Do it in threes....

Women's Health Magazine suggests focusing on one of three things to jump start your workout:

1. Weight 
2. Intensity  
3. Volume 

"To keep your body guessing, focus on one variable per workout: Increase the weight but lower the number of reps one day; lower your standard weight but add a set the next; use your standard weight but do more reps faster on another."

Then suggestions of:  

• Pull-ups
• Row machine
• Short burst circuits (jump rope, push-ups, jumping jacks, etc) 

Even my little first graders were doing pull-up in gymnastics class today!  The most seasoned athletes may struggle with these challenging moves.... so get to work and see how you're doing at them today!  

Cross fit?

I've heard such conversation about the Cross Fit craze that has hit the fitness industry and is bringing non-athletes to fitness and shaping bodies with quite quick results.  I have asked several friends and colleagues about their personal Cross Fit stories and some of it sounds a bit hokey to me.... one friend said, "You do as many as you can without stopping -- get to 100 squats however possible."

My response was with questions related to form.... after 100 squats when the body begins to fatigue, your form will be sacrificed which could possibly lead to injury.  I don't think that just anyone should be working in a Cross Fit, mass amounts of repetitions, kind of way.

But..... I do love the selected workout posted by Women's Health Magazine -- a Cross Fit workout which highlights 6 different exercises (see below) targeting various muscle groups for strength training as well as components of plyometric training. Each series alters the number of repetitions, duration, and order in which you complete them.

You can even print it out and bring it to the gym -- or move your furniture and do it right in your living room!  I plan to try it out tomorrow :) I'll let you know how it goes.

Jump Squat

Butterfly Situp

Burpee

Triceps Dip

Lunge Hop

Pushup

Mountain Day!

Today we traveled out of the city to beautiful Bear Mountain! It's a refreshing sight to see the leaves changing colors, to smell the crisp fall air, and to be surrounded by gorgeous rolling hills.  It's an annual tradition at my school and I was glad to be a part of it today.  We went on walks around the lake, played games like capture the flag and ultimate frisbee -- I even played in a game of volley ball!  Being active outdoors can be so enjoyable, and it's a great way to spend time with friends.

Below is me with a fellow teacher amidst the gorgeous scenery.  That smile is on my face because it was the most sunny and inspirational day I've had in a while. Why not see what kind of adventure you can find this weekend, whether near of far... grab your sneaks and head outdoors to explore and find something fun on your way to fitness!

Slow down...

As I'm about to head down to lunch, I will try to keep a few of my favorite of these eating habit guidelines in my mind:

• Slow down! It takes about 20 minutes for our bodies to recognize fullness   
• Sit down -- don't hover over the sink ;) 
• Eat with others -- converse, pretend like you are out to eat at a restaurant, and enjoy the meal 

Make time for meals just like you make time for the gym, and other healthy habits.  Put your fork down after a bite or two and fully chew everything you're eating.  You need to KNOW you're eating or you'll be more likely to overeat or feel that common, "I just had dinner, but I feel like I didn't eat anything!" 

I am going to head to lunch now, take my time, chew my food, talk with others, and enjoy it all the while!  

As the mornings get colder....

it's harder to get out of bed in the morning, let alone to head to the gym for a workout! Wouldn't it be a slice of paradise to wake-up to this scene to the left, ahhh..... but my freezing NYC apartment just isn't the same.  Morning workouts might not be fun, but studies show...

• Working out in the morning is best -- you can get it out of the way before something else gets in the way.  
• If you track your dates with a visual cue (like drawing an X on your calendar) you can SEE the record of how many days you have gone for the month.  
• Accountability from friends (or a trainer) may be the way to ensure you show up when you say you're going to. 

Daily actions are essential to developing good habits that you can stick to -- find something that works and stick to it! 

Change it up!

Even Women's Health Magazine recommends changing up your workout regularly to prevent plateaus and even boredom.  The push-up, lunge and squat should be regulars in your routine, but how you do them should change.

I love the

• mountain climber with hands on swiss ball 
• (shoulder) scaption and shrug 
• split stance dumbbell curl 
• plate pinch curl (never seen this one before!) 
• swiss ball L-raise 
• McGill curlup 

Give the a try and let me know what you think! 

World smile day!

A student reminded me that it's world smile day -- so enjoy it!!!

Try this, not that....

I love a good, eat this, not that.... so today's post features a do this, not that!

Women's Health Magazine explains machines that may cause more harm than good and safe suggestions to achieve the same, if not better goals.

Check it out and add these to the other workout recommendations for the week!

Other tips

In addition to Interval Training, Livestrong recommends two other concepts to achieve great results:

1.  Muscle confusion
2.  Full body exercise

Muscle confusion means that you alter your workout regularly and force your body to do different things so the different muscle groups will alternate in use and recovery.  If you are a runner and you choose to long distance run every day, your body will adapt to that muscle patterning and it will become easier and easier.... change your workout regularly to overcome training plateaus and to prevent overuse injuries.

Instead of isolating a specific muscle group, full-body exercise pairs two major muscle groups together to work in tandem to achieve an overall body workout.  Instead of just doing an isolated overhead press, do a squat first and then complete an overhead press immediately; likewise, pair a lunge and a bicep curl.  This will turn weight training into cardio and burn fat while building muscle.    

Change it up today and check out the results!

Interval training

High Intensity Interval training is a great form of exercise that reflects the fast paced ever changing lives we lead. We are constantly in motion, running to catch a bus, sprinting to make a street light, or waiting in line at the grocery store, then carrying heavy bags home quickly.... we are rarely in the same speed for extended periods of time like long distance endurance training will prepare us for.

Interval training combines short bursts of high intensity workout against activity of lesser intensity or even periods of rest.  These workouts are fat burning and can build your aerobic capacity in as little as two weeks!

This training is:

1. Efficient -- saves time while increasing energy expenditure in a shorter period of time.  Get more done in less time! 
2. Burns more fat and calories post workout 
3. Gets your heart working while pushing you into an anaerobic zone (like that of a swimmer such as Michael Phelps) by doing high intensity activity and pushing harder  
4. NO equipment -- high knees and fast feet (as my NYSSSA students know all about these two) or sprints can get you this high intensity result.  You can do it anywhere! 
5. Lose weight, not muscle 

This is how I spent my morning doing interval bursts on the treadmill... walking up hill for 2 minutes, running at a 6.0 pace for two minutes, sprinting at a 7.0 speed for a minute..... after 20 minutes of this type of patterning I was beat. 

Give it a try!!! 

Reflection day

It's raining cats and dogs here in NYC, but today reminds me that  I feel I don't appreciate the rain enough.  Yes it's annoying to be soaking wet, but the earth needs the rain, as do people.  We can't only have sunshine and warmth in our lives, or we won't be able to fully appreciate it.  Sometimes if you close your eyes and listen to the sounds of the rain hitting the windows, or feel the weight of the clouds rest on you, it can be comforting.

So today, I'm taking comfort in the rain.  I danced with my kindergarten students this morning as we made dances about flowers.  And every student said the flowers need the rain in order to grow... so do we.






Happy rainy Friday from NYC.
Enjoy the weekend.

Good vs. bad energy

Energy keeps us going throughout the day and we are always looking for more.  Great ways to feel more energetic include:

• at least 8 hours of sleep 
• exercise! 
• a healthy diet 

Not all of us can keep up with our hectic lives and these three at the same time.  

So, what are other routes to achieve energy with a healthy pick-me-up? 

Better Nutrition magazine recommends staying away from conventional energy shots which amp you up with high doses of caffeine and taurine -- lots of sugar and artificial sweeteners while masking your fatigue. Instead, try:  

• ADAPTOGENS -- herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola, ginseng, and schizandra which help the body adapt to stress. They increase mental and physical efficiency with stimulation like caffeine, and are also shown to improve athletic performance. 
• B VITAMINS -- helps the body turn carbohydrates into energy. Stay hydrated to aid in efficiency of these water-soluble wonders. 
• GREEN TEA -- contains a low dose of caffeine with other healthy compounds. Contains flavonoids which are cancer preventative, antiviral, and immune boosting antioxidants. 
• GUARANA -- a rain forest plant with seeds that contain more caffeine than coffee. If you're new to guarana, stick with a low dose as it affects people differently. 
• HONEY -- the fructose is time released so it doesn't create as strong of a blood sugar spike when getting energy from charbohydrates.
• SUPERFRUITS -- energy providing fruits like noni, acai, blueberry and pomegranate.  They also support cellular health.    

NONI 

POMEGRANATE 

  

ACAI 

Here's to an energizing Thursday! 

A breakfast of champions

Most people don't have time to "cook" in the morning, so using items like a microwave are top choice.  Cold breakfasts like cereal seem to be common or grabbing something on the go can be most convenient.... until I saw these yummy sounding options from Fitness Magazine.

Check it out!

    
Love the brown sugar/greek yogurt mixture to top pancakes! 


  
Haven't microwaved an egg since I was a kid... but with oregano.... sounds delish! 


  
Cooking your oatmeal with chai tea instead of plain water??? Awesome!!! 


HERE'S TO THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY! 

Snacks!

Who doesn't love to snack?! 

Just now the colleague to my left took out a baggy filled with dried cranberries, almonds and some trail mix goodies.  It made my stomach grumble!  And she was also drinking an afternoon cup of coffee.... I could barely focus on my own work while watching her snack because I was so hungry.  

This happens in the work place, but I remember VIVIDLY that this happened while I was in college -- particularly during my first semester of freshman year while living in the dorms.  One of my students, Baylee, commented last week asking for some helpful tips on yummy, healthy and sustainable snacks for the dorms.  This is for you, Baylee!

I love the advice given by Diet and Fitness Expert, Dr. Melina Jampolis, also a Physician Nutrition Specialist... 

Most college students are not eating enough fruits, veggies, or whole grains and their overall diet is suffering while out of balance.  You may not be eating enough of what your body needs during meal time, so you'll feel hungry a lot more quickly than you're used to.  I mean... it's hard to say no when everyone around you is constantly ordering pizza! She recommends following the 35/10/35 guidelines per 100 calorie snack: 

• less than 35 percent fat 
• less than 10 percent saturated fat 
• less than 35 percent sugar 

Here are her snack suggestions: 

1. Baby carrots or snap peas + hummus or low-fat ranch dressing

2. Non-fat yogurt (plain or low sugar) + two tablespoons chopped nuts or ¼ to ½ cup high-fiber cereal (aim for at least 5 grams per serving)

3. Half or whole peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole-grain bread

4. String cheese + apple

5. Cereal bar (should contain 3 grams of fiber if possible) + ½ cup fat-free cottage cheese

6. 94 percent fat-free microwave popcorn (many people forget or don't know that popcorn is actually a whole grain!)

7. Mini tuna can (packed in water) + ½ whole-wheat pita bread + Dijon mustard

8. 1 serving whole-grain cereal + ½ cup of fat-free milk (cereal doesn't just have to be for breakfast; it can be a healthy whole grain snack, too)

9. Cup of minestrone soup; garbanzo beans provide fiber and protein

10. Protein bar; aim for a bar that contains at least 10 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per serving and no more than 15 grams of sugar or 5 grams of fat.

Try some of these and let me know what you think -- they are easy to store in your dorm fridge and can keep you going for a long afternoon of studying or a late night snack!   

It's Friday!

I set my alarm for 6am this morning (!) to get to the gym by 6:15am before work.... and to my surprise when walking in, I saw a huge crowd of energetic people in the spinning room FINISHING up their class.  I dragged myself out of bed to get there and people were already competing their workouts by the time I had walked in the door.  Everything is realized in perspective..... because as I walked out the door my sister (who has been under the weather) was still sound asleep in her bed.  Three varying perspectives for this early Friday morning.  The world is always how you look at it and how you approach it.

Let that guide you for the weekend: when you hear bad news, think about what news could be worse.  When you are tired, think about someone who might REALLY be tired.... a new mom, an ER nurse working a 14 hour shift during the night.... when you are lonely, think about what really being lonely might feel like.  Put your life into perspective and maybe we can begin to appreciate the lives that we DO have, and not think of the ones we wished we had.

Enjoy your weekend -- get out and enjoy the beautiful sunshine today and the 80 degrees planned for NYC tomorrow!!!!

GO BILLS on football Sunday!!!!

Have fun with your food

Even as grown-ups, it's often challenging to be interested in eating healthy food all the time.... boring veggies, whole grains -- the good for us stuff.  Why not change the name, and spice up your interest level.

Check out this article and see how kids changed their minds and their food choices by merely having changed the name of a food.  Kids who passed right by unnamed carrots and green beans were interested in eating "X-ray vision carrots" and "Silly dilly green beans"  -- I'd think twice too!

Think about your approach and see what changes......

Plantar Fasciitis

For my dancers..... a little more information about Plantar Fasciitis and how to stretch/strength with corrective exercises (NYSSSA students: these look VERY similar to the ones we explored this summer!)  The National Academy of Sports medicine highlights the who, what, when, and why of this dysfunction and my blog post in August shares more information as well.

If you're someone who wears high heels on a daily basis, I might recommend doing these as preventative care exercises.  Invest in a good pair of supportive shoes for walking those long commutes in NYC and keep your feet healthy for overall kinetic chain health.  A foot injury will impact the entire body... from the bottom up!

French kids and their health!

Thanks to fellow fitness enthusiast, Will, for posting this article this morning....

French Kids Don't Get Fat: Why? 

Important things to note: 

• France has one of the lowest rates of child obesity in the world 
• Rates have remained stable during the last decade 
• US kids are three times more likely to be overweight than French kids 
• Associations with food 
• US -- with "guilt" and "calories" 
• France -- with "pleasure" and "celebration" 
• In French households, children are usually expected to eat the range of foods that adults do without complaining 
• School lunches -- 
• Water only 
• Healthy grown-up foods like radishes, endive, fish 
• Sweet treats only once per week 
• Fried foods usually once per month 
• Moderation is stressed! 

French parents spend time teaching their kids to eat, just like they teach their kids to read!  Can you imagine..... I think that most parents I know spend time eating while on the go or in transition from one thing to the next.  If we made meal time a learning time, and active time with discussion and teachable moments -- how much more could we benefit from that time spent with one another?  

Things I read that I like: 

• Saying "are you still hungry?" instead of "are you full yet?" 
• Saying "you don't have to eat it, but you do have to taste it" 
• Why isn't food education part of a school's curriculum?  I think this would make a drastic change to the way our kids eat! 

Perhaps we can't control what adults eat, drink or purchase as their consuming habits are already set after decades of decision making throughout adulthood.... so maybe Mayor Bloomberg should not look to controlling soda consumption as a method to improve the health of our City, but to the lack of food education inside of our NYC public schools.  Sounds like a great place to start! 

Drink up!

Big news for the City of New York..... a major change for many!

Breakfast

I started my day off with a bagel and some homemade vegetable cream cheese, as I'm sure many New Yorkers did... this town is crawling with bagels lovers!  (My favorites are from Bagel Express!)  People are always talking about the high carbohydrate count of bagels and how terrible they are for you.... so I wonder, are there any benefits to this densely packed food?

The carb count of a bagel can differ based on its size, flavor and what you put on top of it. Unfortunately the calorie count of a bagel is usually quite high making it not the best option for those who are watching their intake.  

How to make bagel eating healthier?

• Whole wheat bagels pack more vitamins and minerals than white bagels so choose those first  
• Top it with natural peanut butter for long lasting protein at breakfast
• Top with lean meat and vegetables for a filling lunch
• Check the nutritional facts on the website of your favorite bagel spot to see which are the healthier options 
• For example -- here's what Brueggers Bagels website  had to say: 
• The Jalapeño Cheddar bagel has a whopping 420 calories followed closely by the Chedder Pesto with 410 calories    
• Sundried Tomato was most modest with 280 calories 
• Again, the Jalapeño Cheddar ranked highest in carb count at 75g (!!!) 
• Lowest carb count is Sourdough with 56g followed again by Sundried Tomato with 57g

Harvard Medical School recommends 45-65% of your diet coming from carbs and the American Diabetes Association recommends 45-60g of carbs per meal.  If you're ingesting a daily diet of about 2,600 (men) and 1,900 (women) your calories from carbs should range from 1,170-1,690 (men) and 855-1,235 (women).  Thanks to Livestrong.com for doing these numbers for us! 

So now you know!  

I'm stressed!

AHHHH! Stress creeps in for many people this time of year as kids are headed back to school, or if -- like me -- you are starting a new job.  Sleep schedules get out of whack, eating patterns shift, and you may feel overwhelmed, discouraged or just plain stressed!

The Mayo Clinic states that "stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the ever increasing demands of life."  When your body recognizes a threat it signals a release of hormones to fight this with a "fight or flight" response.  If your body never relieves its stress, we'll never be able to restart and prepare for the next situation.

SO, how to relieve stress??

First, recognize when stress happens and take note of the cause: relationships with friends or family, work/life balance, image and identify, goals setting....

Then....

Relax by:

• deep breathing 
• yoga 
• meditation 
• take a walk 

Make relaxation a part of your daily routine to stay healthy and stress free! 

After a bit of a break.....

I've returned!  I spent the past two weeks getting ready for a new job and the first thing neglected was the blog..... and my sleep.  I have been running myself ragged and am feeling exhausted!  

Today I'm thinking about...... How to get more energy?

Health Magazine suggests:

1. Laughter -- to raise your blood pressure and heart rate 
2. Take a walk or exercise 
3. Stretch!  A simple door jam stretch to release the front of the torso, especially if you are crouched over a computer all afternoon: Stand in the door way and place both hands out to your sides while holding the door jam and pressing the chest forward 
4. See something red!  When I caught a glimpse of this flower, I actually felt more awake! My eyes opened wider and your muscles will actually move faster after seeing this color.  

Try a pick-me-up snack of:

• Banana with peanut butter for a mix of protein and healthy sugar  
• Nuts and dried fruit -- nuts are slow burning and will help to sustain you 

Have a restful weekend!

Common dance injuries

Several students asked for even more information regarding injuries common in dancers.  According to Fitt, many dance injuries happen because of misalignments and the compensations that occur.  This leads to a chain reaction and thus, we have an injury.  Here are some of her highlights that we'll start with today:

1.  Pronation (rolling in) of the tarsus

·        Affects the weight-bearing patterns of the foot

·        Affects the alignment of the knee and hip, possibly the spine

·        Causes a shift of weight to the medial side of the foot – bunions can form

·        Ankle sprains possible

·        Pressure added on knee which could result in knee injuries

·        Hips can inwardly rotate while leads to contracted outward rotators – can cause spasm in deep rotators and lead to sciatic syndrome

2.  Variance in leg length

·        Pelvis will tip to one side and the torso will shift (laterally) toward side of long leg in order to maintain a vertical posture

·        Will lead to scoliosis – will curve to the side of the long leg

·        Could also maintain slight hip flexion on side of longer leg leading to tight hip flexors and the twist of the pelvis – imbalance of strength and elasticity of right and left flexors and extensors

·        Difficulty in balance work and movement

3.  Tight hip flexors (and chain reactions)

·        With increased amounts of sitting we have tight hip flexors and hip remains in flexed position when standing

·        Front spine of pelvis is pulled downward which causes swayback

·        Hyperextension of the lumbar spine allows extensors to tighter and leads to low back pain and spasm

·        Will affect remaining spine

·        Dancer will compensate by gripping gluteus maximus muscles, extensors of the hip

·        Will cause knee to flex and the extensors of the knee (quadriceps) will grip causing “thunder thighs” and “bubble butts”

·        Can lead to hyperextended knees

What to do? Depending upon what your personal compensation is you can...

• Stretch the hip flexors (2, 3)
• Foam roll the calf muscle (1)
• Foam roll the I-T band (1, 2, 3)  
• Foam roll quads (3)
• Foam roll glutes (2, 3)
• Strengthen the hamstrings (2, 3)  
• Strenghten the glutes (2)
• Strengthen the abductors (outside of thigh) (1)
• Strengthen core muscles for pelvic stability and mobility (2) 
• Balance training (1, 2)

When completing our pre-assessments during the first week of the NYSSSA program, we looked for some of these issues as well as others.  Many of these are out of our control (skeletal/structural issues) and the key is knowing about your body so you can be prepared while preventing these injuries.

Look for more specific injuries tomorrow!   

Fun in the pool

As the summer winds down, soon it will be time to pack those swimsuits away!  Before that happens, try out some strengthening exercises in the pool. 

Benefits include:

• working with the natural resistance of the water 
• decrease in pain or strain on the joints (great for anyone with arthritis or achy joints)
• injury prevention and aids in recovery 

ARTHUR inquired about ideas for in the pool... so, here are some of my favorites for you to try out:

• Triceps lifts and dips 
• For cardio -- if you don't like swimming laps, try walking or running in shoulder deep water!
• Resistance exercises from your normal routine. Do them under water for resistance: 
• biceps curls 
• leg extension (kick behind you) for the glutes 
• adductors and abductors (keeping the legs parallel and lifting to the side then closing back down to the midline)   
• torso rotation for the obliques

Get creative and explore!  Remember -- it will feel differently in the water and your balancing center will be impacted without the normal sense of gravity we are used to. 

So just like Michael Phelps lifts weights to increase his speed in the water, it's important for dancers and other athletes to cross train in various ways.  Next time, try the pool!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NYSSSA STUDENTS...

On a fabulous summer of dancing!!!

All the students received their very own Mr. Sam the Skeleton to remind them of the

importance of their bones, joints, and the muscular structure that supports our movement. I bought an army of skeletons, which you can see below, and I am still thinking about the final student showcase and the hard work and passion behind the repertory performance of the students.  Such dedication!   

As for me, I am finally back to NYC where I've hit the ground running -- yet again, taking my own dance workshop this week where I'll be the student.  I'm studying Anna Sokolow's work with teacher, Jim May -- very exciting!  The rest of this week I'll showcase a few of the students questions here on the blog and I'll look forward to staying connected with them and supporting them from afar. 

The temperature is a little chilly here in NYC, fall is definitely on its way --
getting ready to say goodbye to summer and on to the next! 

Final Assessments

Four weeks have passed in a quick whirlwind!  The students will perform the repertory they have learned while in residence for their families and friends this evening, then everyone will depart and head back to where they came from.  I hope that the students will take with them new ideas to share and put into practice however possible. 

We spent our final day in dance conditioning completing post-assessments for comparison to our first day and the pre-testing that we did.  Take a look at some of the students in action on our final day:

FLEXIBILITY

Nadya completing a hamstring flexibility assessment:

Lateral flexion to the right and left sides were also assessed.

AGILITY

Lauren completing the shark skill assessment for lower extremity agility:

Upper extremity agility was also tested using the Davies Test.

MOBILITY

Debbie completing a lateral flexion mobility test:

Other range of motion of the spine was tested including flexion, extension, hyperextension and rotation. 

In addition to these assessments, strength, balance and cardiorespiratory efficiency was also considered.  My plan is to prepare a report with my findings of the students progress... so look for that in the next couple of weeks!  We spent time looking at their results, and most of the students found that they had improved -- by the numbers! As dancers, while our work is often so qualitative it's hard to find satisfaction in progress.  I hope that the students can see specific improvements and make new goals for the fall.   

Exploring the weight room

Another day of exploration in the weight room on campus. 

Check out today's featured exercises!

Greg doing the bug for pelvic stabilization and abdominal strength:

Jessie doing a single arm biceps curl:

Coco doing lateral flexion with a medicine ball:

Brooke doing hamstring extension:  



TRY THEM OUT FOR YOURSELF!

Pointe shoes?

I stopped into the National Museum of Dance this morning after our daily technique class at the same location.  I snapped a photo from the exhibit on Pointe Shoes.  With a heading of "When to start pointe training", it outlines several factors to determine pointe readiness:

• stage of physical development
• foot and ankle strength
• foot and ankle flexibility
• correct placement of upper body, hip, knee, ankle and foot
• core strength (abdominal, trunk and pelvic control)
• intensity of training (classes per week)

Many teachers think it is age ONLY which determines the readiness of a dancer for pointe, or other more advanced courses of study.... this is not true.

The NYSSSA School of Dance students are not currently studying pointe while in residency this summer, but they may be at their home studios.  This board at the museum made me think of the various strengthening exercises we are incorporating into our dance conditioning training and how this program would benefit dancers working in pointe shoes tremendously.  We've incorporated elements of:

• core strengthening 
• pelvic alignment/postural assessments 
• learning about the bones of the foot and its muscle actions  
• injury prevention
• strengthening of the lumbo/pelvo/hip complex

It seems no matter what kind of dancer you are, the strengthening, flexibility, core stability, and body knowledge needed is the same.  Cheers to dancers of all kinds!

Hitting the gym!

Today the students and I visited the weight room at Skidmore College for resistance training.  We explored various exercises to do with free weights and how to get to know the gym and what it has to offer.  Check out a few featured exercises:

Rachel doing a biceps curl:

Nadya on the floor doing a pectorals press and Rachel standing doing a cross/wood chop:

To work on stabilization, the students were instructed to balance on one foot or to use a stability ball while completing their numerous repetitions of lower weight.  For strength, the students used more weight, less repetitions and a stable base.  Depending upon your goals, you should alter your workout. 

And remember, with an increase in strength often comes a decrease in flexibility.... so keep up with your flexibility training during both pre- and post-workout warm-ups and cool downs. 

The foot

Of the 206 bones in the human body, half can be found in the hands and feet.  You can imagine with the amount of mobility and range of motion needed to walk, jump, shift weight in our feet, and to type, snap, make fists.... there are numerous joints supported by ligaments and fascia that help to keep all of these mobile and, hopefully, injury free. 

There are 26 bones in the foot and for dancers, we are grateful for all of them!  They enable us to:

• flex, extend, and hyperextend (and bear weight like into releve) the toes
• abduct, adduct the tarsus and go through points of inversion and eversion 
• plantar flex and dorsiflex the ankle 

Take a look at those 26 bones:

And the muscles that support movement: 



Dorrie -- Take a look at the inferior extensor retinaculum across the superior portion of the foot below the lateral and medial malleolus.... I think this is what you were asking about in class today!

Give yourself a mini foot massage this evening and try to identify the mobility of each joint action.

Check us out!

Take a peek inside the studio during body conditioning...

Coco and Alice side by side doing some triceps extension exercises on the mat:

Arthur in a side isometric plank for his abdominals (excellent form!):

The whole group going through their own individualized circuit training session for the day:

Bailey in a side plank like Arthur, Debbie using the physioball for hamstring extension, Coco and Alice doing some push-ups, Meredith doing a bridge for her glutes and hamstrings....

Some information for Lucy...

In class yesterday Lucy asked about plantar fasciitis -- here you go Lucy:

On the bottom (students know this as referring to the inferior point) of the foot there are supporting plantar ligaments.  The plantar fascia is connective tissue, like ligaments, less elastic than tendons but more elastic than ligaments -- provides support and protection in this weight bearing place on the body. These connect the heel bone (calcaneus) to the toes. 

As the students are learning, the "itis" ending can help us to remember that this is an inflammation caused by overuse.... this time of the fascia on the sole of the foot.  Resting your feet, massaging the soles, stretching the bottoms of the feet as well as the achilles tendons.... and (of course!) wearing supportive running shoes will help to treat the pain.   

Getting strong!

After sharing some physioball strengthening exercises, the students were able to piece together their own circuit workout based off the structure from Tuesday's Training Series 1.  Check out a few students in action!

Debbie is using a foam roller on her outward rotators for some self myo-fascial release during her warm-up:

Meredith is doing some high knees during her cardiorespiratory warm-up.  Look how she keeps her spine erect while maintaining her shoulders over her hips:

Coco on the physioball doing a pike, jack knife and push-up for upper extremity strength and her core:

Brooke doing a squat on the ball for lower extremity strength:



Sprains vs. strains

During class today Lucy asked a question about the difference between strains and sprains.  This supporting information is for you, Lucy!

Sprains occur during overmovement of a joint which causes injury to the connective tissues (like the ligaments, connecting bone to bone, we were talking about in class today.)  Common sprains occur in the ankle, knee and low back. 

Strains are related to injury to the soft tissue, like a tear of the hamstring muscle, which is common in dancers.  Sprains and strains often go hand in hand and impact a whole joint region.

According to Sally Sevey Fitt, sprains are the consequence of improper alignment and poor movement mechanics.... you can see why it is so important to start our program with assessments! Hopefully we can prevent these two injuries by maintaining proper alignment and including a thorough warm-up before repertory training. 

And keeping the high boots in the closest will help too, Maryn ;)  

Thanks, Lucy, for a great question today!

Individual recommendations...

I worked with my second group of NYSSSA students today -- a group of knowledgeable women who I've worked with in the program previously.  While reading their assessments I was impressed at how well they were able to identify their strengths and challenges as well as describe past injury history. This is essential to communicating with your teacher, choreographer, doctor or physical therapist. 

One student wrote that since she sprained her ankle, she's had issues with balancing -- this is exactly what happens! Research demonstrates that ankle sprains lead to poor proprioceptive awareness; this student will be beginning on a steady diet of balance training to develop this awareness.  Another student said that since she injured her left ankle, she's been having pain in her right knee while jumping -- correct again!  We will discuss common dance injuries and dangerous compensation patterns, or chain reactions to alignment issues or injuries, that are prevalent in the field. 

The students were able to assess their history and to communicate it to me; I was then able to make recommendations for each of the 13 students ranging from suggestions of:

1. Static and isolated-active stretching for achilles tendonitis, as well as calf massage and foam rolling of the area
2. Deep breathing and relaxation techniques for those with muscle tension
3. Trapezius stretches for neck pain and tension
4. Calf foam rolling and/or adductor foam rolling for those whose feet rolled in while doing the squat assessment
5. Core strengthening for many with low back pain
6. Circuit training for goals around building lean muscle and managing fat loss  

And the list went on.  We began with our first Training Series of the summer (that the students explored with the DJ stylings of Lauren, one of our students!)  We explored:

1. Warm-up consisting of foam rolling, adductor and psoas active stretching and the roman deadlift (a killer for almost the entire class!)
2. Cardio-respiratory warm-up
3. Core
4. Upper extremity
5. Plyometrics
6. Balance

Then we did it all over again!!
We'll see the students share examples of these later this week!