Picture taken at the PAMA (Performing Arts Medicine Association) Conference - 2024
Why Do We Need a Dynamic Warm-Up?
Prevents injury:
A proper dynamic warm-up primes your body for intense movements, reducing the risk of strains, sprains, and overuse injuries.
Improve performance:
Elevating your heart rate and loosening your muscles allows smoother movement transitions and better flexibility.
Activates key muscle groups:
Warm-ups target essential muscles in the performance, ensuring they are ready for high-intensity actions.
Enhances body awareness:
Prepares the mind and body for complex, coordinated movements, which are crucial in circus arts.
It is worth considering the type of Circus Art as this will impact the exercise!
Ground-based activities:
Acrobatics,
Handstands
Tumbling
Floor work/ partner lifts
Air-based activities:
Silks,
Trapeze
Hoop
Straps
Using the acronym CIRCUS, the key considerations for a successful warm-up are:
C—Circulation and Heart Rate: Start by increasing your heart rate and boosting blood flow to the muscles to prepare them for the exertion ahead.
I—Improve Proprioception: Focus on exercises that enhance body awareness in space, which is crucial for complex aerial and ground-based movements.
R—Relative to the Discipline: Tailor your warm-up to the specific discipline you are training in. For example, aerialists might include shoulder and core activation, while acrobats may prioritize joint mobility and lower body strength.
C – Closed-Chain Strengthening: Use exercises that engage multiple joints and muscles in a chain, which simulates how the body will move in actual performance.
U – Uplifting: Keep the mood light, fun, and engaging. Warm-ups are a chance to get into the right mindset for practice or performance.
S—Stabilization: To prepare for dynamic, weight-bearing moves, focus on stability, particularly in the core and key joints (shoulders, knees, and ankles).
P.S This is modified from the RAMP protocol !!!
R – raise your body temperature and heart rate.
Spend 5-10 minutes doing light activity.
These movements help improve oxygen delivery to the muscles and increase muscle elasticity, which can reduce injury risks (Jeffreys, 2006).
A – activate the key muscles involved in the activity.
Significantly, it is the lower back and pelvic area and core stabilizers.
This phase emphasizes engaging the muscles involved in performance, helping them respond more effectively (McNeill et al., 2021).
M – mobilize all the joints involved in the sport or activity.
Research indicates that dynamic stretching in this phase enhances joint mobility without decreasing muscle power, which is crucial for explosive sports like stunting and acrobatics (Fletcher & Jones, 2004).
P – potentiate (perform sport-specific movements to prepare the body for activity).
For example, these would be sub-maximal lifts (weight lifting) or plyometrics (jumping).
This phase primes the body for maximal performance by increasing neural drive and muscle activation (Till & Cooke, 2009).
10 Circus Warm-Up Exercises
Here are TEN exercises that target circus performers:
Jump Rope/ Star Jumps (2-3 minutes): These exercises boost circulation and heart rate, preparing the body for more intense movements.
Arm Circles & Shoulder Rolls: Loosen up the shoulder joints, especially for aerialists who rely heavily on upper body strength.
Cat-Cow Stretch: Warms up the spine and improves flexibility, particularly helpful for acrobats and dancers.
Wrist and Ankle Circles mobilize the joints, which is critical for handstands and any movement that puts weight on the hands or feet.
Plank to Downward Dog: This exercise activates the core while engaging the shoulders and hamstrings, making it excellent for overall body engagement.
Leg Swings (Front and Side) open the hips and stretch the hamstrings, preparing for dynamic lower-body movements.
Hip Circles: Prepares the hip joints for the range of motion needed in tumbling and aerial movements.
Scapular Push-ups: Strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders, crucial for aerialists and anyone doing weight-bearing upper body work.
Deep Lunges with a Torso Twist engage the lower body while improving flexibility in the spine and hips, which is essential for performers.
Balance on One Leg with Arm Movements: Improves proprioception and strengthens stabilizer muscles, helping to refine body control.
Summary
A well-designed warm-up is essential for all circus performers, whether aerialists or acrobats.
The acronym CIRCUS highlights the key elements to remember: Circulation, Proprioception, Relevant to discipline-specific, Closed-chain strengthening, Uplifting energy, and Stabilization.
By incorporating dynamic movements related to your discipline and preparing your body mentally and physically, you ensure better performance and reduce the risk of injury.
Conclusion
The RAMP warm-up protocol offers a systematic approach to preparing the body for physical activity by gradually increasing intensity and explicitly targeting the muscles and movements utilized. This approach enhances performance and reduces the risk of injury, making it particularly beneficial for acrobats, cheerleaders, and aerialists.
References
Fletcher, I. M., & Jones, B. (2004). Different warm-up stretch protocols affect 20-meter sprint performance in trained rugby union players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 18(4), 885-888.
Jeffreys, I. (2006). Warm-up revisited: The ramp method of optimizing warm-ups. Professional Strength and Conditioning, 6, 12-18.
McNeill, C., Helms, E. R., & Byrnes, R. K. (2021). The RAMP warm-up protocol improves subsequent resistance training performance: A controlled trial. International Journal of Exercise Science, 14(4), 202-210.
Till, K., & Cooke, C. (2009). The effects of postactivation potentiation on sprint and jump performance of male academy soccer players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(7), 1960-1967.
Our blogs and articles are not designed to replace medical advice. If you have an injury, we recommend seeing a qualified health professional. We offer both in-person assessments and online consultations!
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