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Now that I have been working for a while in the sports medicine office, administering exercise protocols for all manner of patients, from competing athletes to elderly patients with ripe syndromes and fresh surgeries, and so many in between--I have added an aspect to my personal menu for a complete and organic physical practice. Now I've known innately for already a hundred years that my practice would need a)some flexibility training/stretching b)some cardio work, heartbeat pushing to clean out the energy lines c)some spiritual expression and discipline such as dance/martial arts... I also like to add resistance training in for stronger bones and toning muscles not as much used in dance.
Now I have added another simple element: bits of physical therapy interspersed throughout.
I become more aware of body elements that are more vulnerable to imbalance, and simple exercises that can help rebalance systems.
1) Core exercises can be done every day. Most of us know that by now; we don't necessarily do it. It doesn't just mean crunches. The core goes all the way around the spine, and just as important as neutral-neck crunches are opposite arm-opposite leg reaching to level on all 4's with a stabilized neutral spine ie you can balance a football on your back and it doesn't fall off... Also reaching opposites from belly down position, and of course 30-60 second plank holds are always good. Finally, squats done with a co-contracted core and outer thighs engaged are a good stabilizer as well. I try to think around the spine, tighten up, and do a couple of these and others all by themselves at least a few times a week. If I feel my glutes are getting weak or my hipflexors tight, I will certainly add bridges with neutral spine and glute focus rather than hamstring tightness to the list.
2) For the knees and hips, some basics: Simple straight leg lifts in every direction: lying on back lift to level of other bent knee; on side, lift top leg one set, then bottom leg, and repeat. Keep heel and toes level for these side raises, and leg aligned with body. And finally lifting straight leg from belly down position. Keeping the foot flexed, a couple sets of all 4 of these will awaken and strengthen muscles on all sides of pelvis and knee. A more intensive knee exercise involves a pillow under the knee (big one if possible). Just press the knee down on the pillow, trying to straighten the knee. Step ups and lunges, and things that remind our body to generally keep the weight behind the toes to avoid loading the knees. Then, nice long stretches of the hamstring (ie lie on back and pull relaxed straight leg up with a towel, hold 30 sec), and the IT band at outer thigh (same towel hold, pull straight leg down past other foot and across body, not too high, to hip level at side or wherever the stretch is felt. Some people like to use the foam roller to roll out IT band tightness. Not a bad idea; those guys get tight and knees and hips don't like it...)
3) Rotator cuffs: surprise! It seems that certain practices that make for beautiful dance posture can lead to decreased scapular mobility (the normal range of motion involving the upper arm and shoulder blade is called 'rhythm...'), rhomboid dominance, and serratus anterior weakness. Lying on the ball or bench and pulling a weight down from overhead to the belly works the serratus. So does a straight arm push up, just lifting and lowering the ribcage from plank position. What makes the blades move apart. Strong rhomboids, good for dance are also good for the cuffs though, don't get me wrong... strong chest lift holds are good for your shoulders; just make sure when you aren't dancing that your shoulder blades can move when you raise your arms, as lovely as it is when they don't... Then, here's a great one: rotations themselves... you need a band anchored to something at your side, unless you lie on the table on your side and lift a light weight. Elbow stays directly below shoulder, at side of body, arm stays 90 deg... For the lower arm/closest to resistance, start with fist out in front (thumb up) and rotate across belly without moving elbow. For top arm/farther from resistance, start with forearm across belly and pull to coffee cup position out in front: internal and external rotation. Do make sure for these that shoulder blades are down and in in back = chest lifted & shoulders rolled open. Two handy stretches to explore without pain are, touch the thumb and forefinger gracefully to the doorway or wall corner just above head level. Open the shoulder and try to lengthen the space between the point of the deltoid muscle (halfway between shoulder tip and outer elbow) and the nipple... External rotation with abduction... then, take a towel behind the back with one hand, pull the other end over opposite shoulder to front and pull gently with other hand: internal rotation. We should make sure that we care for the rotator cuffs with all the bags we carry and other crazy things we don't even realize we do.
So many things, we really must listen to the body, be as patient and intuitive as we can, and ask someone for insight from time to time, especially if we have any discomfort.
I'll finish this stream with one more: let's remember to warm up and stretch our calves well. Particularly if we wear heels, we have to be particularly patient and thorough with this. After standing at a rooftop party in heels for five hours one night, someone we all know tore a calf muscle doing spinning kicks in capoeira the next day, after an hour of class!
Possibly could have been prevented; at least now, our friend is more aware of a vulnerability in her makeup. Therapy program is going well and friend is back in action, but what a lesson in how the body works! Healing feels great (sometimes itches and aches...), but getting stronger and more aware of the body's signals and requests is even better when possible.
Great Spirit, please continue to grant us the gentle lessons, and let us be present enough to listen and become wise...
Now I have added another simple element: bits of physical therapy interspersed throughout.
I become more aware of body elements that are more vulnerable to imbalance, and simple exercises that can help rebalance systems.
1) Core exercises can be done every day. Most of us know that by now; we don't necessarily do it. It doesn't just mean crunches. The core goes all the way around the spine, and just as important as neutral-neck crunches are opposite arm-opposite leg reaching to level on all 4's with a stabilized neutral spine ie you can balance a football on your back and it doesn't fall off... Also reaching opposites from belly down position, and of course 30-60 second plank holds are always good. Finally, squats done with a co-contracted core and outer thighs engaged are a good stabilizer as well. I try to think around the spine, tighten up, and do a couple of these and others all by themselves at least a few times a week. If I feel my glutes are getting weak or my hipflexors tight, I will certainly add bridges with neutral spine and glute focus rather than hamstring tightness to the list.
2) For the knees and hips, some basics: Simple straight leg lifts in every direction: lying on back lift to level of other bent knee; on side, lift top leg one set, then bottom leg, and repeat. Keep heel and toes level for these side raises, and leg aligned with body. And finally lifting straight leg from belly down position. Keeping the foot flexed, a couple sets of all 4 of these will awaken and strengthen muscles on all sides of pelvis and knee. A more intensive knee exercise involves a pillow under the knee (big one if possible). Just press the knee down on the pillow, trying to straighten the knee. Step ups and lunges, and things that remind our body to generally keep the weight behind the toes to avoid loading the knees. Then, nice long stretches of the hamstring (ie lie on back and pull relaxed straight leg up with a towel, hold 30 sec), and the IT band at outer thigh (same towel hold, pull straight leg down past other foot and across body, not too high, to hip level at side or wherever the stretch is felt. Some people like to use the foam roller to roll out IT band tightness. Not a bad idea; those guys get tight and knees and hips don't like it...)
3) Rotator cuffs: surprise! It seems that certain practices that make for beautiful dance posture can lead to decreased scapular mobility (the normal range of motion involving the upper arm and shoulder blade is called 'rhythm...'), rhomboid dominance, and serratus anterior weakness. Lying on the ball or bench and pulling a weight down from overhead to the belly works the serratus. So does a straight arm push up, just lifting and lowering the ribcage from plank position. What makes the blades move apart. Strong rhomboids, good for dance are also good for the cuffs though, don't get me wrong... strong chest lift holds are good for your shoulders; just make sure when you aren't dancing that your shoulder blades can move when you raise your arms, as lovely as it is when they don't... Then, here's a great one: rotations themselves... you need a band anchored to something at your side, unless you lie on the table on your side and lift a light weight. Elbow stays directly below shoulder, at side of body, arm stays 90 deg... For the lower arm/closest to resistance, start with fist out in front (thumb up) and rotate across belly without moving elbow. For top arm/farther from resistance, start with forearm across belly and pull to coffee cup position out in front: internal and external rotation. Do make sure for these that shoulder blades are down and in in back = chest lifted & shoulders rolled open. Two handy stretches to explore without pain are, touch the thumb and forefinger gracefully to the doorway or wall corner just above head level. Open the shoulder and try to lengthen the space between the point of the deltoid muscle (halfway between shoulder tip and outer elbow) and the nipple... External rotation with abduction... then, take a towel behind the back with one hand, pull the other end over opposite shoulder to front and pull gently with other hand: internal rotation. We should make sure that we care for the rotator cuffs with all the bags we carry and other crazy things we don't even realize we do.
So many things, we really must listen to the body, be as patient and intuitive as we can, and ask someone for insight from time to time, especially if we have any discomfort.
I'll finish this stream with one more: let's remember to warm up and stretch our calves well. Particularly if we wear heels, we have to be particularly patient and thorough with this. After standing at a rooftop party in heels for five hours one night, someone we all know tore a calf muscle doing spinning kicks in capoeira the next day, after an hour of class!
Possibly could have been prevented; at least now, our friend is more aware of a vulnerability in her makeup. Therapy program is going well and friend is back in action, but what a lesson in how the body works! Healing feels great (sometimes itches and aches...), but getting stronger and more aware of the body's signals and requests is even better when possible.
Great Spirit, please continue to grant us the gentle lessons, and let us be present enough to listen and become wise...
posted by:
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New York City
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Re: a strong and growing practice
Thu, June 19, 2008 - 11:27 PMI was hoping someone would be moved to comment...
I suppose it was a long invitation! -
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Re: a strong and growing practice
Fri, June 20, 2008 - 1:02 AMHey Cammi! How ya doin' girl? I just want you to know that when I first saw your post. I thought "HS, that's alot of writing & alot to read & my eyes are tired." But then the word knee caught my eyes, and I had to read it because I have been having some trouble with my right knee. I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you taking the time to put this information out there. Some of your suggestions, I already knew, but haven't been doing, so I will give them a try again. Some of them I didn't know & will try.
I suggest that everyone take the time to read this informative post. It can help prevent injury and if you're a dancer, injury to our bodies is the last thing we need.
Thank you Cammi, you're the greatest! Hope you're doing well, I really enjoyed sponsoring you last year! Take care...Miabella
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Re: a strong and growing practice
Fri, June 20, 2008 - 9:38 AMI agree. This is a great post but I was at first overwhelmed by all the writing too. Your second post was actually what prompted me to go back and read the first one. Next time, I suggest leaving spaces between paragraphs. It's hard to read text on the web and seeing it in clumps makes it easier to keep your place and not tire out your eyes. It also looks more managable (perhaps psychologically too).
That said, there is a lot of good information here. I am a hoopdancer and poi spinner so I get a fair amount of the shoulder and core stuff in my workout. I also do yoga. One of the things that I integrate into my workout, though, is balancing postures. A lot of the injuries that folks get as they age are a result of balance issues. We all trip over things. Most times we catch our selves and don't get hurt. The more we right ourselves, the more we know how to right ourselves. But when we get out of practice righting ourselves, that's when we get hurt, especially if our bones are already fragile. That's one of the reasons that rehab facilities have older patients who've fallen or had strokes balance on those balls that look kinda like Saturn, with the ring around them that you stand on. They help you recover or develop balance, which is a total body sort of conditioning. It's good to keep your bones strong so they're less likely to break but it's also good to develop good balance and recovery skills so you don't put them in harm's way in the first place.
To develop balance, I do squats, toe raises and pirouettes, and yoga balance poses. I also warm up with circles of the ankles (both ways), the knees, and the legs. Tree and warrior are excellent balance poses from yoga. I wish I had a balance bar too. Those are wonderful for practicing balance in your full range of motion. I've been finding that the more I do these things, the longer I can do them and the more intricate the positions I can do them in. It seems to be developing very quickly, even faster than flexibility or strength building. Plus, it's fun. It's like a game. I have about a 10 minute routine I do everyday and I really look forward to staying in the awkward places and testing my boundaries. (I got this routine from a Rodney Yee tape called Yoga Journal's Energy Balance Yoga. It has five short exercises by the balance one, called "Centering" is my favorite. I committed that one flow to memory and I like to do it first thing when I wake up while I get my wits about me.)
Speaking of which, I have done any of that stuff yet today. I better "hop" to it! Thanks for the great post Lovely! You've given me a lot to think about. -
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Re: a strong and growing practice
Fri, June 20, 2008 - 5:30 PMVery cool, gals. Yes, balance exercises: very useful for the whole body. Anyone in my office with any kind of issue from the spine down probably gets some sort of balancing exercise at some point in their progression. Balancing on an unstable surface like that Bosu ball or a wobbly board serves to locate and strengthen muscles around a joint that are not as strong as others. First we try balancing on the floor alone to make sure that even the strongest structures are able to support the weighted joint; just floor baloancing with other activities is often a wobbly endeavor! But I like to remind people that the wobbling is good; it's where we do our subtler strengthening, that of the finer muscles in the system that may be weak or insufficiently activated, so that they can become more supportive of the overall system, say, an ankle or a knee... Slowly once we are comfortable with a 30 or 60 second floor balance, perhaps head turning, or opposite leg rotations, etc, we can move to a balance challenge on an unstable surface. Love it!
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