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the principles of intuitive eating, eating healthy,

Life After Macros: The Principles of Intuitive Eating, Explained

The principles of intuitive eating can be challenging to undertake. Dancers Who Lift has always been committed to ensuring that dancers learn how to adequately fuel their bodies for the demanding lifestyle we lead.

We find that a lot of dancers are under-fueling themselves, which is why we always start by teaching our dancers about macronutrients and how to track them.

Both learning what your body needs and ensuring that you’re giving it what it needs is key in reaching specific physique or strength goals.

However, tracking macros in an app can be triggering for dancers and athletes who have struggled with body image in the past.

Luckily, macro tracking is not the only way to ensure you’re getting the nutrition you need!

For this, we love to recommend the perfect plate method and the hand method as a means for remaining mindful about nutrition without tracking every gram consumed.

However, for athletes that aren’t focused on specific physique goals or are in a maintenance phase, following the principles of intuitive eating can help them tune-in to the unique needs of their bodies.

Now, before you raise your eyebrows saying,

“Wait, but tracking macros is how I know I’ve hit my goals.”

“If I eat intuitively I’ll only chips and salsa and pasta! That’s not optimal for anyone!”

Let me tell you that studies have shown that, overtime, eating intuitively predicts better psychological and behavioral health.

On top of that, intuitive eating is scientifically associated with lower BMI and improved dietary intake (a.k.a. Intuitive eaters chose more nutrient dense foods).

So, What Exactly Is Intuitive Eating?

Intuitive eating is the practice of letting go of tracking and tuning-in to your body and what it’s asking for.

The focus is on learning to listen to your body’s natural hunger cues – eating when physically hungry and stopping when full.

As humans we are prompted on both what and when to eat via visual, social, emotional, and even through our sense of smell.

Think about it. We eat without physical hunger cues all the time.

For example:

You show up at your local coffee shop and they’ve just pulled the baked goods out of the oven. Everything smells fresh, warm, and delicious. Suddenly, despite having had a balanced breakfast, all you can think about is eating that muffin.

Now, there are no rules. You can eat that muffin. But the principles of intuitive eating ask you to recognize why you want to eat the muffin.

This ensures that you have power and agency in choosing when and what to eat!

Another example:

It’s Saturday night and you are attending a birthday dinner at a friends house. You’re not very hungry but it is “time” for dinner and you’re literally at this person’s house for dinner. So, you sit down and eat the meal with everyone, despite not really being very hungry.

Is this bad? No!

Eating in community with others is anthropologically proven to build relationships and strengthen emotional bonds!

Besides, there are a lot of reasons (other than having eaten a lot that day) that can lead to a of appetite spanning from being a bit under the weather, where you are in your cycle, or experiencing higher than normal stress levels.

Again the principles of intuitive eating simply require you to ask yourself,

“Why am I being prompted to eat?” Before you make decisions about your food.

Okay, I’m Curious. What Are The Principles of Intuitive Eating?

Reject the diet mentality

First things first, in order to practice intuitive eating you must let go of the idea that intuitive eating is a diet. Although you may lose weight with intuitive eating, that is not the goal.

There are no calorie or macro goals in intuitive eating. Simply learning to honor your body and as a result, learn how to adequately fuel it in a sustainable way.

Honor your hunger

Eat when you are hungry. Stop when you are full. So often we push past the point of hunger because of stress, timing, or even a belief that we “shouldn’t be hungry yet.”

Learning to recognize hunger cues and respond to them is one of the most important principles of intuitive eating.

Not sure what hunger cues look like?

Check out this chart:

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A post shared by Amber Tacy (@dancerswholift)

Make peace with food

Across the board, there is no such thing as “good” and “bad” foods.

Intuitive eating takes this principle very seriously. Eat what your body is asking for.

Will that always be the most nutrient dense choice? No.

But we eat for so many reasons beyond nutrition. Food is fuel, yes. Some fuels offer protein and high amounts of energy. Others offer comfort and pleasure.

Both forms of fuel are valuable.

Challenge the ‘food police’

This has nothing to do with others. The principles of intuitive eating are all focused on looking inwardly.

How many times have you said “Oh, I want to, but I shouldn’t eat that.”

Or, how many times have you said “I should eat this, but I want to eat this.”

Challenging the food police is all about recognizing that choosing to eat a sweet over chicken breast does not make you weak, and it does not mean you’ve thrown off your entire diet.

This principle is all about removing the negative and judgmental beliefs you might hold around food choices.

By giving yourself the foods you desire, you will more easily be able to honor your feelings of fullness.

Feel your fullness

Learning when you feel full versus stuffed can be challenging – especially if you LOVE the food you’re eating.

This is even harder if you’ve built a scarcity mindset around that favorite food.

Studies show that restricting yourself from foods can actually lead you to overeat when they’re around.

Think about it, if you go on vacation to Paris you’ll likely eat all the chocolate croissants and crepes you can get your hands on because they just aren’t as good here in the USA.

When you restrict yourself from your favorite foods, you create that same type of “I-can’t-get-this-very-often” mindset.

So, once you’ve built this trust with yourself, check in periodically throughout your meal and observe how you’re feeling.

Is your tummy feeling slightly bloated? Are you feeling satisfied? Is your body giving you a cue to sit back away from the table?

Refer to Amber’s Chart for more fullness cues!

Discover the satisfaction factor

This principle of intuitive eating is all about pleasure. Take a moment to be grateful for your food, observe it’s texture, temperature, and flavor, the environment in which you’re eating.

Taking the time to enjoy and experience your meal helps us feel satisfied and satiated.

Cope with your emotions

Remember when I said intuitive eating was all about learning why you’re being prompted to eat?

Sometimes, if we stop and listen, we learn things like:

“Every time I get cut from an audition I feel prompted to eat. But I don’t feel that prompt when I feel good about my audition.”

From this realization you might learn that you’re eating from a place of rejection and sadness rather than a place of celebration or accomplishment.

Another example of emotional eating looks like,

“I find myself wanting comfort foods when i’ve had a fight with a love one.”

While food for comfort is real, if food becomes your coping mechanism, it’s time to get curious about that response.

Learning to cope with our stress, anxiety, rejection, and depression can help us remove food from the emotional healing.

This allows more freedom of choice when we’re craving certain meals.

Respect your body

Every body is different. If I followed a strict meal plan and lifting program for 6 weeks and you followed the same strict meal plan and lifting program for 6 weeks we’d still come out looking differently.

No matter what, your body is your body. No amount of dieting will be able to remove a rib or make your femurs grow two inches.

I know, it sounds silly! But diet culture has us believing that if we cut out this food group or do x,y,z thing, it might *appear* that we have grown 2 inches and lost two ribs!

Accepting the realities of your body brings peace to your mind. A peaceful mind means lower cortisol levels. Low cortisol levels mean less bloating, less anxiety, and better sleep.

Exercise

When it comes to exercise amidst the principles of intuitive eating it isn’t about tracking your caloric burn on your apple watch. This principle is all about striving to move your body more in search of a healthier life style.

Exercising with an intuitive mindset means paying attention to when certain moves bring you joy. Then, use that joy to continue the activity.

There are no rules except the ones we choose to impose upon ourselves!

And yes, some rules are very very good. But when it comes to how you live your life on the daily? Do what makes your body feel best.

Honor your health

This is where we start to bring in nutrition. Some people call this “gentle nutrition.”

While the principles of intuitive eating stress that you shouldn’t deny yourself of indulgences.

Honoring your health does require you to recognize that our bodies need fruits, vegetables, proteins, fats, and whole grains to function optimally.

Practicing intuitive eating with gentle nutrition might look like expanding your meals and snacks to be more nutritionally dense.

For example:

You feel a craving for salt and vinegar chips and you also recognize that you’re a little hungry.

Serve yourself some chips and look at your plate. Ask yourself, how can I make this more nutritionally dense?

Maybe you add a few carrot sticks.

Maybe you add some cheese slices.

Or maybe you make yourself a protein shake because now that you think about it, you’re experiencing some brain fog.

Honoring your health is listening to your body when it says it’s tired of eating [insert favorite food here] and actually wants something different.

But What About My Macros? Do I throw those out?

No!

At Dancers Who Lift, we believe knowledge is power!

Because you understand macros, have so much knowledge about what type of nutrition fuels your body best!

Use that knowledge to honor your health as you move through your intuitive eating journey.

Allow yourself to recognize when your body says “I need some more protein” or “I’m craving some healthy avocado fats!”

Mostly, let yourself be free of restriction on this journey and get to know your body.

You might learn that your body needs more carbohydrates when you’re ovulating.

You might learn that you’ve only eaten meals because it was the “time to eat that meal.”

But you might also learn that your body knows what you need and it’s trying to tell you, if only you would listen.

Want some more tips about how to honor your body? Give these blog posts a read: Keeping Things Cool: The Benefits of Deliberate Cold Exposure for Dancers, Training Tip Tuesday: Sleeping Positions, Full Body Thirty Minute Workout (aka perfection!)

Workout Wednesday: The No-Equipment Workout

Listen, sometimes the weight room is absolutely packed. Other times, getting to the gym just isn’t happening. That’s why having a no-equipment workout in your back pocket is handy.

Whether you’re finding a quiet corner in your gym or unrolling your yoga mat in your living room, this workout is sure to satisfy your need to move. (and you’ll probably get a little sweaty too!)

I must warn you though, just because this is a no-equipment workout does not mean that you’ll be slacking.

No, no. This workout packs quite a punch!

The No-Equipment Workout

Marching Glute Bridge (20 reps)

First up in our no-equipment workout is the marching glute bridge!

To perform, lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

Take a deep breath to settle yourself, then brace your core by pulling your ribcage together and belly button to spine. Allow the natural curve of your back to maintain it’s position here. The idea is to support your spine, not flatten it!

Next, lift your hips toward the ceiling. Imagine your hips are lengthening toward your knees as you lift! Go as high as you can without arching your back.

Now that you’re in your glute bridge, maintain that position as you lift one leg up so its shin is parallel to the ceiling. Without dropping your hips, bring that leg back down and repeat on the other side.

The trick here is maintaining the isometric hold of your glute bridge while shifting the weight from one leg to the other.

Work to keep your hips level (don’t let them flop to one side or the other!) and continue to contract those abs so your lower back doesn’t arch.

**Repeat for 20 reps (10 on each leg) then move on to next exercise**

Spiderman Mountain Climbers (20 reps)

Flip that body over! The next portion of our no-equipment workout requires that you get into a plank position with your weight on your hands.

Once you’re in your plank position, check in. Is your core tight? Are you hips in line with your shoulders? Are you shoulders relaxed down and back instead of up by your ears?

Good. Now that we’re sorted, instead of pulling your knee to your chest like a traditional mountain climber, you’ll turn out your leg and pull one knee up toward your shoulder. (Imagine how Spiderman looks when he’s climbing up a building!)

Then repeat on the opposite leg!

As you get tired, try not to sink into your shoulders or let those hips float up to the ceiling. This exercise is tough but when practiced often it yields sky high lateral extensions!

**Repeat for 20 reps (10 per side) then move on to the next exercise**

Skaters (20 reps)

Okay, time to get up onto your feet!

Start by standing with your feet together.

Then, leap to the side onto one leg, letting the other leg cross behind (like a skater).

Once you land, immediately leap to the other leg.

Try to keep your chest up, letting your hips shift back as if you were sitting in a chair.

**Perform 20 reps total, then move on to the next exercise**

Hollow Hold (20 seconds)

Okay, we’ve reached the final exercise in our no-equipment workout.

Lay back down on your mat with your arms extended above your head, parallel to your ears. Take a deep breath and, on the exhale, brace your core.

From here, lift your arms up off the ground by lengthening them away from your core.

Then, without letting your core release, do the same with your legs.

Core should be scooping back and up, shoulders should be slightly lifted off the ground, and you should be staring at your belly button.

**Hold this position for 20 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds before repeating the circuit.**

Not Done Yet!

To complete this workout you must complete 5 rounds of these no-equipment exercises.

Between each round rest for only 30 seconds.

Should you want to up the ante a bit, you can add resistance to this workout by:

Resting a weight on your hips during the glute bridge

Putting a resistance band around your feet during the Spiderman mountain climbers

Holding a weight in your hands during the hollow hold (though be careful that this does not put strain on your neck/shoulders!)

And there you have it. An efficient, heart racing, no-equipment workout made just for you.

Will you try it?

Want more workouts, fitness tips, and other information dance athletes need to know? Check out these reads: Gym Myths and Misconceptions: The Dancer Edition, Making a Split Decision: Tips and Tricks on How to Get Your Splits, Training Tip Tuesday: Knee Hovers for Core Strengthening

Training Tip Tuesday: Breathing Techniques for Workouts

There are lots of different breathing techniques for workouts. And while you can choose one and hop right into your workout, why not warm up your breath so you can breathe as efficiently as possible?

Yes, warming up your breath is a thing! Let me tell you why.

You probably know that we use our lungs to breathe but, unless you’re a singer, you might not know that a big part of how we breathe is a dome shaped muscle called the diaphragm.

Contrary to what your voice teacher may have told you, you cannot “breathe with your diaphragm.” However, you can use your diaphragm to breathe.

Let me explain.

Your lungs are sacks that fill with air, your diaphragm is a muscle that expands and contracts to create a vacuum in your chest, allowing more air to fill your lungs.

The breathing techniques for workouts that we are covering today will help you locate and activate that muscle so you can intentionally control your air supply as you lift.

Warming Up Your Breath

There are two ways we like to warm up our diaphragm for maximum breathing efficiency.

The first uses the assistance of gravity.

Lay on your back with your feet on the ground, knees bent.

Take a deep breath in, allowing your stomach to expand. (That expansion is your diaphragm dropping down to create space for more air!)

Once full, blow your air out as if you are blowing through a straw. You will feel your stomach tense and begin to contract as your blow the air out.

No cheating! Make sure you fully expel all of your air before repeating! This will really get that diaphragm activated and ready to work for you during your workout.

The second warm up works against gravity.

For this breathing technique, get up on all fours, as if you’re about to do a birddog.

Without arching your spine, take a deep breath in, allowing your stomach to expand down toward the floor.

Again, as you exhale, pretend you are exhaling through a straw. You might find this a bit harder as your diaphragm is working against gravity to contract and expel the air out of your lungs.

Breathing Techniques for Workouts

Now that your warmed up, here’s our favorite breathing technique for workouts. Specifically, here’s how to breathe while lifting weights.

While power lifters and weight lifters might hold their breath during certain lifts, for the types of workouts we engage in we encourage you to breathe, and breathe a lot!

Our favorite breathing technique requires that you breathe in on the eccentric portion of your lift (when the muscle is lengthening) and exhale on the concentric portion of your lift (when the muscle is shortening).

Another way to think about this is to exhale as you lift the weight, and inhale as you lower the weight.

Why do we like this breathing technique for workouts?

Think back to our warm ups. When you exhaled, your core tightened, yes? This offers the body more stability and support during the lift.

If you are unable to breathe while lifting, that might be sign that you need to go down in weight or evaluate your form.

Want to hear what Coach Kierstin has to say about breathing techniques for workouts? Check out this video where you can follow along with our breath warm-ups!

Want more tips from Dancers Who Lift? Give these blog favorites a read: Making a Split Decision: Tips and Tricks on How to Get Your Splits, Let’s Talk About Stress, Ba-by! Stress Management For Dancers, Leaping For Joy: A Dancer’s Guide on How to Jump Higher

10,000 steps a day, manpo-kei, walking daily

Do You Really Need 10,000 Steps a Day?

Getting 10,000 steps a day has been a widely accepted standard for maintaining optimal health. But have you ever wondered where that number came from?

Because walking just 30 minutes per day can help prevent disease according to the Center for Disease Control. But, on average, 30 minutes of walking only accounts for about 3-4 thousand steps. That’s less than half of the widely accepted 10,000 steps per day.

Where Did the Idea of 10,000 Steps a Day Come From?

Ready for this fun fact?

In the 1960s, when Japan was prepping for the 1964 Olympics, a Japanese company invented the early version of a pedometer to encourage healthier lifestyles. In Japan, the character for “10,000” looks like a person walking.

Leading to the company naming it’s device, the 10,000-step meter.

This new device and the phrase, Manpo-kei (literally translated to “10,000 steps”) inspired the launch of many walking clubs across Japan.

10,000 steps was the minimum these clubs expected to walk together.

Yes. The idea of getting 10,000 steps a day started as an ad campaign in Japan and expanded into the culture of world wide health ideals.

But Walking 10,000 Steps a Day is Still Good, Right?

Walking more is never a bad thing. Unless you are pushing past the point of comfort or placing exhausted or injured joints a risk, walking 10,000 steps a day will not hurt.

Most studies show that the cardiovascular benefits of walking level out at about 7,500 steps.

However, if we’re discussing overall risk of mortality, generally speaking, the more you walk the lower your mortality risk. This study discovered that people who walk 12,000 steps a day have a 65% lower risk of dying than those who only took 4,000.

I don’t know about you, but I like those numbers! If taking a long every day can increase my life and boost my mental health, I am IN!

And if you’re sitting here thinking “I don’t have the time for that.”

Don’t worry. The good news is, simply walking more is enough to give you massive health benefits. And these steps do not have to be accomplished in one long walk.

“We found that every step counts. Small increases in daily steps can yield substantial health benefits, so adding 1,000 steps to your daily routine (~10 mins of walking) is worthwhile to consider for everyone,” Dr. Eijsvogels concluded.

Taking the time to stand up and walk around the office, walking the long way to the subway, or adding a walking cooldown to your workout are all great ways to get extra steps in.

Does the Intensity of My Walk Matter?

Not really.

This study showed that the intensity of the walk didn’t make a notable difference on the risk of death. The amount of steps you take really is the driving force in health benefits when it comes to walking.

Wow. What a relief!

Walking is a fantastic way to get in some active recovery, giving your body rest while still honoring it’s desire to move daily.

Set Your Goal

On average, how many steps a day do you take?

Do you think you could commit to walking 10 more minutes per day to add an extra 1,000 to your step count?

What about 20 minutes?

Whatever your goal is, make sure it’s achievable. Incremental changes yield big results over time.

Want more tips for achieving your daily health goals? Join the Dancers Who Lift email! Here you’ll receive free weekly workouts, training technique tips, and you’ll never miss a blog post.

Not sure you’re ready for an email commitment? Here are a few blogs we think you might like: Should Dancers Run? The Surprising Health Benefits of Running, Explained, In and Out Fully Body Workout For Dancers, A Dancer’s Guide to the Best Supplements for Muscle Recovery

dance athletes, physical therapy for dance athletes

9 Things Physical Therapists Want Dance Athletes to Know

As dance athletes the odds of us one day needing the help of a physical therapist are pretty good.

But have you ever wondered if there were things that your physical therapist wished you knew before you arrived in their office?

We asked our friends at Mims Method Physical Therapy this question and they actually had quite a lot to say on the topic. So much so, in fact, that we thought it was worth giving you the skinny.

9 Things Physical Therapists Wished Dance Athletes Knew

1. Pain Does Not Equal Gain

For dancers this might be a hard pill to swallow, but pain does not equal gain and more is not always better.

I know, I know, we were taught to push through.

We were taught that “one more time” is never the truth.

And what’s more, we were trained to think that stopping because of pain or exhaustion would mean we would be left in the dust.

But we’re here to tell you that pushing your body to the breaking point can actually lead to more time spent offstage due to injury.

Chris Falciano, a DPT at Mims, put it this way:

“Pain does NOT equal gain! Many dancers are highly motivated, and they come in thinking that more is always better. It’s important to find a good balance between pushing yourself and allowing your body to properly recover.”

Now, before you cancel your gym session, let me tell you that there are a few different types of recovery.

We talk a lot about taking recovery between workouts seriously; whether that’s an active recovery day or a complete rest day. But we don’t often talk about the importance of recovery breaks during your workout.

Studies have shown that taking adequate rest time between sets can actually produce greater increases in strength than pushing through for shorter rest times.

On top of that, giving your body that recovery time between sets also aides in preventing injuries that occur due to exhaustion.

TLDR? When your body hits max, listen to it.

2. Pain Isn’t Normal

Have you ever taken a Fosse class? If you have, you’ve likely heard the instructor say “If it kind of hurts or feels uncomfortable, you’re doing it right!”

And while this is true in the sense that holding your arms to do the “Fosse-Arms” while you walk is not the most comfortable or natural of positions, it does enforce the idea that pain in dance is somewhat normal.

In fact, a lot of what we do doesn’t feel great the first few times we do them– hello, pointe shoes!

But joint pain, shooting pain, and pain that is consistent and persistent is not actually normal. And, unfortunately, the belief that it is keeps dance athletes from visiting the PT!

“A lot of dancers write off their pain as “something that is normal” when we can actually reduce quite a bit of symptoms.” – Dr. Dan, DPT

That’s the thing about finding a physical therapist you can trust, their goal is to make what you do less painful so you can continue to flourish as dance athletes.

3. Don’t Forget to Work on Your “Turn-In”

Dr. Dan also had this recommendation for dance athletes entering their physical therapy era: don’t be afraid to work on your internal rotation. It won’t ruin your turn out.

Much like the rumor that lifting weights will decrease your flexibility, the idea that strengthening your internal hip rotation (ability to turn-in) will decrease your external hip rotation (turn-out) is false.

Training the full range of motion in your hips will create balanced strength and range of motion in your hip joint which will help you transition through movement. It has also been shown to correlate with fewer injuries!

But what’s probably the best argument for training your hips in every direction is the fact that healthy, strong hips, support healthy strong knees. So, if you’re a dancer with cranky knees, starting training those hips!

4. Stop Popping Your Hips

“If you pop those hips one more time…”

The PTs at Mims Method might work backstage at Chicago, but they would love it if they didn’t have to quote the show so often!

You know, what I’m talking about. That sideways leaning hip-hike that feels so good when the “pop” from your hip rings out.

I know this feels like a personal attack but…well, why don’t I let Dr. Kate Besong tell you why?

“Generally, popping your joints is likely not beneficial and may point to instability in that area. If it happens by accident while you’re moving, fine. But don’t force things to pop just to feel looser. Instead, focus on stability exercises and you’ll likely notice that your need to pop becomes less frequent.”

So give your PT a break from swinging on as Liz in cellblock tango and start working on your hip stability!

5. Stop Overstretching

Overstretching is something every dancer has done. Whether it’s literally sitting in an over-split or simply stretching for too long, our desire for soaring legs and impressive back bends can get dance athletes into trouble.

Contrary to how many dancers were trained, stretching should never reach the point of pain and, according to MIT, you should not be sore the day after a stretch session. If this happens, it’s time to decrease the intensity of your stretch sessions.

And those of you shaking your head right now saying, “But it feels good to stretch that deep!” Dr. Chris has a suggestion:

“We know your muscles feel tight sometimes, and getting into a deep stretch feels really nice. However, that doesn’t get to the root of the problem. In most of the cases I see, building strength and stability is a better long-term fix than stretching your hammys out for the 10th time today.”

6. Stretching is NOT a Warm-Up!

You’ve heard me say it before, but stretching is not a warm-up and these PTs all agree.

Active stretching can, and should, be a part of your warm-up. But it shouldn’t be the only aspect of your warm-up.

Instead, try a mobility flow followed by exercises sure to get your muscles activated. Not sure what this might look like?

Check out this follow-along warm-up we wrote specifically for auditions and performances! And feel free to add in your favorite stretch or exercise to lock yourself into the zone.

7. Don’t be Scared (We’re Here to Help!)

When asked what these Broadway PTs wished most that dance athletes knew, Founder of Mims Method PT, Brittney said this:

“Don’t be scared to see a PT! We aren’t here to tell you to stop doing what you love to do. We’re here to help you do it safely and help your career (or hobby) have longevity!”

We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to listen to your body. Seeing a PT does not mean that you’ll be out of the show. It might not even mean that you’re injured.

Seeing a PT simply means that you are willing to work to keep your instrument in tip-top shape for performance!

There’s a reason these PTs work backstage at shows. It’s to keep these dance athletes as pain free as possible and onstage, 8 shows a week!

8. “Prehab” is Just as Important as Rehab

Similarly, physical therapy is not only useful for rehab!

Brittney likes to encourage dancers to participate in what she calls “prehab!”

“PTs aren’t just for when you feel pain or when you’re already injured. At Mims Method PT, we do sooo much “prehab” or “preventative rehab”! We want to help dancers and performers before they get injured. We offer injury prevention workshops for dance companies and theaters and we offer individualized dancer screens in order to give dancers specific programming to help their muscle weakness, imbalances, etc. We see many patients for monthly maintenance visits to address any new choreography or mild aches they may have, or simply to update their warm up or exercise routine.”

If one-on-one personal training exists to fine tune your nutrition and exercise approach, physical therapy exists to fine tune the way dance athletes practice recovery and warm-ups.

Just like a soloist with a featured tilt will warm-up differently than the soloist with a featured jump, a dancer who struggles with ankle impingement should warm-up and cool down differently than a dancer with a hyper-mobile spine.

Physical therapy exists to pin-point and support those individual needs.

9. PT isn’t The Only Puzzle Piece You’re Missing

Just like weightlifting isn’t the only aspect of your cross-training, physical therapy should not be the only aspect of your recovery process.

“There are sooo many variables that can affect the way you feel: nutrition, hydration, sleep, stress, training intensity, cross-training intensity, etc! You can have the perfect routine of PT exercises, but if you’re not sleeping well (quality AND quantity) then your body will have a harder time recovering.” — Kate Besong, DPT

If you’re experiencing injury use this time to zero in on your self-care.

No, I don’t mean bubble baths and face masks.

I’m talking about ensuring you’re drinking enough water.

Creating a nighttime routine that supports your goal to get enough sleep.

Looking at your training schedule and deciding if you might need to pull back in certain areas to support your recovery.

This is the kind of self-care that will support your physical therapy journey and get you back on stage faster than ever.

Whether you’re experiencing an injury or not, physical therapy can be a huge asset to your career as a dancer.

Go into your next appointment with your head held high ready to support your therapy with these tips and you just might become your therapists favorite client.

That is, if you weren’t already!

**Want more tips from PTs who just get dancers?**

Follow along on the blog all spring for more interviews with Broadway’s Physical Therapists.

Missed the last post? Give it a read, here.

We’re dropping exclusive emails with physical therapy exercises from a different member of the Mims Method team each week!

You won’t want to miss this series! Opt-in for these exclusive exercises here!

Want more tips about fitness, PT, nutrition and more? Check out these quick reads on the blog: Training Tip Tuesday: Confidence Corner, the Gymitmidation Secret, Life After Macros: The Principles of Intuitive Eating, Explained, Keeping Things Cool: The Benefits of Deliberate Cold Exposure for Dancers

bear crawl workout, bear crawl, crawl workout, workout for dancers

Workout Wednesdays: The Bear Crawl Workout

Bear crawl workouts are a fantastic way to train your entire body at once.

Not only do bear crawls work your core, but they require you to utilize the full range of motion of your hips, shoulders and ankles.

Bear crawl workouts also train your muscular endurance and they improve your coordination!

Don’t be fooled by their simplicity, these workouts pack a punch.

So, ignore the fact that you feel like you’re back in 5th grade gym, get on your hands and knees, and let’s get started.

The Bear Crawl Workout

To do this bear crawl workout, make sure you have plenty of space to crawl around in. The farther you have to crawl, the easier accomplishing this workout with good form will be.

Now, get on all fours.

Press into your hands, letting your shoulders roll down your back.

Next, engage your core; closing your ribcage and pulling your belly button to spine.

Finally, tuck your toes and lift your knees one inch off the ground.

Don’t let your booty shoot up toward the ceiling! Instead, Imagine someone has rested a tea set on your back and you don’t want it to fall to the ground and shatter!

Now, maintaining this position crawl around the room in every direction (forward, backward, side to side) until you’ve reached 200 “steps.”

Up the Ante

Doing 200 steps in a bear crawl position will certainly get your muscles and heart pumping. Especially if you remember to keep your core engaged the entire time.

However, you might find that you want to do a little more.

If this is the case, take a two minute rest after your first round of 200 steps and then, begin again.

Add as many sets as you like-but only do as many as you can maintain good form for. (Good form means that the knees don’t float up above that one inch hover, your back doesn’t start to sag toward the ground, and you don’t start to sink into your shoulders.)

I should warn you, doing more than 4 sets might lead to noodle arms and legs and a very sore core.

It’s as simple as that! Who knew crawling around on the floor could be such a good workout?

And If you’re looking to make it even more challenging, try adding a resistance band above your knees!

Want more free workouts? Tune in every Wednesday to the Dancers Who Lift blog!

Don’t want to wait to get more fitness tips? Check out these blogs we know you’ll love: Are Crunches Killing Your Core? The Core Strength Secret, Building Power with Poise: Dumbbell & Band Workout for Dancers, The Pros and Cons of Creatine: Busting the Myths and Revealing the Facts