ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Body of a 92 year old already? #Danceteamprobz
Topic:
The importance of taking care of our bodies + 6 tools/tips to help!
5. Quote:
“Taking care of a dancer’s muscles allows for much more than just preventing soreness and stiffness. It allows the dancer to continue to be fluid and maintain an excellence in muscle condition so that they can have a career that is sustainable and lasting.”
“As dancers, our bodies are our instruments. We have to care for them and make sure that they are “well-oiled” and that our muscles are being treated properly. Strength training and stretching are certainly essential for a dancer’s regimen, but maintenance between these exercises and in the “down-time” is just as important.”
6. Thoughts from Me:
Think back to the time(s) when you had an injury or an ache/pain that took WAY longer than expected to bounce back from…
Was it caused by something built up over time or was it due to a freak incident in practice/performance?
Regardless of the ‘how’— as members of the dance team community we must realize that caring for our bodies is ultimately up to us.
The tough reality is, depending on the organization you’re linked to determines whether you have athletic trainers there to assist, free resources available to utilize, or nothing at all — leaving you with the responsibility of rehabilitation.
Over the years, I have had my fair share of aches, pains, and injuries with and without special attention to tend to them.
There are certain things that have helped me get back on my own —
and I’d like to share them with you!
Massage gun
I bought my massage gun from Amazon! Total life saver. I use it before and after dancing to make sure my muscles are staying warm/free from lactic acid build-up. Foam roller
The roller that hurts but feels so good… 
Soft and hard foam rollers are great for holding a stretch position to relax the muscle onto the roller. Chiropractic / lacrosse ball for myofascial release, trigger point therapy, muscle knots, and yoga therapy
Start with rolling underneath your foot for ultimate myofascial release…thank me later. Getting a proper stretch in before activity
A short stretch before activity has more impact than you think. I always see recurring injury when I fail to stretch before dancing. Epsom salt bath
My legs feel more refreshed even with a game day hangover by taking an epsom salt bath before bed! 
See a massage professional for a full body massage
7. Interview:
The MTP exclusive interview inspired by this topic will be released next Wednesday April 27th!
8. Things to Keep in Mind / Moving Forward:
Find your preventative care routine sooner rather than later…
What you do today may not affect you tomorrow, but will 4 years from now.
MTP News of the Week:
BYU crushed it at NDA Nationals with their performance — winning the division 1A hip hop category for the 7th time. VIEW THEIR HIPHOP PERFORMANCE HERE.
Good luck to all NBA dance teams in the playoffs!
Check out this YouTube channel for jumbo-tron routine footage from numerous teams!
