The benefits if ballet dancers warm up and cool down

by Kana
(Australia )

The benefits if ballet dancers warm up and cool down: - To Odette,

How do you know when you are fully warmed up and ready for class? I don't want to cause an injury so I always try to make sure I'm warm before class, what are the other benefits of warming up?

I also try to stretch after class but I don't always have the time to fully cool down, is this really necessary?

============================================

Reply by Odette

To:- The benefits if ballet dancers warm up and cool down

Hello Kana,

Warm up and cool down is essential in a dancers career.

Although you may feel warm, dancers need to make sure their bodies are internally warm. This means the joints, nervous system and efficiency of the muscles should be warm. When muscles become warmer they also become more pliable. You need to increase the internal temperature so you begin to perspire and become externally hot.

Good examples of warming up would be rapid walking, jogging, skipping, marching.

Cooling down should be a gradual slowing down of the circulation. A dancer's body benefits from gradually cooling down and letting the muscles stretch out. If the body was to completely relax after a tough class the muscles could seize up and become even more stiff than they were to begin with You have to keep the body moving so lactive acid doesn't occur.

The benefits of cooling down can be achieved within just 10 minutes. Good examples of cooling down are walking, stretching and just allowing the breathing rate to return to normal.

All the best,

Odette