Level 4 - Physical Limitations

In this blog I am going to be talking about how we can maximise our potential by understanding physical limitations, as dancers we require a lot of strength, stamina and flexibility all of this whilst looking effortless. As well as all of this being a dancer and in training as a student, comes with injuries and we need to know when we are pushing our bodies to their limit and know when we have done enough.

Warming up and cooling down is very important as this helps prevent injuries and it is essential to get our bodies ready for a full day of dancing and exercise. Warming up prepares your body for physical activity, and helps raise the body's temperature, increasing blood flow to your muscles. Cooling down is just as important as warming up as this allows us to stretch out muscles that we have used in that lesson and allows your body to move at a slower pace with reduced intensity .

Common dance injuries found are hip injuries, foot and ankle injuries, knee injuries as well as stress fractures. After dancing, dancers experience muscle soreness for the next 24-48 hours and sometimes this can take a few days for muscles to get sore.

With dance being a very demanding activity, this can lead to stress fractures when dancing for over five hours a day and it is important to know how to deal and prevent with dance injuries:

- Eating well as well as keeping hydrated throughout the day.
- Not overtraining and ensuring you are getting enough rest.
- Make sure when you can to stretch and strengthen.
-Wearing the appropriate attire to classes.
-Warming up and cooling down.
-Getting to know your body with a healthy lifestyle.