimize performance, overall healthy dancers w/ capacity to grow + longer career

SG2: What are the three major principles of physical conditioning and the two corollary principles which are paired with them?

Major: adaptation, specificity, progressive overload Corollary: reversibility (with adaptation), compensation (with progressive overload)

SG2: Adaptation

challenging the body to work beyond its comfort zone in order to expand capacities and abilities

SG2: Specificity

the way in which one trains should mimic the skills, movements, and actions that one wants to improve upon; targeted training in the body results in an increase in these capacities

SG2: Progressive Overload

a continual increase in the total workload while training (in a fast and safe manner) in order to increase capacities over time; challenges should increase gradually

SG2: Reversibility

if you don't continue maintaining and challenging a capacity, it will diminish over time; use it or lose it

SG2: Compensation

working too far beyond your abilities, which leads to injuries and bad habits

SG2: How does understanding the principles facilitate your dance training?

understanding principles=understanding how body develops + maintains capacities and how one can become stronger in a safe and effective manner

SG2: What is the first clue that tells use we are exceeding our current capacities and violating the principle of progressive overload?

compensation

SG3: What is the "indestructo" phenomenon?

the idea that if one has never had a serious injury, they will never get injured - younger dancers more susceptible bc less likely to have been injured

SG3: Traumatic vs. overuse injuries

Traumatic (acute): happen suddenly, often result of a fall, impact, or misstep -ex. torn ACL Overuse: builds up over time, results from pushing body past its limits, weaknesses, or working out of alignment -ex. tendonitis

SG3: What does it mean when an injury becomes chronic?

chronic injuries are never-ending, reoccur if ignored or if rehabilitation is incomplete

SG3: Symptoms of "itis" injuries (4 + summary term)

heat + redness + swelling + pain = inflammation

SG3: What is the general cause of dance injuries?

exceeding our current capacities, either temporarily by a lot, or repeatedly by a little

SG3: 5 steps in care for dance injuries

Rest: get off the injured part to protect from more harm Ice: cool injured part, reduces swelling (20 min, 2-3x day) Compression: squeeze tissue around injury enough to prevent swelling, wrap towards heart of injury Elevation: raise site of injury above heart to allow body to reabsorb fluid in tissue Referral: get injury assessed by healthcare provider for advice + treatment

SG3: What is a substitute for ice if needed?

cold tap water run over injury

SG3: 3 things in addition to RICE to help healing

Heat: can increase blood flow to injured area once swelling subsides, relaxes muscles Ant-inflammatory meds: reduce inflammation and facilitate healing Selective rest: avoid activity that irritates or puts injury at risk, but keep rest of body active

SG3: If unsure, heat or ice?

ice, as heat can make swelling worse

SG4: What four alignments are essential for dancers?

1. Knees over centers of feet

2. Arches vertical

3. Front of pelvis vertical

4. Rib cage vertical over pelvis

SG4: What are the benefits of good alignment?

makes dancers feel + look longer, makes movement more efficient in joints and muscles, reduces injury

SG4: "Feel it" cues for each alignment

1. Knees: knees over feet and feet under knees

2. Arches: equal pressure, three points on bottom of foot

3. Pelvis: balance pelvis on heads of femurs

4. Rib cage: four points together in center of body

SG4: What is a quick way to see if a dancer's foot is in neutral alignment?

through the Achilles; vertical line = neutral, parentheses shape = supination, inside-out parentheses = pronation

SG4: What misalignment of the pelvis is common for beginning dancers? Why?

anterior tilt due to lack of control in abs + lack of awareness of forced turnout

SG4: What misalignment of the pelvis is common for dancers with training? Why?

posterior tilt due to overcorrection and feeling like this engagement is them trying and working hard

SG4: Four tools dancers can use to correct misalignments

1. Awareness: understanding how to see + feel alignment and cueing correct alignment

2. Strengthening: building strength + activating muscles that support good alignment

3. Stretching: stretching muscles that prevent good alignment

4. Relaxing: relaxing muscles that create unnecessary tensions or compensations

SG5: 4 aims of a well-designed warm-up

1. Increases blood flow

2. Lubricates joints

3. Activates muscles and nerves

4. Focuses your attention

SG5: What types of exercises work best to get the body warm quickly?

exercises working larger muscle groups with control through full range of motion, movements that increase blood flow + feel like dancing

SG5: Why are detailed and isolated exercises usually in beginning of class not ideal for warm-up?

don't move much blood, therefore not sufficient as a warm-up on their own

SG5: Which is better for warm-up: static stretching or full-body movements?

full-body; increase circulation, warm up body quickly, static stretching better for cool-down

SG5: 3 phases of a well-designed cool-down

1. Gradually return body to pedestrian level of activity

2. Stretch muscle groups used intensively

3. Release unnecessary tension

SG5: What benefits can you expect from cool-down?

prevents blood pooling in extremities, reduced soreness, releases muscles to prevent accumulation of tension

SG6: How can building strength benefit dancers?

allows dancers to move with more control, movements more graceful, larger jumps easier, lifts and partnering more seamless, prevents injury

SG6: What are the differences between the type of strength dancers need and type of strength other athletes need?

requires highly refined strength, muscles harder to access, requires intense specificity (cannot use normal gym equipment usually, but helpful in moderation)

SG6: Summarize the guidelines for building strength

Start from place of perfect alignment, use movements similar to dance movement you wish to improve, moving with control through fullest range of motion. Begin with a resistance that allows for 4 reps w/ correct alignment, increasing reps to 8 as strength builds, then increase resistance and reduce to 4 reps. Work 2x per week to maintain, 3x to increase.

SG6: What is a useful way for dancers to do multi-set exercises?

do a variety of exercises that work the same muscle group - same benefits + adds variety

SG6: How long does it take to make noticeable change, what are the risks of rushing it?

5-6 weeks, sooner w/ untrained muscle groups; rushing can cause overuse injury or build improper strength due to misalignment

SG6: What do we want to/not want to stretch?

target: muscles + associated connective tissue (tendons) avoid: ligaments

SG6: Describe three stretching methods instead of ballistic

1. Slow, sustained: placing body in position, then let gravity pull muscles longer PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation):

2. Hold Relax: muscle groups contracted against immovable resistance for 8-10 sec, then muscle allowed to relax/lengthen

3. Slow Reversal Hold Relax: Contraction of muscles on opposite side of body to encourage muscles you're trying to stretch to relax after engaging them

SG6: When does working on flexibility most benefit dancers?

when muscles are warm - they are warm, pliable, willing

SG6: Summarize the guidelines for stretching

Determine which muscles need to be lengthened, warm up your body. Then, use all three stretching techniques to lengthen muscles + facilitate the stretch, encouraging a release of tensions. Stretch for 30-90 sec 2x a day to increase, 1x a day to maintain.

SG7: What is aerobic endurance?

body's ability to supply your muscles with the oxygen they need to continue working over extended periods

SG7: What benefits do dancers get from aerobic training?

necessary for aerobically-demanding choreography, allows dancers to work at higher level over longer time w/out injury, healthy body comp

SG7: General recipe for improving aerobic capacity

engage in activity that increases heart rate to 75% of its max, sustain for 20-30 min, 2-3x a week

SG7: About how many weeks to see improvement in aerobic capacity?

~6 weeks

SG7: Formula for maximum heart rate

MHR = 220-age

SG7: Formula for aerobic training target

ATT = MHR*0.75

SG7: What does VO2max measure?

the amount of oxygen your body is able to process as your heart rate peaks; most valid measure of aerobic fitness

SG7: How to get quick estimate of heart rate

pause exercise, take pulse for 6 sec, add a 0

SG7: How can you tell if you're working too hard?

If you cannot talk or carry on convo, prob working too hard

SG7: Why do dancers need to relax?

reduce discomfort, key to efficient movement, new movement quality, helps to look + feel confident

SG7: How is imagery useful to release tension?

allows effort to focus where needed, useful on stage, enhances release of tension, integrates movement patterns

SG8: 4 macronutrients + main functions

1. Water: body largely made up of water, cools down, eliminates waste

2. Protein: build + repair body tissue, make blood, hormones, antibodies

3. Fat: insulates organs/nerves, make hormones, carry vitamins, store energy

4. Carbohydrates: fuel muscles we need to function, continuous stream of energy

SG8: Micronutrients most at risk for missing, how to increase chances of getting them all?

calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, fiber; eat variety of nutrient dense foods

SG8: What does %BF mean?

percent body fat - measurement of proportion of fatty tissue to whole body mass

SG8: What is the essence of staying lean, how to stay lean without compromising health?

burn as many calories as you consume, reduce # of calories + add well tailored exercise program to change body comp

SG8: What is the problem with dieting?

temporary!! Instead, change habits long-term

SG8: 10 Guildelines for Eating to Dance Well

1. 8 cups of water per day

2. Variety of nutrient dense foods

3. Schedule meal times

4. Breakfast + 2 other meals, no more than 4 hrs w/out food

5. Carry healthy snacks

6. Complex carbs 2-3 hrs before performing

7. Aerobic + strength training when restricting calories

8. No diet, change habits

9. Body fat reduction during off season

10. Low-fat alternatives

SG9: Major sections of each exercise description

-Benefits -Exercise description w/ photos -Alignment + execution priorities -Challenges + reminders -Progressions + variations -Descriptions by others

SG9: Which principle of conditioning would adding resistance, repetitions, or sets facilitate?

progressive overload

SG9: What is the general breathing pattern recommended in this book? Is it the only valid breathing pattern?

-breathe out to facilitate spinal flexion, breathe in to facilitate spinal extension -breathe out on most effortful part of movement -different patterns can be used, but these generally facilitate movement