Reciprocal inhibition!

I've begun working on some new choreography this past weekend and it's been a while since some of my dancers have been in rehearsal with me.  Needless to say, they were a little out of shape!  One of my dancers and I were walking up the stairs from the train to head home following rehearsal, and she had some intense pain in her hip flexor (psoas). 

As she was walking I told her to contract, or squeeze, her butt muscles -- this will help to release the muscles in the front of the hips as she walks.  This is called reciprocal inhibition and it's great for us to know about and use to encourage muscle relaxation!

Our muscles work in pairs: the prime mover, or the muscle doing the work, is called the agonist.  The muscle that opposes that muscle is called the antagonist.  Sort of like when doing an arm curl the bicep is the agonist and the tricep is the antagonist -- one is contracting (in this case the agonist is the bicep) and one is lengthening (in this case the antagonist is the tricep.)  If we tense up one of those, it inhibits the other from muscle contraction and it will cause the other to release.  In the case of my dancer, her hip flexor was tight so we tensed up the antagonist (glutes or butt) to inhibit muscle contraction and to encourage relaxation in her hip flexor. 

Happy relaxing! 

No momentum!

If you can do abdominal work on a physioball for over 8 minutes without stopping (like the guy at my gym yesterday!), odds are you are not using your abdominal muscles. You are probably rolling on the ball and using leg muscle power and momentum to lift and lower your torso. I find this the case with many men.... Trouble finding their abs as they offer have strong arms and legs and will recruit those and use them constantly.

Deep abdominal muscles, our stabilizers, are slow firing so it's imperative to work in a slow and sustained manner (5-20 seconds.) Try having a partner physically hold your pelvis steady or at least watch you to make sure you are not rocking your pelvis back and forth. Pace yourself for slow control. I promise you'll feel it!!

I was tempted to step in at the gym yesterday.... But figured it wasn't the best idea ;) But I'm glad to help you!

On my walk in Queens!

Mom's in training

What I hope you can see behind the biker, is a group of Brooklyn mom's getting healthy on the promenade! (I had to take this like an undercover reporter!!)

These women were sprinting with strollers, doing push-ups and lunges all over the boardwalk - meanwhile their children sat in strollers. One mom even held her young boy for some added weight during lunges- great idea!

Are there like-minded people you know, or simply people who have the same time clock, priorities, situation, or goals? It's much easier to wake up for a 5:30am workout prior to heading to the office if someone will be there waiting for you each day. Use social networking sites to find people like you who might want to do the same kind of physical activity at the same time.

Get motivated by others and stick with it!

Healthy reminder

Thank you AMNY for this reminder--
Swap out soda for a healthier option!

Great article!

As marathon Sunday approaches in NYC, New York magazine has shared a terrific article this week.

High-intensity interval-training (HIIT), is the new way to go, which prevents painful knee or back issues that often accompany long runs and your body will actually burn MORE calories AFTER you complete your workout! This is called Energy Post-Exercise Consumption.

Work at intervals of up to 85-90% of your max heart rate (220-your age) and then work at 60-70% during slower sections. Rate your effort on 1-10 with "10 feeling like you're sprinting to escape a mugger and 6 or 7 like you're hustling across a platform to catch a train." Love this description!

So hit a shorter workout for a higher intensity, and spend less time doing more for your body!

Inspiration for today!

The law of...

Thermodynamics:

The only way to lose weight or body fat is to consume less calories (eating and drinking) than you expend (doing activity). That means you have to exercise AND eat healthy to get to your desired healthier self.

Get to moving and then have a healthy snack. The process works together like a team; can't have one without the other!!

Florida!

I've just begun a two week residency in Florida (!) I am teaching dance technique class and setting repertory on some fabulous dancers at Bak Middle School of the Performing Arts.

They are so open to my teaching and my approach to dance and repertory. I begin class with core stabilization and abdominal work and even some push-ups!! They are welcoming it at a young age of 6th, 7th and 8th graders.

What an incredible start to my residency! More to come!!!

Say what?!

Take a look at this pie chart.



It doesn't always matter what you're saying, but how you're saying it. Do you make eye contact, smile, speak with conviction and energy? Be the first to answer yes to these things as physiology is contagious. We feed off of others as they mirror our behavior.

In the wise words of Ghandi, "be the change you wish to see in the world."

Think positive and be positive!

Change it up today

Instead of going VERTICALLY through a lifting workout (biceps, triceps, chest, then back, etc) and doing that pattern a few times, trying moving HORIZONTALLY across the workout. Repeat each exercise for 2-3 sets before moving on to a new body part. Don't forget to take a short break (30 sec to 1.5 min) between each set to ensure your muscles can rest and replenish your energy store.

See how this impacts your body differently!

I'm tired...

A conversation the other night leads me to do a little reading tonight... on sleep. Can we get too much, too little, or catch up on it when we've been burning the midnight oil? 

65% of people are sleep deprived... that means 65% of people are stressed, moody, and  probably struggling to concentrate.  Dr. James Maas tells us that getting less than the amount of sleep your body needs is neither macho nor smart.  Research supports his perspective and while hunting for even more info, I found out some interesting facts that some may be surprised to hear. (I hope it doesn't put you to sleep!)

New research shows that a woman's sleep clock is quite different than a man's - it moves faster.  This is why women are often "early-to-rise" (not me!) and men are often considered "night owls".  The biological ticker in the brain of a woman is quicker and can be the reason that women suffer from insomnia about 50% more than men.

The National Sleep Foundation sites a Harvard research study stating that it's nearly impossible to get caught up on sleep.  People with non-traditional work shifts need to be aware of this to maintain as regular a schedule as possible. 

Other Harvard research studies connect sleep loss to decreased productivity, hypertension, and obesity.

So as we head into the colder weather and sickness and exhaustion will inevitably creep in, make sure you are getting your much needed rest!

Get it on the calendar

Today's thought comes from Elizabeth Cutler of SoulCycle spinning studios:

"Pencil it in!
If you don't plan for exercise, you won't do it. Put workouts on your calendar, just as you would meetings. You're much more likely to follow through if they're scheduled."

Thanks, Elizabeth!

Turn up the tunes...

I can't imagine working out, or even cleaning my kitchen for that matter, without the inspiration of music. There's something about a beat that creates a groove for you to work to - and it's enjoyable.

Whether it's the inspirational lyrics, the driving beat, or simply a new song you love, selecting music for your workout has been proven to keep you going. The BPM of the song, the tempo, can guide the pace of your run... My challenge song is Mr. Brightside by The Killers, also showcased in the article below- keeps me hitting the pavement quick.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/fashion/10fitness.html

Create a playlist that will dictate your speed, warm-up, cool down, each rep and set, as well as music for the in-betweens to keep you psyched up.

What gets you going??

More for the core!

Check out the Men's Health suggestions at the site listed in the photo. Around the world plank is my favorite!



If you don't have access to a cable row machine, don't worry you can always use a free weight on the side plank.

Keep your belly button area pulled in to support your low back.

Enjoy!

Get that vitamin B!!

Lunch on the run?

After a fabulous ballet class at Gibney Dance today, I was scheduled to meet with a theater colleague for lunch. I had just sweat my tail off with a great class and the last thing I wanted to eat was grease, grizzle, and anything unhealthy.  I found myself at the ENERGY KITCHEN near Madison Square Park, and I wasn't dissapointed.

 It's incredibly challenging to live on the go in a city filled with thousands of bars and restaurants with any cuisine imaginable.  How am I supposed to make good choices?  Going to a place like ENERGY KITCHEN enables you to know exactly what's inside what you're eating.  You can make healthy choices, while eating sustainable meals. At this place, all finds are under 500 calories so you can measure what's in your lunch. 

So....how to be healthy when living the life of a city dweller?

1. Plan ahead: know what the day has in store and pack sustainable meals and snacks like figs and almonds, a peanut butter sandwich, or a Luna bar (insert your favorite type here). 
2. Find a fruit stand: a couple of quarters can go a long way with a NYC fruit vendor.  Bananas, apples, oranges, OH MY!  Grab one on your walk for a great pick me up and avoid unhealthy sugary sweets like candy bars or soda.
3. Make good choices: there are plenty of healthy places to eat, like ENERGY KITCHEN, all over the city.  Find a place that you like and know where it is in every neighborhood. 

It's easy to make great habits, like packing a lunch, bringing your own water bottle, and giving to charity ;) So start small and think how you can make a difference in your own life and with your own health. 

Check out an ENERGY KITCHEN near you and think of me when you do!

Mmm mmm good!

As the weather cools down, stir up a pot of homemade soup. It's an easy thing to make and recipes are not even needed.

Here is an easy and healthy vegetable soup:

1. Pour olive oil in a pot and sauté up some garlic and onions.
2. Add chicken, beef or vegetable stock or broth.
3. Get to adding veggies of your choice. My favorites: broccoli, spinach, kidney beans, celery, potatoes, diced tomatoes... Whatever you have around the house.
4. Add spices as desired and bring to a boil. Simmer as long as you like and enjoy!!

Soup is liquid based so it's filling without lots of calories and fat. Freeze the leftovers and eat anytime.

You may be asking where is the soup in my bowl? Well, it's long gone!!

Football Sunday!

Take a break today (as I am!) from doing your sport, and watch some! 

Many games on today and I'll be cheering for the Bills as they take on the Raiders at 1pm.  Check out the home made t-shirts I made, yes with glitter (!) --
 

The front say's "SHOUT"

and the back says "Buffalo's Happenin' Now"



I made a whole series with various lyrics from our theme song (taking orders if you're interested!!) .... so get out and enjoy the fall day!

GO BILLS!!

Today, we stabilize!

Stabilizing the core is essential to protect the body from injury and to aid in efficient body movement.  During stabilization exercises there will be little movement of the spine and pelvis.  Try these two today:

Marching/Single Leg Raise

• Lay on your back with feet out away from your body, pointing forward with arms at your side
• Draw the navel in with the maneuver we discussed yesterday (and stay activated below the navel the entire time)
• Lift the first foot off the floor, hold for a few seconds and place back down 
• Repeat on each side 

Check out today's model, Emilee, performing this: 

She's keeping her pelvis stable and making sure not to arch her back when moving her legs. 

Keep that navel drawn in!  

Two-Leg Floor Bridge

Lay on your back with feet out away from your body, pointing forward with arms at your side
Draw the navel in with the maneuver we discussed yesterday (and stay activated below the navel the entire time) as well as activate the gluteals (butt muscles)
Lift pelvis off the floor until the entire body is in one straight line from knees to shoulders

Slowly lower and repeat

Try to add these to your daily routine to stabilize your pelvis.  Once we've begun to stabilize, then we can strengthen!

Tips for working your CORE

Everyone wants strong supportive abdominals, to look great, and be pain free... right? Then we must know how to stabilize our pelvis while strengthening our CORE. Check out a few tips from NASM:  

• Before doing activity, pull in (the region just below the navel) toward the spine in a drawing-in maneuver to engage and support
• Keep the cervical spine (most high portion leading toward your neck) in a neutral position to improve posture, muscle balance, and stabilization
• Interesting fact!! Maintain level eyes because of something called the pelvo-ocular reflex: the muscles around the neck will go into hyperextension if you are looking upward and this will cause the pelvis to anteriorly rotate (sway back) to realign the eyes... leading to muscle imbalances and decreased pelvic stabilization.  Check out the photos below to see what we don't want!

Cervical hyperextension

Sway back (anterior pelvic tilt)
• Stabilization muscles of the core are mostly slow firing muscles so they need to be sustained during contraction to strengthen -- at least 6 - 20 seconds, so move slowly
• Do not go into lumbar (low back) hyperextension, as seen in the picture above above, during abdominal work as this may place stress and pressure on the disks and ligaments leading to serious low back pain or injury 

And check out tomorrow's post: exercises to stabilize and build strength! 

For my tea drinkers....

After posting about coffee yesterday, a dear friend inquired about his tea drinking...

this information is for you, Josh!

Tea has many benefits and has been cheered on for centuries:

• Contains flavonoids (antioxidants) 
• Green tea contains highest amount of catechins (powerful group of antioxidants) and studies have linked green tea to disease-fighting and anticancer health benefits    
• Green, black and oolong teas decrease risk of heart disease, increase good (HDL) cholesterol in the body and improve artery function
• Inflammation reducing (for those who suffer from arthritis)
• Studies in Japan link green tea to memory improvement
• Chamomile (my personal favorite) helps reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep disorders, and aids in stomach discomfort
• Teas are diuretics (substance causing the kidneys to release more sodium in your urine) and doctors prescribe diuretics to treat some conditions, but if you do not suffer from any health conditions make sure you are drinking plenty of water during the day to keep water in your blood stream and body

Research shows many benefits to tea consumption, but as always the research is limited as you cannot isolate this as a leading cause to overall health.  But I think the science of where tea comes from (plant leaves containing polyphenols and flavonoids -- antioxidants!) make it easy to want to add tea to your daily diet -- seems like a no-brainer to me!

Remember to steep your tea for 3-5 minutes to bring out the most antioxidants.  Pre-bottled teas, decaffeinated, and instant teas have less - so freshly brewed tea is most recommended.  

Drink up!

Java = good or bad?

As I was sitting down to enjoy my second cup of coffee for the day
(yes, in my bright sunny "Good Morning!" mug that I use every day!!),

I heard voices in my head.... good voices that is.... of friends and family who always ask me about coffee and whether or not it is good to have as part of your daily diet. Thought it would be a perfect thing to chat about today.  Here's the skinny on coffee and it's benefits and harms:

Coffee is okay in moderation (like most things).  If you enjoy 1 or 2 cups a day you are in good shape. If you are someone who enjoys 1 or 2 pots a day.... you better cut back!

• Studies show that coffee may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, discourage the development of colon cancer, and even reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease.  But elevated consumption has also been linked to breast cancer and osteoporosis in women.
• Earlier studies that showed coffee as a possible cause to heart disease and cancers did not also take into consideration that many high consumption coffee drinkers were also smokers and physically inactive (at that time) .
• 30 to 60 minutes after drinking coffee, caffeine blood levels will be their highest and may add focus and energy to your workout. Don't drink too much as coffee is a diuretic and will dehydrate you.

And don't forget, coffee is a stimulant which will increase your heart rate and elevate your blood pressure - so keep track of how you're feeling and know what's best for you and your body.

Cheers to a great morning!

Look what I saw while on foot at the bus stop

Saw this terrific ad at the bus stop today - are you drinking enough water? NYC tap water is delish!

Be Fit NYC!

Three cheers for the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation with a new campaign for living a healthy lifestyle by adding exercise to your already scheduled day - to "make NYC your gym".  This is an amazing concept that more people can actually succeed in doing.  In NYC there are many opportunities to walk, take the stairs, and make simple swaps for using your body to get you places and not public transportation.  But what about in other cities like Buffalo or Providence? 

Why not try:

• Parking in the last spot in the Wegmans/Whole Foods/Target parking lots and enjoying the long walk into and out of the store
• Walk briskly through the aisles when shopping to increase your heart rate - time yourself and compete for your best efforts on a busy Saturday
• Choose to take the stairs instead of riding the elevator to your office on the fifth floor
• Swap out your riding lawn mower and push one yourself
• Make yard work a real workout
• Get in touch with friends in your area and schedule pick up sports games like a Saturday morning flag football game or a running club in the park  
• Make your book club into a walking and talking book club - hit the street!

Most people say to me, "but Marisa, I don't have TIME to go to the gym" .... and this I understand for sure.  People are working long hours, hard days, and have little energy left to do much of anything else.  There is no rule that says you must workout for 30 consecutive minutes each day, so break that up into six 5 minute bursts (parking lot hike, "running" errands at the grocery store, good-bye elevator, etc.) - it's the same impact and your body will feel MORE energized when it's MORE active during the day. 

Make YOUR city YOUR gym...today!

Happy National Cholesterol Education Month!

Did you know that high blood cholesterol affects over 65 million Americans? Did you know that high blood cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease?  Did you know that heart disease causes heart attacks? 

If you didn't know this.... you should.  High cholesterol is serious and most people don't even know they have it.  Get your cholesterol levels tested (this month!) and then take simple steps from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute to keep yourself healthy:

• Reduce the amount of saturated fats in your diet
• Do physical activity! Helps to lower your bad cholesterol levels while increasing your good cholesterol levels
• Know your family history

The older you get the more susceptible you are to having problems with high cholesterol, so develop good habits at a young age.  Serve up some oats, whole grains, beans, nuts, eggplant (!) and keep your body healthy and happy!

A tasty recovery drink

reGen muscle recovery beverage combines cocoa, carbs and protien (in a scientifically proven ratio) to create a post workout drink that will

1. Repair muscles from the stress that is placed on them while exercising
2. Replace carbohydrate stores that have been used during activity
3. Replenish fluid and electrolytes lost during an intense sweating session. 

Without proper recovery within 60 minutes of your workout, you could experience muscle soreness and fatigue -- as I'm sure most of us are used to.  This recovery beverage:

• contains cocoa for antioxidant power
• can be use on a two workout a day training program (for my dancers.... after class and before going into a lengthy rehearsal, or on a long performance day)
• is 99.9% lactose free - won't cause bloating or difficulty with digestion

I thought this drink was tasty and filling.  It has many benefits backed by science, and who can go wrong with science? Try one today and let me know what you think! 

How do you feel today?

Try not to always be concerned with the numbers: how much you weigh on a scale, your measurements, clothing size.... these numbers are not the most important things to gauging your personal health. 

Try to take notice: how does your body feel, how do your clothes fit, are normal daily tasks easier to do, do you feel good about yourself, do you have more energy? 

Find success in feeling great and don't worry about anything else!

Does an apple a day....really keep the doctor away?

HAPPY SEPTEMBER!

As kids head back to school and the summer winds down, school lunches and the upcoming fall season filled with bales of hay and scarecrows come to mind.  I've already begun adding apples back into my diet and I'm reminded of all the wonderful things this fruit has to offer, so popular during autumn.

Why eat apples?

• Apples contain dietary fiber and there are countless benefits of a high fiber diet
• So many minerals! Especially in organic apple cider vinegar
• Additional benefits include reducing blood pressure, maintaining bowels, and breathing easier

Pack apples for a healthy snack on the go, chop them up and add to your salad, bake in your morning oatmeal -- however you do it, add this fat free snack into your day.  And if you ask me, I recommend my personal favorite, the Macintosh apple (with a dash of cinnamon!!) -- so many good ones found here in New York State -- get to crunching!

What's for dinner?

I spent the afternoon at the farmer's market in Union Square to find the perfect eggplant and zucchini for my dinner tonight.  I plan to cook those up with some diced tomatoes and onions (along with some home grown garlic from my sicilian Aunt Tita) over a bed of pasta for dinner tonight. Sounds delicious, right?! You bet -- but these powerful vegetables are not only delicious, they are nutritious!

Eggplant and Zucchini:

• contain antioxidants to help fight cancer and support antiviral activity
• contains deitary fiber to help lower cholesterol and decrease blood sugar levels
• contains many anti-inflamatory vitamins which help decrease effects of inflamatory diseases like arthritis
• contains magnesium and potassium which helps to reduce blood pressure

So why not stop by your local farmer's market and cook up a pot of life saving goodness tonight. 
From my kitchen to yours..... bon appetit!

Be on the look out....

I was doing my normal workout routine the other day (pre Hurricane Irene!) when I noticed two young guys working out next to me. They had strong, lean bodies (not bulky or thick as some men hope to acquire) so I began to check out the wild abdominal routine they were engrossed in.  They were doing some interesting things that I've never seen before.  I decided to add a few of them to my next workout.....

Don't be afraid to use others as a resource - there is nothing sneaky or strange about it! If you like the shape and strength of their body, perhaps what they are doing may work for you.  Most people are comfortable in repetitive patterning so we get locked into our workout routines - doing the same things day after day - and this is not the best.  When challenging your body with different range of motion patterns we are forcing muscles to work in conjunction - in perhaps brand new ways!  Startling our body with new techniques in abdominal work or with weight training can help to alert new muscles which we may naturally under use.  And when we don't use it, we lose it. 

So keep your eyes open, and steal away!!!!!

Push-up Thursday!

Happy "Push-up Thursday" everybody -- my own day to celebrate the amazing benefits of a push-up!! 

I was at my gym this morning, the New York Sports Club, and while doing the tenth push-up of my series my friend and a trainer at the gym, Will, walked by and said jokingly, "99... 100...."  I started to laugh and found a nice moment to take a break for a quick chat.  I looked up at him to share my LOVE for push-ups and how I don't think that enough women are doing push-ups in their workout.  Most women feel insecure about their (often) limited upper body strength, and the only way to improve it -- is to use it.

Push-ups have so many benefits as a total body workout -- they work your:

• chest
• upper back
• shoulders
• glutes
• core
• biceps and triceps
• legs

Women CAN do push-ups and I encourage everyone to join me in adding a few to your workout... you will see the change in your body definition and in your strength capacity.  If you can only do ONE perfect push-up, that is an excellent place to begin.  It's better to do ONE amazing push-up than to waste time and energy doing many that do not count.  Your body will build the strength quickly and I guarantee you'll be surprised to see how many consecutive push-ups you can do in a couple of weeks. 

Add them into your workout at anytime and anywhere -- you could do them in your kitchen if you had to!  No machines, weights, or mats needed - just you!  Keep your entire body in one straight line parallel to the floor with your core engaged to keep the lower back supported safely.  Do not drop the pelvis while lowering the body -- this will only stress the back.  Peek in a mirror from the side to see your entire body, head to heels, in one strong line of energy. 

So, all my women especially, join me in celebrating my new holiday "Push-up Thursday" and enjoy the many benefits!! 

 

Continuing on in NYC

After a few days hiatus from posting I am happy to be back in NYC after a rewarding summer at NYSSSA sharing health and wellness with young aspiring dancers.  I will be continuing on with my blog, sharing information that I think is current, relevant, interesting, or in response to questions/comments from students/clients.  Ask me at grabyoursneaks@gmail.com and I'll do my best to get the answers for you. 

Today I would like to share some thoughts from a conversation I had with my sister....  We just returned to the city after several days of celebrating my brother's wedding weekend.  It was filled with LOTS of delicious foods and desserts and toasting to the bride and groom.  Today was our first day back to our regular schedule of healthy eating and a trip to the gym.  It made us think about the often felt GUILT we have that comes with splurging. 

Why do we have GUILT when we indulge in eating or while taking a vacation from a healthy lifestyle? 

Feeling guilty about treating ourselves once in a while does nothing to help the situation -- we cannot even enjoy it while we are doing it.  If your body is craving something that you don't typically have, allow yourself to not only eat the treat but to ENJOY it.  This is the most important part - or else why have it? It's about finding a balance.  Once in a while it's OKAY to celebrate - it's when every day turns into a celebration that it is not only no longer safe for our bodies, but it loses its special feeling.  Think of splurge eating like a vacation: if you spent each day of your year on a beach chair in the Bahamas it too would eventually feel normal.... and how productive can you be while sitting in a beach chair??  

So happy splurging today -- and get back to reality tomorrow!   

Reflections from students

A lot can happen in four weeks..... there was so much growth and change for the students at the NYSSSA School of Dance program.  We finished our dance conditioning program by creating three day conditioning plans combining elements of cardiorespiratory, plyometrics, physioball, weight training, stretching and relaxation and injury prevention -- each student looked at the exercises/tactics we learned and what their bodies need to create one especially for them. 

Here's a photo of our entire group during our last class:

We also ended with a conversation on some of the body work we had completed the day before -- when we work with a partner to go through a range of motion of our muscle groups (flexing and extending, abducting and adducting, and rotation of our joints) without using our own muscular strength... our partner did the heavy lifting for us.  We found some easy relaxation -- I think it was some of the students favorite days! 

I asked the students to complete a final write-up, for me mostly, to see how our summer had gone:

I asked several questions and I was truly moved by what the students had to share with me, feedback on the summer and what they learned from our class.  Here's a few samples of what the students had to say:

This summer I learned...

• About the body and how to keep my body healthy while doing a lot of intense work.  
• I learned not to beat myself up about my body type.  There's a reason I find my cardiorespiratory and muscular endurance to be so poor and it's not something that I've done wrong.  I now know what I can do to get myself stronger.  
• I learned not to be intimidated when I walk into a gym and see guys benching 150 lbs. or more. I have my own specialized workout for me to focus on improving a "dancer's" body.  
• This summer I learned... so much!  All the information about fueling my body/about my body, how to present myself in front of an audience, how to push my body/mind farther...
• I learned a lot about injury prevention and nutrition.  It was interesting to learn how crucial carbs are to a dancer's body when they're training.  
• This summer I learned that working out is not dreadful, it makes me feel really good about myself.  
• I learned that I can accomplish anything if I set my mind to it and am willing to take risks.

And when the final question asked the students if there was anything else they'd like me to know, some wrote....

• You are amazing. This class taught me so much. I hope we stay in contact. I notice from what we have done in class my energy has improved and stamina for dance pieces has been much better. 
• I loved spending these 4 weeks with you! 
• This class was amazingly helpful and so inspirational.  Your methods (teaching) and attitude make everything enjoyable. 
• Your class has been beyond helpful and I would like you to know you have impacted my life in a positive way. The things learned here will be carried along for the rest of my life!
• I loved this class! It was a nice pick me up when I had a difficult day.  
• You were a really wonderful, supportive teacher. Always smiling and engaging, you encouraged everyone to do their best.  I felt comfortable with you and feel like I learned a great deal about body conditioning.  

I was so moved by these comments and it helps to reassure my desire to share this information with the dance community -- young and old!  I have to thank the students for their openness and trust in me -- it shaped the success of our summer.  We supported one another while investigating new information about ourselves and health and wellness related to dancers. 

WAY TO GO STUDENTS!! WE DID IT! 

And this blog will continue on as we continue on..... keep in touch!

Final Day of Dance Conditioning at NYSSSA

Our final day together at NYSSSA -- with photos to come and a full write up tomorrow.  I'm headed home to Buffalo (jumping in the car for the 5.5 hour drive right now -- with a rolled up t-shirt to support my low spine of course!) for my brother's wedding and will sadly be missing the student concert on Friday. But don't worry students.... I'll be posting all week with recommendations on how to prepare for the big day! 

More to come tomorrow :)

Stretching Perspectives

As mentioned in Thursday's post (sorry for the two days away from writing -- last night was our NYSSSA faculty concert and we've been in rehearsal til all hours of the night!!) we explored stretching this week, and how it will relate to our individual conditioning programs.

Several types of stretching:

1. Static stretching - holding a stretch while the body is not moving
2. PNF (propiroceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching - holding a stretch then creating an isometric contraction then relaxing into a deeper stretch to be done with a qualified partner
3. Dynamic stretching - bringing blood and oxygen to muscles by using momentum of movement to increase range of motion 

The students were sent home with some work to do this weekend -- to create their own 10 minute warm-up to be used before technique class in the morning while here in our program, or whenever they need it in the future - for performance, before a workout, etc. They will combine warm-up elements of stretching with a focus on increasing heart rate, increasing body temperature, and preparing large muscle groups for movement. 

As stated in Flexible perspectives on stretching experts may have various viewpoints on when stretching should occur (before, during or after physical activity), but ALL agree that stretching has many benefits and should be done to increase range of motion, improve flexibility and performance, and prevent injuries.  

Stretching!!

It's so important to stretch!

We spent the day discussing static and dynamic stretching as well as PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) -- how and why we should incorporate stretching into our warm-up before class, as well as post a workout or dance class.

The point of a "warm-up" is to get your body warm.... try some dynamic stretching like leg swings to get your blood flowing and heart rate elevated.  Post your workout try holding static stretches when the body is at rest for 30 seconds to 2 minutes for a long stretch to increase range of motion and improve flexibility. 

Keep up with it and see results -- prevent injury and increase expression through movement!

More perspectives on stretching to come.....

Physioball and Plyometrics continued...

Plyometrics are used to produce fast, powerful movements to increase speed of muscle contractions.  This can lead to faster movements and higher jumps.  A muscle is first loaded in a lengthening (eccentric) contraction with a brief pause, then in a concentric (shortening) contraction through an explosive action.

It's important when doing plyometrics to be warm (jogging or doing the boxer shuffle for 5 minutes to get the heart rate elevated) and to maintain alignment of knees over the toes.  Several students experience pronation (rolling in) of their ankles, so they'll be on the look out for this in particluar!

Check out Meredith performing a standard squat jump...

She'll do a quick explosive spring into the air and land with knees over the toes during the landing.  Here's what the landing looks like from the front. 

The students worked in circuit style today exploring a blend of burst of cardiorespiratory activites, physioball exercises and plyometrics.  Here's Tareake doing a squat with the physioball.  

Working with the physioball to increase our proprioception (body orientation) skills and balance ability while strengthening our core -- and plyometrics for a quick burst of energy and fast muscle contractions to increase our speed --- a dynamite combination week 3!

Physioball and Plyometrics -- Week 3

Layering onto our focus of strength training in week 2 at NYSSSA, this week we are maintaining core stability with physioball exercises and increasing speed through quick strength plyometrics. 

Working with a physioball has many benefits:

• strengthens core 
• increases balance 
• develops proprioception skills (related to motion and orientation of the body in space)
• connect upper and lower limbs through the core

See Lauren rolling out to a reverse plank on the physioball; she'll perform a jack knife, then a pike, and finish with a push-up.  

 This is very advanced so we began a few steps before this with simple rolling out and in, testing our balance and strength while maintaining good alignment in a plank and reverse plank.  We practiced other strengthening exercises using the ball, and we found that some of students may not be at this level of strength yet -- you might not be either -- and that's OK! Remember to work within your capacity and to increase own personal ability, not your neighbor's.   

With this series, it's important to keep arms pressing away from the floor so the shoulders don't collapse and to keep the abdominal muscles engaged to support the low spine -- the body should be in a straight line parallel to the floor during the reverse plank, head in line with the spine (make sure to keep that alignment during the push-up Lauren!)  Each of these exercises can be done in isolation, or combined for a powerful workout as Lauren showed us.   

We'll talk plyometrics tomorrow!

How many vitamins should I take?

The students have been asking some fabulous questions this summer -- they've given ME lots to think about and investigate:

Check out the Harvard School of Public Health's perspective on Vitamins and how many we should be taking.  ***Eat a healthy diet and avoid "super" supplements because too much of a good thing can simply be too much.

And keep hydrated!



 

A day at the pool for me!

I spent some of my day off at the Victoria Pool in the beautiful Saratoga State Park near SPAC.  

 Yes, it's as relaxing as it looks! 

I decided this weekend I would try to practice what I've been preaching to my students -- that a little R&R goes a long way.  In order to perform at our best, we need to get plenty of rest to allow time for our muscles to repair themselves. 

I took a day and a half off (!) with no physical activity (other than carrying my laundry to the washer and sitting by the pool) since yesterday around 2pm.  It's been wonderful.  Over the past few days I've had some major pain creep up in my hip and my back where I have a long standing injury.  While I desired to head to the gym to walk it off, or grab some weights to work on my core, I pretended that I was one of my own students and gave my body what it really needed - a day off!!

Read what Dance Magazine has to say about the importance of rest in Your Body: The Rest Test.  The physical therapists interviewed for this article emphasize the need for "intentional rest" (not rest following an injury) and to look at the athletic model of periodization - planning your conditioning/performing schedule over time.

So let's try to remember the final statement in this fantastic article: "The performing body is blood and guts.  It needs its rest to do its best." 

Nutrition questions answered

Here are a few additional resources regarding nutrition.  I had some wonderful discussions with the students this week and some expressed interested in a few specific topics. 

As promised to them... here we go with some information!

For Maria -- Check out page 7 on this document from the University of Illinois for information on monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. ***Remember to keep a good amount of healthy fats in our diet, like yummy avocado and nuts. 

For Lauren -- Check out this information about iron from the National Institutes of Health.  ***Without enough iron we can easily feel fatigued; eating red meats, fish, beans and lentils will help us get the iron our bodies need.   

For Debbie and Bella -- Read the article titled Two Is Better Than One from Best Health Magazine.  *** Eating healthy fats with your salad (like avocado - as we talked about in class), pairing caffeine with carbohydrates post workout, or simply mixing banana with yogurt, will help to increase the amount of nutrients the body is able to absorb and we can maximize the health in our foods.  

Bon appetit! 

Let's Hit the Gym!

Check out two of our NYSSSA dancers as they strength train in the gym during class today.

 Here is Lauren beginning a triceps extension exercise.  She is stabilizing her lower body while in a supine position laying down on the mat; she extends her arms while holding weights in each hand.

 Then she bends her elbows into flexion at a 90 degree angle as she works on strengthening her triceps muscles.  She is stabilizing her humerus bone (upper arm) as she does this.  Check it out in motion.

Check out Sasha completing medicine ball rotation for her obliques (abdominal muscles).  She must keep her lower body still while stabilizing her pelvis and engaging her entire core; only rotating her torso from side to side.

Try these two exercises at home and let us know what you think!

Nutrition for dancers

Check out Fueling the Dancer from the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science -- a great resource I'm using with the students in class today.  Explains the type of specific nutrition that dancers need and how to sustain energy through a long day of rehearsals and performance.  

The Centre for Dance Nutrition, affiliated with the Atlanta Ballet, has sample meal plans for both female and male dancers who are in pre-professional and professional conditioning programs.

Let me know what you think of these resources... feel free to post a comment!

Week 2!

Yesterday started week #2 at NYSSSA and the students spent the day auditioning for repertory.  They spent hours learning movement phrases and then showing them in short groups.  Many students were feeling fatigued in their quadriceps and I quickly reminded them of the foam roller and the need to de-stress the muscle fibers.

Today's class was complete with cardiorespiratory work in the cardio room, and then a trip to the gym for some strength training and weight lifting.  It's important for dancers to have this as a part of their conditioning program -- and this article, though it's from 2005, is incredibly relevant to the work we are doing here this summer.  Titled The significance of muscular strength in dance  from the Journal of Dance Science and Medicine, the authors clearly demonstrate the benefit for dancers hitting the gym!  

Some key points made by the authors:

1.  Fitness related to dance incorporates body composition, joint mobility and cardiorespiratory capacity
2. Fast twitch muscle fibers (for sprinting) are 30%-40% larger than slow twitch muscle fibers (long distance marathon running) and if a dancer has more of these, their body can look more "muscular"
3. Modern dance blends muscular strength with agility, balance and flexibility 
4. Ballet dancers have more slow twitch muscle fibers, and modern dancers often come from an interdisciplinary background (e.g., former gymnasts) so they could have a certain amount of "athleticism" 
5. Lower back is most common site for dance injury 
6. Strength training can help to lessen osteoporosis and weight bearing activity increases bone density 
7. One must put muscles through a full range of motion or you could risk shortening a muscle 

A bit of the conclusion for a quick summary:

Dancers remain subject to the same unyielding physical laws as athletes. However, although muscular strength has been part of the athlete's life since classical times, this physical fitness component has not been considered as a necessary ingredient for success in dance. We presented published data demonstrating that supplementary exercise training can increase muscular strength without interfering with artistic and dance performance requirements. There is little indication that an appropriate strength training regimen would diminish body aesthetics and muscle flexibility.

So.... hitting the gym will not damage a dancer's artistry -- if anything, it will increase bone density, make dancers less prone to injury, and help a dancer to sustain an even longer career. 

Rafting!

 Looks fun, right?!

Well, a few members of the NYSSSA faculty and I went rafting on the Sacandaga River today!  It was a wonderful way to spend the sunny day while getting quite the workout.  (Sadly, that's not us in the above photo as you get totally soaked when doing this activity and the camera would not have made the trip out of the river alive....)

Eddie, Marisa (me), Adrian and Erika

all ventured out in our PFV's (personal flotation devices) and rafted down 3.5 miles on the river.  We experienced some pretty decent rapids as well as calm parts of the river that we quite relaxing.  The best part of our day was that while we we able to enjoy the most incredible scenic landscape around us, we got our workout in without even thinking about it.  Here's how it went.....

Before we got into the water, we were climbing up and down hills (engaging our hamstrings) and carrying the raft.  Once we got into the raft we were instructed to "all front" or "all back"; this meant we used the paddles to row in various directions and worked our arms with the challenging natural resistance of fast moving water.  As the raft moved along in an unpredictable pathway, you were forced to engage your core THE ENTIRE TIME or else you could fall out.  I had to stabilize my pelvis and I felt the engagement of my entire stomach area. 

At one point, we got out of the raft and I swam for a good 10 minutes (!) around the vast river -- mostly like a frog with my arms and legs resembling the breast stroke (while on my back and then flipping onto my stomach.)  I was able to increase the range of motion in my hips and my shoulders, which are two of my most tight areas, with a safe low resistance of the calm water.  This is a major challenge for me while standing vertically in a dance class, so I took advantage of this moment!  Getting back into the raft took several tries as you had to hoist yourself back up.   All the while we were laughing, sweating, getting soaked, and taking care of our bodies in a fun and new way -- different from taking a dance class or hitting the gym.  It was incredible to be surrounded by inspirational sights and to have a sense of accomplishment by the end of the day.

Take a look at some of what we saw....

 

Sometimes all you need is a change of venue to spice up your workout and to motivate you in a new way.  This week, why not see how creative you can be, especially while we have such nice weather.  Playing frisbee, hiking in the woods, running in the park, climbing trees, walking to your destination instead of driving there, swimming.... the list goes on and on.  As long as you are moving your body in an active way -- it counts!  (And ending the day with an ice cream treat also helps - that's what we did!)

So.... anyone have a great outdoor activity story to share while motivating our next workout?  

Some more on a current topic...

I wanted to clarify something I wrote about two days ago, following my conversation with a few students regarding how bodies look, vs. how healthy a body really is.  I mentioned a newly coined term of "skinny fat" and after being asked a few questions about it, thought I'd share a little more information. 

In the past, doctors and health professionals have promoted that staying thin and having a low body weight would keep you healthy, but new research shows that this isn't the case.  The Mayo Clinic (in study titled: Hidden fat impacts millions of Americans) now states that total body composition is more important than your overall scale weight -- that "normal weight obesity" or "skinny fat" is becoming more common.  Lead researchers who collected this data believe that even thin people could be suffering from health problems, and that you don't have to appear "fat" to have a high percent of body fat.  Each body has different bone mass and weight of organs, so one must consider blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure along with other factors. 

So......what's the major point I am trying to stress to our students this summer through this topic?  That it isn't only what a person looks like on the outside that determines their overall heath. The same way that you can't judge a book by it's cover, a person's looks can be deceiving.  I am hoping to empower our students with knowledge, primarily preventative health information, as well as tools to investigate their own body's needs, to do as much as they can to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.   

Common Dance Injuries

At the end of week one of our four week program, students are already beginning to feel their bodies reacting to the intense curriculum of daily technique, composition and repertory classes.  Muscles are sore, bodies are tight, and exhaustion is setting in.... it's important to keep up our preventative health practices as week two will be here before we know it.  

A great article from Dance Teacher Magazine highlights 10 common dance injuries -- several we have already discussed in class this week, along with a few more we should be aware of.

The first injury discussed, neck strain, is definitely one that the students are facing here at NYSSSA while in repertory class with Erika Pujic.  The fast paced direction and focus changes, primarily with movement of the head, are causing muscles to pull outside of their comfort zones.  It's important to keep the head supported by elongating the neck and spine through actions of flexion, hyperextension, rotation and lateral flexion.  

Students: take a look a the article and comment on your experiences with these injuries or if you are experiencing any of these this summer?  What can you do to prevent them from happening?     

Day 5 - Body Types, Bones and Muscles

We started class with a discussion on three body types: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph.  Each of these three body types have specific physiological and structural characteristics, movement strengths and limitations, which will help us to further narrow our conditioning needs.  Each body is different and no two people will have the same nutritional, strength training, endurance building, etc program -- and that's good!  The same way that we all have our own personal style, our bodies are unique and reflect who we are, the way we like to move and how our bodies react in various situations.  Many students realized they are not simply one type of body, but they reflect two or even all three.  

We studied bones and muscles today too -- and yes, Mr. Sam was there!!

We investigated bones and muscles and began to discuss the kind of conditioning we'll need for each of our muscles and the actions they can perform. More to come on this topic next week.... 

The students took the last 15 minutes of our class to compile a brief collection of important things they have learned about their body this week, and practical applications that we've already learned -- and I have a big homework assignment this weekend... to look through those and help the students to get started on their personal conditioning plans. 

A final thought: one of my most interesting moments today was a quick chat with a few students about how people are so into what their bodies "look" like, that sometimes it doesn't truly reflect a person's fitness ability or overall health.  A new trend of "skinny fat" shows that people who look thin (and are often a desirable body image viewed by others) are really not the healthiest of people -- and someone who may look thick or larger in size, may actually be in great health.  Based on our skeletal structure, our body type, family history and so many other experiences, we are each different and unique and we must simply find out how to maintain OUR best personal health to stay active and injury free. 

DAY 3 -- Chain Reactions in the Body

Last night I took a look at all of the documents the students completed up to this point (skeletal posture, muscular imbalances, heart rate, visioning questions toward goal setting....) and was able to see many trends and similarities among them.  Most students face issues of tight hip flexors, pronated (rolled in) ankle bones, lack of flexibility, and low endurance.  Most of their goals surround these challenges.  We began our class today by talking about three common chain reactions that occur in the body.  Sally Sevey Fitt does a wonderful job, in her book titled Dance Kinesiology, of going step by step to show how these chains occur and what kind of impact there is on other body parts.  We discussed three:

1. Pronation of the tarsus (ankle bone)
2. Leg length difference (leading to scoliosis)
3. Tight hip flexors

As you can imagine, most students in our group (and most dancers in the field) experience resulting pain from one or more of these.  I think the students were surprised to see how a deviation in the ankle can affect the upper spine, or how a tight hip flexor can relate to hyperextension of the knee.  The pain we feel is not often the site of the problem.  

We took a look at how to strengthen and stretch these common pain spots and the muscles that tend to tense up or bulk (low back, quadriceps, gluteus maximus....) and we used a foam roller and some tennis balls to help create pressure on specific muscles. 

The pressure of rolling on a foam roller or tennis ball will help to increase blood flood and generate healing at the muscle site.  It may be painful (!) but it is worth it to keep the muscles from bulking or getting too tense to be able to move without pain or strain, especially while dancing.

For dancers, and runners/athletes, the I-T (ilio-tibial) band is one of the trouble spots.  It is a large connective tissue that runs along the side of the leg from the hip to the knee.  Any kind of movement uses this part of the body and it's important to take time to roll out the I-T band.  It can even cause knee pain. 

 We spent time doing a deep stretch for our hip flexors: on one knee while tucking the pelvis and shifting slightly forward -- you can drop your chin to your chest for an added stretch.  We massaged our calves while discussing proper care for achilles tendonitits, and did strengthening exercises for our hamstrings: laying on our back with feet flat on the floor, lift the pelvis up to the sky with either two feet on the floor or with one foot reaching straight up to the ceiling -- you can place your feet on a chair or physioball for added difficulty.

We are beginning to see that each body is different and has various challenges, strengths and conditioning needs.  The students were sent home with information on three body types and tomorrow we will take a look at the needs for each type of body, and how we can use this information to enhance our conditioning goals.   

DAY 2 -- Postural Assessments

The students learned a long list of new vocabulary words today, including anterior and posterior, superior and inferior, lateral and medial, to name a few.  We learned three planes and the various body actions to do while inside of those planes:

• Sagittal -- flexion, extension, hyperextension
• Frontal -- abduction and adduction
• Transverse -- rotation 

Students gave verbal directions to a brave soul standing in the center of the circle and they had to do a movement to represent the cue like, "do a distal arm movement with abduction in the frontal plane", or "rotate the inferior part of your body in the transverse plane".  The students also demonstrated movement's from Carolyn Adams' technique class and Erika Pujic's repertory rehearsal as we described and evaluated them.

Then we put markers on bony landmarks of the body to begin to assess posture.  Our skeletal assessment considered typical deviations such as forward head, lumbar lordosis, kyphosis, swayback, among others.

You can see Stacy finding the range of motion in Sabrina's knee joint.  Stacy has two green markers near her lower back on her PSIS, posterior superior iliac spine.  The dancers assessed their partner and took careful notes on alignment while also investigating the spine for scoliosis, or curves in the spine, which you can see here:

It was a pretty intense day of assessment and new information gathering.  I asked the students to think about and journal on the process of assessing their partner: feeling for bony landmarks on another body -- which can be strange at times!  Hopefully we'll hear what some have to say about today's class .....

DAY 1 at NYSSSA

Today's class began with a muscular assessment through strength and mobility testing.  The dancers paired up and got to work --- agility; flexion, extension and hyperextension of various body parts; balance...some new terms we discussed include

• pronation (rotating toward the midline, as in rolling in on your ankles)
• supination (rolling toward the outside of the feet)
• flexion (bent limb)
• extension

The dancers measured resting and active heart rates and we will soon discuss the impact of cardiovascular endurance -- especially for dancers and the amount of lengthy repertory that we perform.  It was even a bit of a challenge to do jumping-jacks for 3 minutes while testing! 

The student partnerships interviewed one another and began to do some visioning work that will help us to set goals for this summer and beyond.  They discussed previous injuries, current weekly movement activities and past kinesthetic experiences, strengths, challenges and interests. 

We found that many of the dancers in our group have extreme mobility in their spines and that dancers really do have incredible physical movement capacities.  We have to remember that "normal" people might not ever be able to move the way a dancer can!!  In order to move safely (and to have a long and healthy career in dance) we need to find our movement potential while maintaining proper alignment and increasing strength. 

Let's get to work!

Greetings from Mr. Sam, the skeleton!  He and I (along with a foam roller, resistance bands, tennis balls and other teaching tools) just drove for over 5 hours to Saratoga Springs, NY where I will be in residence for the next four weeks at the NYSSSA School of Dance, a pre-professional training program for high school dancers.  I will be working with 32 of New York State's most talented and eager dancers while getting to the topic of body conditioning - specific to dancers.  Tomorrow is our first day and we'll begin with assessments and goal setting.  We will use this blog to share things we are working on and as a space where the students can post their goals, investigations, challenges, etc.  After the program, this blog will continue for my students, clients, and anyone interested in health and fitness. 

So.... here we go with Day 1 of our four week intensive..... 

But first, one last thing -- don't forget, if you ever find yourself on a long car/train/plane/boat ride like the one I was on today, don't forget to bring a towel or shirt to roll up and place at the small of your low back.  You will keep the natural curve of the spine while being seated for a lengthy period of time.  This will help to reduce the back pain you may feel after a long ride while maintaining alignment.  Happy road-tripping!!

Welcome to Grab Your Sneaks!

Hope you are enjoying the summer and have been spending time outdoors in the hot, hot heat!   Don't forget to stay hydrated as you Grab Your Sneaks!