Warm-up: Get your machine oiled up before starting to dance...
Warm-up, aerobics and more...
Cardio Hip Hop Workout Video
The DVD is separated into 3 choreographies, each one has 10 combinations which are well explained. You can fit this DVD into your daily fitness workout. It is Rhythmical, energetic and easy to remember. Best fit for those who wont to loose weight, strengthen their body and work on improving stamina. |
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So, before starting to dance, I highly recommend you to do a short, yet effective, warm-up.
"What for?" You ask. "I just wanna dance". Well, the answer is simple. Just like when you wake up to a cold morning and have to warm up your (old) car, so it won't give you problems when you get out on the road, and stay loyal to you in the long-term - you have to warm-up your body.
Our body is our "instrument".
If we want to get on the dance floor and give the best possible performances, without having to worry that our "instrument" will betray us, we have to warm it up (makes sense, don't you think?)
The warm-up is just the beginning part of the dance. In order to dance, we have to develop several abilities.
- Developing the physical abilities necessary (motorical, physical) body awareness that enables us to balance, and create efficient, healthy movement.
- Developing our creativity (cognitive ability)
- Developing rhythmic and musical abilities during movement. developing coordination
- Developing our "instrument" (nourishing the body)
Practice of combined techniques
- Heart and lung endurance - building stamina
- Range of motion (flexibility)
- Strengthening the muscles (Physical abilities)
- Coordination. Combining all aspects- music, rhythm, motion and movement in space, while paying attention to the human surrounding
Throughout the warm up we learn how to combine all of these aspects together and of course we develop our "instrument" –the body...
So how does my warm-up go?
We start gradually. slowly warm up the body, from head to toes. In order to warm up properly, you can download my guided warm-up video clip, and do the exercises yourself.
Warming-up the neck:
Warming up the chest area and torso (back):
Warming up the lower back and pelvic area:
Warming up arms and shoulders:
Warming up the "twin" muscles and quads:
Aerobics:
It's time for the aerobic part of the warm up. You probably know what is aerobic activity, the step aerobics is a good example (although there are many ways to learn step aerobics), but the aerobics exercises I do is much more fun! Download this clip and practice these aerobic exercises with me.
Flexibility:
After we've warmed most of the body we start working on our flexibility, or according to the growing professional terminology, range of motion.
Flexibility can help us in many different field of life; it will make you feel "smoother" and quicker. You'll be able to bend, stand, and fold over in a much easier and more efficient way, without too much effort and avoiding strained muscles. You'll feel more relaxed and loose. Eventually you'll feel better with yourself.
Everyone's body has a different natural configuration. Each one of us has his own given flexibility. Each and every one of us can reach his/her own maximum range of motion. these abilities will grow, strengthen and lengthen, through constant practice of flexibility exercises and persistence.
Warning: It is necessary to be very careful when working on flexibility. Take care not to overwork the muscles, make sure to only cultivate and stretch them gradually. Throughout the process of developing flexibility you will discover that exercises, which seemed impossible, to perform at first, will be easy and even pleasing.
Flexibility exercise:
In order to work on your flexibility, you can download my instructional clip, and practice these yourself.
Building and Sculpting of muscles
Now that we are warmed up and more flexible, we can start to work harder and more precise on building and strengthening the muscles.
Who doesn't dream of firm abs?
Least of all a six-pack...
Well, you may be surprised but this isn't so hard. All you need is to be persist. Here you've got a bunch of exercises to work out your abs. Pick a few positions that are comfortable to you and start doing fixed sets regularly.
What are sets?
The same eight count in dance apply here. when exercising you can think of each set as an eight count. You can play some music and do sit-ups by counts. Have you picked 3 comfortable positions? Start slowly. There is no need to overload when starting. In each position that you've chosen, do 2 eight counts. Keep going until you feel that you can (easily) do more. Gradually increase the number of eights, and don't forget to add new positions.
Don't forget to breath...
Inhaling and exhaling will help you very much through the sets. whenever you go up try to exhale and when lowering back down try to inhale.
I promise you that you'll have ab muscles faster than you imagine.
Push-Ups
You can do these same sets when you want to work out your upper body (shoulders, arms, chest, and upper back).
Examples from the class: You can download my instructional clips, and do the exercises yourself.
Are you warmed-up?
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