Dance, The Warm-Up, and You

The warm-up, simple as it sounds, is one of the most misunderstood aspects of exercise, and it helps keep our bodies youthful. To me, it’s the most important part, for two reasons—it gets the lubrication going in the joints and muscles and it minimizes the possibility of injury during the class.

The keyword here, is “warm.” The actual sensation of heat and the beginning of sweat, are crucial elements. It’s easy to understand the need for lubricating the joints and muscles of our limbs—it’s a little harder to realize that this process is best begun by first warming-up the spine, where our movement originates.

The spine is where the elasticity of the torso begins. Having elastic arms and legs is nothing if we can’t get our torsos going.

Let’s look at what a warm-up is not. It is not a hasty 1, 2, 3, GO! It is not something to be gotten out of the way as quickly as possible so that the “real” exercise can begin.

It should be done mindfully and s-l-o-w-l-y. Feel your way into what is happening and enjoy the sensations as they come up. Use the time to see what parts of you are too tight or too loose, and make a mental note to ask your teacher how to work on these issues.

As we lengthen our muscles in dance, they tear ever-so-slightly due to the stretching. This is entirely normal and desirable as it allows for constant cell renewal and encourages elasticity and re-shaping. For this to happen in a healthy way without causing injury a proper warm-up is required.

Each teacher will demonstrate a different form, or start with a different part of the body. The variations are infinite, so if your teacher does not begin at the spine, do so yourself.

You may feel that your class warm-up is at too quick a pace, or doesn’t last long enough for you to feel truly warm. If this is so, devise your own “pre” warm-up. Get where you are going early so you can clear your mind and work gently to warm your spine. Then let the sweat begin!

Ettie Steg
The Whole Works®
212 575 0765