How do you prepare your body for rehearsal? Do you have a fixed routine for warm-up or go straight into your practice?
Warming up can prepare you physically and mentally for the task ahead. It can also reduce your risk of traumatic and overuse
injuries. An effective warm-up should elevate your heart rate, and increase body temperature, and circulation to the muscles.
These physiological changes can create a prime environment where our joints become more mobile, and our muscles are “switched on” for action.
Sometimes this part is neglected due to a lack of time, social influences, fatigue and lack of space and sources. The current research supports that performing dynamic outreach rotations can prevent injuries. However, there is no clear guidance on the intensity, duration, and activities to include. A warm-up session that has a greater focus on increasing body temperature, rather than stretching, is more significant in injury reduction.
Here are some practical considerations when planning a warm-up:
Aim to .... | Achieve by... |
increase body temperature | Doing 5-10mins aerobics exercises such as brisk walking, jogging and star jumps. |
Increase joint mobility | Spend 30-60 seconds performing functional dynamic movement on each joint through their range of motions (e.g. reach up, truck rotations, low lunge, leg swings) |
Prepare mental mideset | Visualising and planning out what you would like to work towards at rehearsal |
Currently, there is limited guidance on which warm-up routine can aid injury prevention. It is still important to invest 15 to 20 minutes in structured activities that support your mind and body. Start utilising your warm-up session with the above ideas before rehearsal and see what difference it can make!
Reference:
Behm, D., Blazevich, A., Kay, A. and McHugh, M., 2016. Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals: a systematic review. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 41(1), pp.1-11.
Fradkin, A., Gabbe, B. and Cameron, P., 2006. Does warming up prevent injury in sport?. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 9(3), pp.214-220.
2015. A circus performer inside Cirque du Soleil’s Montreal rehearsal space. [image] Available at: <https://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=6588> [Accessed 12 November 2021].
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!
Comentários